WCPO 9MASON, Ohio — Two Mason Middle School students started their summer with one goal: to make their cross-country team in the fall. It’s turned into a journey being followed by thousands online.
The first video recorded by rising eighth graders Javlon and Anish was simple. A phone handoff explaining their goal: to run two miles in 18 minutes by the fall.
Their motivation to document their progress online was driven by a call to action from experienced runners.
“We don’t want to get injured,” he said. "If we made a channel, experienced runners would comment and give us tips about how not to cramp a lot and to keep going.”
That first video went viral, with 2.8 million views and counting in just three weeks.
Every video since has racked up tens of thousands of views, and more than 42,000 pe