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JEANNA DUERSCHERL The Roanoke Times

Morgan Montgomery powers around the track at Boones Mill Elementary School on Tuesday. The after-school Wog Club was started to give kids a way to exercise.

An after-school pastime has become popular at Boones Mill Elementary, allowing participants to get in on the action at their own pace.

"Basically, we use it as a social outlet and also to get the kids out to exercise," said Betty Thorpe, physical education teacher at Boones Mill Elementary School and organizer of The Wog Club.

Thorpe said "wog" is short for "walk-to-jog." Students, their families and teachers are invited to wog at the school every week, and are encouraged to exercise at whatever pace suits them.

They walk the track or the perimeter of the school, play games and discuss the importance of nutrition and how to fit it into their lives.

The group meets for about an hour after school on Tuesdays, and is open to third- through fifth-graders at the school. Thorpe said the "woggers" will continue through December, take a break at the beginning of the year and start back strong in March.

Thorpe said they have about 40 students, four teachers and several family members this fall. At one point, she said, the club had as many as 75 participants. In the spring, Thorpe said, parents often bring their younger children and mothers push their babies in strollers.

Eric Johnson, a speech pathologist at Boones Mill, said he runs every day and participates in several 5K races. When he heard about Thorpe's program, Johnson said it was a no-brainer for him to join.

"I just wanted to try to share with the kids here that running is a great way to stay healthy and stay in shape," he said.

Johnson said his passion for running has caught on, as children who participate often try to compete with him, keeping pace for about half a lap before falling back.

Thorpe stressed that students need not be athletically inclined or play sports. She said she just wants kids to have fun while also keeping fitness in mind.

"Since there's no pressure, a lot of kids come out who might not normally do this kind of thing," she said.

Thorpe said kids often bring iPods along with snacks and water, and the cafeteria staff also sells healthy snacks after school.

Thorpe teaches lessons on healthy eating habits, telling students to avoid salty and fatty foods, and to instead opt for snacks such as granola bars, dry fruit, popcorn, cheese sticks and yogurt.

In the time allotted for wogging, Thorpe said, students often end up walking and jogging multiple miles, some trying to beat their personal goals of laps completed. She said she enjoys seeing students strive to progressively jog more and walk less, but is also pleased with the students who just like to walk and talk.

"It doesn't matter to me," Thorpe said.

"As long as kids are trying to get out and be active, I'm happy."