SPANISH FORT—As Craig Ross ran his training route through Fairhope a few weeks ago, a thought popped into his head: Why not create a youth triathlon event that could get kids moving and raise money for a much-needed project?

Within days the ball was rolling toward a fundraiser to help construct a special-needs playground to benefit the countywide middle-school Project Reach program at Spanish Fort Middle School.

Ross, who is preparing to run an Ironman triathlon, said in his two years as SFMS’s assistant principal he “always saw a hole” in facilities available for special-needs students, but he knew constructing a multi-handicapped playground could cost between $50,000 and $60,000.

In his first year as principal, however, Ross said he vowed to make boosting school spirit and community pride in SFMS his top priority. Even he is surprised at how quickly “Going the Distance for Kids” became his blueprint for realizing that goal.

The junior triathlon, slated for Oct. 23 at the Daphne YMCA, is open to all children between the ages of 8 and 15, but SFMS will host a special “training day” Oct. 15. In preparation for the larger event, the middle school’s parking lot in front of the gym will be cordoned off, creating a 0.2-mile track, and students are seeking per-lap sponsors as well as flat donations toward the playground fund. The same sponsorship mechanism will be used for the Oct. 23 triple event.

“When that playground goes up, it’s going to become a tremendous source of pride for each and every student because they will know they had a hand in making it happen,” Ross said. “Even if it takes a while to raise the money, this is just something I feel very strongly about, and the response I’ve gotten from my students tells me they do too.”

All pledges for the Oct. 15 “training day” and Oct. 23 “Going the Distance for Kids” are tax deductible and checks should be made out to SFMS. Pledge forms were sent home with each student, and forms are also available on the school’s website at www.spanishfortmiddle.com.

Ross, who completed his first triathlon in Florida in 2007, will compete Nov. 28

in the Ironman event in Cozumel, Mexico.