Whitefish Middle School students ran through the school’s gym last week like ghosts and goblins might be chasing them.

It was an understandable feeling as the students made laps during physical education class in the gym that had been decorated Halloween-style with skeletons hanging from the basketball hoops and pumpkins glowing on the edges of the room.

Teacher Scot Ferda addressed a group of fifth graders telling them to expect to “run for your lives” in their worst nightmare. Then he told them to work as hard as they could running around the gym for the Halloween Howl run.

“You’re not competing against anybody but yourself,” he said. “You are tougher than you think.”

The gym was nearly dark with only an orange glow to light the way as the fifth-graders ran lap after lap. The students counted their laps as they ran past a scary clown and a graveyard.

Teacher Lucy McFadden is instrumental in organizing the decorations and picking up additional items throughout the year. The seventh- and eighth-graders help decorate the gym, in addition to running.

The school’s physical education teachers often use a bit of theatrical excitement to encourage students to enjoy running.

The Halloween Howl is one of several themed runs held at the school throughout the year.

There’s also the Turkey Trot, when students form relay teams broken down by toms (male) and hens (female). They also do the Reindeer Run with the students wearing bells. For Valentines Day, they jump rope for heart heath, and the Shamrock Shuffle comes in March.

“We want to make exercise fun,” Ferda said. “We want them to be lifetime runners. We teach them that this helps with stress and they’ll feel a rush of endorphins when they’re done.”

Ferda said the special cardio days have been taking place at the school for nearly 20 years.

“Before Halloween we want to get them ready for all the candy they’re about to eat,” he said.