It’s a crisp fall morning in Homewood, Alabama. Hundreds of students, plus some faculty, staff, and even parents, wait on the local Lakeshore Running Trail, ready to start a half marathon.br br Once a year, all of Highlands College runs a half marathon together. And not just because they feel like it, but as part of the curriculum.br br The half marathon is the cornerstone of a broader health and fitness plan built into how HC operates. Enrolled students enjoy robust gym facilities and a local health-focused meal service. Once a week, everyone participates in an intramural sport of their choice. And just as the fall semester culminates in the half, the spring ends with Expedition, a Tough Mudder-esque event that, again, includes the whole school.br br Students with permanent or temporary disabilities need a doctor’s note, then work with the school to find alternative ways to stay involved.br br “We are really committed to that program growing. It’s a big part of our student life culture,” Mark Pettus, the college’s president since its founding in 2011, told Runner’s World from the Highlands campus.