Jacob, along with Alex da Silva, is creating a documentary film -- "Runners High" -- expected to be released in early 2006.

"We've been following them this whole season," Jacob said.

Jacob said that she and da Silva learned about the Students Run Oakland program from a mutual friend.

"Immediately, we realized there was this built-in story -- not only about the kids running the marathon, but the kids training for the marathon," Jacob said.

"Runners High" follows the story of teenagers from some of the roughest neighborhoods in Oakland who transform themselves both physically and mentally by training to run the 26.2 miles of a marathon, she said.

"These are not your typical long-distance runners. They eat junk food and live in a community characterized as 'a war zone.' In addition, they come from families under stress from various challenges, including single parenting, domestic violence, unemployment and uncertain immigration status," Jacob said.

For more information about the film, visit www.runnershighfilm.com.