5k Run!

Here's a quick rap up of the past couple weeks!

1) Service Project: One day for practice, the girls and other coaches and I worked for an hour weeding and planting flowers around the gazebo area at Hastings Middle School. It looked 100 times better when we were done! The yellow and gold flowers made the gazebo look a lot more welcoming for the kids who will use it in the future.

2) Practice 5k: Last Tuesday, the girls did a "practice 5k" to prepare for the read deal! The weather was rainy and cold but spirits were high and they all did quite well despite Mother Nature :)

3) THE 5K RACE!!!: Sunday was the girls' 5k race! The weather was beautiful and they all ran so well! All 7 girls started out the race together and and even though they had spread out by the end, the other coaches and I were able to distribute ourselves so that no one was alone. All of them ran under 35 minutes, which is truly amazing for 6th and 7th grade girls. They got medals, t-shirts, and headbands, but I think the girls would agree that the best prize was the feeling of accomplishment they got at the end.

Day 12!

Today I realized that all of the girls and coaches have become a lot closer and more comfortable with each other since the beginning of the season. It really makes for a positive environment when the girls can joke with each other and have fun while working together. I think there is a direct connection between strong relationships and having confidence, because when others care about you then you are more likely to care about yourself. The Girls on the Run environment of friendship that we have worked to develop is one where girls can be themselves through running. What a wonderful thought :) The girls ran just over 2 miles again today, they are slowly but surely preparing themselves for the 5k! It'll be here sooner than we know it.

Day 11!

Today the girls, Bethany, and I decided that for our service project (part of the GOTR curriculum) we would have beautification project around the school. We are going to weed and plant flowers so the area we, and others, run around is prettier to look at! The weather was beautiful and the girls ran a little over 2 miles, with only one break in between each mile. The two girls who I have mentioned as the most shy at the beginning of the season ran up with me the ENTIRE time! They didn't stop running once or fall behind me. I was extremely proud of them and really tried to keep encouraging them to finish strong. They were both glowing and I could just tell that they were proud of themselves. Everyone ran well, but I was especially proud of them today.

Day 10!

Today was VERY rainy so we ran inside, but the girls love running inside so it was fun! We had a good lesson beforehand and briefly brainstormed for our service project. The girls ran for 25 minutes today and did an incredible job of working together and pacing themselves. I'm really proud of the progress they are making and the encouragement they give each other, especially since we will be talking about teamwork and communication for the next month. The girls are really coming out of their shells and I feel more and more comfortable with them every time I go.

Developing Physically Active Girls

While going through my Girls on Track/Girls on the Run Curriculum Overview today, there was a page called "Physical Activity in Girls" that talks about the mission of GOTR as far as encouraging girls to be more confident with their bodies and physical abilities. This page referenced a study called Developing Physically Active Girls by the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sports at the University of Minnesota, which I found extremely interesting and applicable to my project! The study discusses the physical activity trends of young girls, the psychological dimensions of girls' physical activity participation as it pertains to different relationships and environments, as well as the effects of physical activity of their motivation, self-esteem, etc. Its an amazing study! Check it out!

Day Nine!

Today before we ran, we had a short lesson on gratitude. I felt like the girls were really sincere in naming things and people they are grateful for. At first I kind of wondered how being grateful relates to running and having confidence, but it only took me a second to remember how grateful running makes me. I personally find amazing solitude in running and whenever I go, I feel more appreciation for the world around me and the good things in my life. Instead of wishing I were faster or stronger, I'm grateful that i'm healthy enough to even be able to go for a run. When you're more grateful, you're happier. And when you're happier, you're more confident.

Speaking of confidence, my confidence in the girls' abilities went up yet again today. I lead them on a run that was a little over 2 miles, and they all did AWESOME. It may not sound like much to experienced runners, but for 6th grade girls they did extremely well, especially considering the warmer temperature. We're just over halfway through the season and I think they are well on their way to being ready for the 5k :) The girls shine brighter each and every session, I really am growing to love them. I used to be nervous to go to GOTR, but I am enjoying it more and more.

Day Eight!

Today our lesson was about how running can be used as a way to relax. I can definitely relate to this but I didn't know if the girls would feel the same way. For the workout, we had them run in silence, away from each other, so they could focus on themselves and their thoughts. The results were honestly amazing; the girls ran better today than they ever have before. They seemed happy and focus each lap when they passed us, and walked a lot less than usual. I'm so happy with the improvements they are making, not just physically but socially and hopefully mentally. The other coaches and I agree that two of the more shy girls, Holly and Lindsey, have really come out of their shells the past few weeks. I'm so glad because they are all adorable girls and have great running potential! I think that relaxation and just having time for yourself each day is a benefit that pre-teen girls can gain and really learn to appreciate through running.

Pre/Post Girls on the Run Survey Results

Today while I was looking around the Girls on the Run website, I found this evaluation from 2007 that shows a statistically significant improvement in the body images, eating attitudes, and self esteems of girls who participated in Girls on the Run. This is an extremely interesting survey and definitely helps answer my question of how running helps pre-teen girls to develop physical and mental confidence! They become more self aware by accepting themselves how they are, and look inside of themselves for good qualities rather than on the outside. Participating in this program allows girls to connect with other girls who like to run and can feel good about themselves by making new friends who accept them for who they are.

Day Seven!

I think today was the best practice we've had so far, in terms of both our lesson/discussion and our running. The lesson was about different feelings we have and how to cope with them. Each and every girl participated by sharing examples of times when they have felt sad, angry, jealous, etc., and how they can changed their response to it the next time it happens. For example, one girl said she sometimes gets jealous of her friend who has a big house, but the next time she starts to feel that was she will just remember how nice her own home is how much she likes it because it is where her and her family live together. Learning to control our responses to feelings is extremely applicable to running because runners often feel pain, discomfort, frustration, a lack of confidence etc., and must learn to block out bad thoughts they sometimes think about themselves.

The girls chose to run inside the school today, so they ran different courses through the hallways, up and down stairs, etc. I think they really enjoyed changing up the scenery and it helped them to stay focused on the task at hand and pace themselves in a better way. The girls didn't give up today and had one of their hardest workouts, so I was proud of them. We need to slowly start bumping up the mileage so we can have them ready for the 5k! Hopefully some of them worked on coping with negative thoughts and feelings while they were running :)

Day Six!

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend the second session last week so I skipped a blog about Day Five. Today the lessons was about eating disorders, which is definitely an intense subject and I was really scared to teach it. Thankfully, the girls really added to the conversation and shared how they balance their eating so they are making healthy choices for their bodies. We discussed why it is so important for growing teenage girls, and especially girls who run, to eat enough to take care of their bodies. I realized today that girls who pick up the sport/hobby of running at an early age can either really hurt their confidence and performance by not eating enough in order to achieve a certain appearance, or they can eat in a healthy way that allows them to remain strong and therefore confident in themselves and their performances.

The girls all ran about 1.5 miles today, which was really great. They are all different speeds and ability levels but are really putting forth the effort. I want to start setting distance goals for practice as we get closer and closer to the 5k, which I hope will really get the girls to realize what they need to accomplish in practice to finish a 5k race. I think that as we discuss issues that relate to emotional and physical health, it will increase the girls' confidence in themselves and they will be able to reach their potential while running. There is definitely a direct link between believing you can do something and achieving it!

Day Four!

We didn't have practice last week because it was spring break, so I was happy to see all of the girls' smiling faces again today! Our lesson was about balancing all of the things we have going on in our life, like spending time with our family, friends, ourselves, and on schoolwork. For the "Getting on Board" activity, two groups of 4 girls each had 4 index cards on which they wrote "family", "friends", "self", and "school". We lined them up right next to each other on the floor and one at a time, the girls had to stand on one like while trying to touch all of the index cards at one time, representing being able to balance everything in their lives. We kept spreading the cards out farther and farther apart from each other, making it more difficult each time they tried to balance the things that are important to them. After we finished this activity, I asked the girls what they do or could do to make it easier to have balance in their lives. One girl said that her family uses calendars on their computers to stay organized, and another girl said she writes down everything she needs to do when she gets home from school. The girls participated really well today, I'm glad to see them talking and interacting more and more.

Our workout today was short but felt really good because the weather was perfect; blue skies and sunny with a little breeze. Most of the girls ran about 1.5 miles, which is great! They are making progress and doing better with pacing themselves. The best part is that they are seeming to enjoy it :)

Day Three!

Today at practice we discussed stress and how to manage our time wisely. The girls did a great job of talking about different things that cause stress and how they personally handle it. For the "warm-up", we had a relay in which the girls had to race to posters and write down something that stresses them out. After they were done, we discussed each thing they wrote down and how we can deal with it. The girls wrote down everything from "tests" to "fights" to "money problems". The girls did great with the workout as well, we bumped up the distance today and they paced themselves a lot better than they did last week! I still hope to get each girl talking a little more and feeling comfortable with speaking up when they have ideas.

Here's a website I found about how young girls can handle stress in healthy ways! It goes along perfectly with our lesson.

Day Two!

Today was Session #2! I was more nervous for today because Bethany couldn't be there, but I was more prepared as far as knowing the lesson plan which really helped things run smoothly. Within 10 minutes of being there, I already felt comfortable with the girls because they are all so sweet. Some are more talkative than others, but I tried to get them all talking when we did our "Getting on Board" activity. We discussed the "Girl Box", which is a central part of Girls on the Run. If you live inside the "Girl Box", you do things and act in certain ways because you feel pressured to be something you're not based on what others think of you. Girls on the Run, however, encourages girls to live outside of the "Girl Box" by appreciating her own beauty, being herself, being kind to others, and choosing to make healthy life decisions that will encourage confidence and happiness. The girls had some really great ideas and I think they really understood the importance of living outside of the "Girl Box".

Unfortunately, the weather was a little wet and cold so we did our workout in the hallways of the school. All the girls did great and went their own paces, but some practically sprinted the whole time so we definitely need to work on pace if they want to finish a 5k without dying at the beginning! It's great that they are so energetic though.

I hope to upload some pictures soon!

Day One!

Today was our first day of Girls on Track, the name for Girls on the Run at the middle school level, at Hastings Middle School! I was definitely nervous before we started because I had no idea what to expect from the girls or how good Bethany and I would be at coaching. We started with an introduction to Girls on the Run and then started with our "Getting on Board" activity, which is how all of the lessons start. We went around in a circle and said our first names and then what animal we were that started with the same letter as our first name. Each girl had to say the names and animals of the girls before her. I was Johanna Jaguar, and so on. It was a great way to memorize names and break the ice a little.

We then went outside (we started in a classroom) to begin the "Warm-Up". Most of the girls were talking and laughing but I noticed one or two that were a little more quiet, so I hoped by the end of the day I could get them talking a little more. For the warm-up, Bethany and I set up two cones 30 yards away from the girls. Bethany would say things like, "Are you more like a dog or a cat?" and the girls would have to run to the cones that represented those animals. This was a good way for the girls to loosen up and express themselves at the same time.

By the time we started the "Workout", I already felt a million times more comfortable with the girls. I handed out an interview paper to each of them that had questions on it to ask the other girls around them as they ran. We ran two laps around the paved path where we practice, and even in that short time I learned a lot about each of the girls. It was a lot of fun and I feel like the girls got to know each other better.

We went back inside with about 10 minutes left and asked the girls what their thoughts were on Day 1. We gave them a few reminders and a snack for the road. I would say Day 1 was a success and I hope I can continue to get to know the girls and they can continue to grow!

Ready to Run!

Hey everyone! I'm excited to officially be starting my blog about Girls on the Run. For those of you who don't know, Girls on the Run is a 10-12 week program that combines training for a 3.1 running event with self-esteem enhancing workouts. The goals of the program are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual, and physical development. The program was established in 1996 by Molly Barker, a four-time Hawaii Ironman Triathlete.

For the past few months, I have been working with Girls on the Run coordinators and my friend Bethany, who will also be a coach, to establish a new site for the program at a middle school is Columbus. We advertised, held an informational meeting, and finally have our minimum of 8 girls to start the program! Our first practice is March 8th, which is fast approaching. I am so excited!

To learn more about Girls on the Run, I encourage you to visit the homepage and other sites I have listed under "Links." Also, enjoy this inspirational video about the program!