Heard of Girls on the Run?

I don't have any children but I did run with my co-worker's daughter in a 5K a few months ago and it was great! Seems like such a positive program. If I had kids I'd put em in!

my elementary school has it for several years now. its sooo cute to drive by & see them all jogging. i have boys in those grades now so none of my kids have been in it. my older girls would have said "no" to it though, both would be araid (even at that age) to mess up their hari lol
m friends daughter enjoyed it though

I know you heard about it from me, but I have been actively involved with both programs (Girls on the Run & Girls on Track) since 2006, so I can give you a little more information, though the website is very informative and really gives a good idea about the program. The GOTR program in my area is the largest in the country, with several school districts involved. I think last year there were around 2,200 girls and 600-800 community runners for the celebration 5K, which is a culmination of the program in which the girls walk & run a 5K route and receive a medal at the end.

I coached for the first time while pregnant, and it was a joy. The school district and the school I coached for was very diverse, and my team was great. In fact, here are there beautiful, smiling and happy faces (I'm pretty sure I made it into one of the training programs for future coaches - I haven't been able to coach since, but I have been involved in the 5K planning committee, as a building liaison for Girls on Track, and also a community runner):



(I am the very pregnant one on the far left. lol.)

Since I am the mother of only boys, I won't have any children to go through this program, and I wish there was something similar for boys, but to be honest, boys do not need it nearly as much as girls do. I can remember, in middle school, feeling like I wasn't good enough or smart enough or __________ enough. I know that boys feel that way, too, but, typically girls have more self esteem issues than boys.

Anyway, I really love and support this program. I wished they had had it when I was in elementary school. The really cool thing is that a) each girl is given a pair of shoes to run with that are properly fitted to her, and b) the program cost depends on what you can afford to pay, so if you can't afford to pay anything, they never turn you away.

If you have it available in your area, I highly, highly encourage you to put your daughter in the program, even if she is reluctant or resistant at first. 1/2 of my team didn't want to be there on the first day, and by the Celebration 5K, they were all the best of friends. (And no, I wasn't able to run or walk the 5K with them at this particular event, unfortunately. I was due on August 8, the 5K was on the Thursday before Memorial Day, and it was something like 95 degrees. They all understood and were excited to see my smiling face at the finish line where I got to give them their medals. It was one of the best moments of my life, outside of delivering my two boys and marrying my husband.)