“GIRLS ON THE RUN IS SO MUCH FUN, GIRLS ON THE RUN IS NUMBER ONE!!!!!!”

Hanging out with 3rd through 5th graders for a few hours a couple days a week is really refreshing. I’m 22 and am really never around young kids, too old to babysit, I don’t have children myself and my family isn’t at the point of having kids that age yet. So when I volunteered to coach Girls On the Run last year and continued to do so for this past 2009 season being around this age of girls is so interesting.
As runners we generally get in the mood and support one another through out training and at a race, (after we’re done that’s when I can really start cheering on others, before that I’m focused on me) But these 8-10 year olds yell and scream and high five each other all through out practice and after.
Having been a part of the program for two years now I see what an impact training for a 5k can have on these girls. The primary focus is not on running but rather on growing as a young girl, standing up for yourself and living a healthy life style. And in the end they accomplish something they never thought would be possible!
I think as runners we can learn from these girls. A little motivation goes a long way. A high five with someone you don’t even know on the course, yelling “keep it up” might get that slower runner up the next hill or to pick up the pace just a little more. Even just a smile to a passing runner on the trail could motivate him/her to run that extra mile they were thinking of cutting off. You could be that inspiration with out even knowing it!

What do you think? Are you motivated by other runners? Intimidated? Or would you just rather be in your own world? Of course it depends on your mood that day… I know I have days that my run is just that, my run. But try it out, give some extra support you usually wouldn’t and see what happens and let us know!