and the last day in september!
right now, i am laying on the bed, next to daphne and i have the window open. i love the breeze, hearing the traffic and seeing the leaves change color right outside the window!
do you know girls on the run? they are an international non-profit focused on inspiring young girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experienced-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.
each 'session' is 10-weeks long and includes 20 lessons, empowering girls with a sense of self-aweareness, a sense of achievement, and skills for powerful team building.
the girls run, play games & discuss important issues ; such as body confidence, bullying, contributing to the community and making healthy decisions.
i have two friends that are GOTR coaches & its something i have always wanted to be involved it ; but until recently, it just never fit with my work schedule.
i was a 'poofy' kid; never skinny & never overweight. also, i had very little athletic ability. i played softball from ages 5-17, but in high school, it became a popularity contest & i was turned off.
i was the kid that cut corners around the track during the mile & was totally fine being picked towards the back of the pack in gym class. i was heavier than most girls in my class and i had friends that were really awesome athletes {actually, a few of them went on to play some huge games in college}. i never saw myself as 'heavy' or 'chubby' ; my lack of self-awareness was incredible. i didnt realize until i was in college that some our bodies look differently. {i know that sounds hard to believe, but i really was not aware of my size or the size of others until i was an adult}
i was pretty active as a kid ; i rode my bike, played with friends, played sports in high school {volleyball and softball} ; but i just never saw myself as an athlete. although, i was SO aware of others talents & had NO confidence in myself.
i feel lucky to have organically evolved into healthier choices & finding a good balance in my life. sadly, many women {my age and older} are STILL dealing with body-confidence issues. binging, self-loathing and sabotage ; all of that makes me so sad.
i strongly believe that if we all had programs like GOTR ; it could really change the way that ALL women see themselves!
we owe it to young girls everywhere to teach them the power of confidence, movement and other life skills.
there are GOTR chapters all over the country ; so if you are interested in becoming a coach, a running buddy or just connecting ; go here to find a location near you.
and minneapolis folks!
want to run with me?
on november 16th, GOTR is hosting their end-of-session 5k and for the first time ever, its open to the public! {thats really cool!}
the run will be held at lake nokomis and is a fun run; it wont be chipped or timed!
i will be there and would LOVE to have you join me! we will be running {or walking!} with tons of girls from the cities and their running buddies!
if you want to feel awesome and inspired, i highly recommend running next to and cheering on young girls!
{this gives me goosebumps just typing it out!}
if you want to register, head here to sign up.
or, head here for a chance to WIN an entry!
{all runners get a shirt and food after the race}
stay connected to GOTR
website // facebook // twitter // instagram // pinterest
{and here is the GOTR twin cities site}
tell me : are you familiar with girls on the run?
did you have a positive body-mentor when you were a kid?
are you local? do you want to run with me?!
*disclaimer : Girls on the Run provided me with a few talking points & photos in exchange for a free entry into the 5k ; but all stories & opinions are my own!*
