What an awesome race! For those of you who don't know what Girls on the Run is all about, here's their goal:
To educate and prepare girls for a life time of self-respect and healthy living through running.
You can read more about them, their events and get involved HERE.
Of all the races I've been to, this one had to be in top five-and get this: I DIDN'T EVEN RUN IT! Yeah, I know right? I signed up to volunteer as a course monitor, and I had a blast. It was so weird to be on that side of the racing experience, but it was incredibly motivating. For many of the girls, it was the first 5k and for the rest? They were most likely experienced roadsters pacing with a preteen as a "running buddy."
I've seen their bright green shirts at many, many races and always wanted to get involved somehow. I even *foolishly* applied for a board job. I AM a girl on the run, am I right? When I found them, I knew I NEEDED to be involved somehow. Well, I had to start somewhere. Now, I have my bright green shirt and maybe, hopefully one day soon I'll be running side-by-side with a tweener on her first race.
In a race where everyone's Bib was #1 and no timing chips, it becomes increasingly clear that just by being there you're winning. Is that corny or what? It's cornball cheese because it's true. BUT it was a race, so of course there was a winner and guess what? A woman won. Isn't that like unheard of? Especially in a 5k, I did some research and a woman has never won any of the races I've competed. And not only did she win? She dominated. Admittedly, when she ran, nay sprinted by my post I got chills. I'd like to buy her a beer or maybe a protein shake, and just talk about her form.
There were two other participants of note: The fifth place finisher, and one of the last finishers. The kid that took one of the top ten spots was as tall as my femur, had thick glasses and was wearing basketball shorts to the ground. He reminded me of that kid in Jerry Maguire, ya know this one. He didn't even look old enough to be running alone. Not only did he run the course alone, but he finished alone. One of the last girls to finish was part of a giant school group, they all wore matching shirts, and all of them but her had finished. The course was set up so that you ran adjacent to the finish for about three hundred meters in a loop around a parking lot. When the sole remainder of their team approached the last three hundred meters they all jumped back on the course with her, and supported her to the arch marked "FINISH!"
What. An. Awesome. Race.
I've seen their bright green shirts at many, many races and always wanted to get involved somehow. I even *foolishly* applied for a board job. I AM a girl on the run, am I right? When I found them, I knew I NEEDED to be involved somehow. Well, I had to start somewhere. Now, I have my bright green shirt and maybe, hopefully one day soon I'll be running side-by-side with a tweener on her first race.
In a race where everyone's Bib was #1 and no timing chips, it becomes increasingly clear that just by being there you're winning. Is that corny or what? It's cornball cheese because it's true. BUT it was a race, so of course there was a winner and guess what? A woman won. Isn't that like unheard of? Especially in a 5k, I did some research and a woman has never won any of the races I've competed. And not only did she win? She dominated. Admittedly, when she ran, nay sprinted by my post I got chills. I'd like to buy her a beer or maybe a protein shake, and just talk about her form.
There were two other participants of note: The fifth place finisher, and one of the last finishers. The kid that took one of the top ten spots was as tall as my femur, had thick glasses and was wearing basketball shorts to the ground. He reminded me of that kid in Jerry Maguire, ya know this one. He didn't even look old enough to be running alone. Not only did he run the course alone, but he finished alone. One of the last girls to finish was part of a giant school group, they all wore matching shirts, and all of them but her had finished. The course was set up so that you ran adjacent to the finish for about three hundred meters in a loop around a parking lot. When the sole remainder of their team approached the last three hundred meters they all jumped back on the course with her, and supported her to the arch marked "FINISH!"
What. An. Awesome. Race.
3 comments:
I'm running my local Girls on the Run 5k next weekend and your post got me so excited for it!!!! It sounds like such an awesome atmosphere!
I LOVE THIS! You just gave me chills! I'm glad you were able to partake in such an amazing experience...of course I would expect nothing less out of you, Julia!
I was a girls on the run coach! You should do that next season in the Fall..it is the most amazing experience ever :-)
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