This Saturday was the Salt Lake Girls on the Run 5k, the concluding event for our season. Each school was to choose a name and costume for the race. My girls, for whatever reason, wanted to be "THE NERDS." So I spent about two days running to every Dollar Tree between here and Provo gathering supplies (had to stay within our meager budget!) to make the girls sufficiently nerdy.
The girls all were so excited on race day, they kept smiling and giving me hugs - it was so warm and fuzzy that even Cold Hearted Coach Lauren got a little teary eyed. Though my girls weren't the fastest out there (in fact, one of them finished just about dead last!), they all completed a 5k and were so proud of themselves. I was proud of them too.
Over the course of the past few months, I've learned several things about elementary school age girls:
1) They can be motivated to do anything (including run 3 miles) if there are stickers used as a reward
2) They can be motivated to run those 3 miles remarkably fast (one girls even ran an under 8 minute mile!) if there is the offering of a Pizza Party for fast enough times
3) If you bring anything for them, make sure each one is exactly the same. Major fights will break out over the "special cupcake" (aka the one cupcake that was baked in a different muffin paper?!?)
4) They are a lot more sensitive and insightful than they are given credit for.
It was amazing to watch my girls change throughout the season. They all made great strides (pun intended) in becoming better runners, but they also became better people. All of the girls learned to include one another and they were all really sensitive to making sure our one girl in a wheelchair was always able to participate. They had awesome insight into subjects such as "choosing to be positive" and "being happy with our healthy bodies". It definitely increased my self esteem to be part of the program, even though at times I made a complete fool of myself (oh the goofy spirit award cheers)... One last time, our favorite chant:
GIRLS ON THE RUN IS SO MUCH FUN!!!
4 comments:
you rock! really though, you do.
ps. i need some advice about a good pair of running/work out shoes? i figured you'd be a good person to ask. not too expensive? just reasonable. mine are from target, or something they are n o g o o d.
let me know when you get the chance.
tiffanihafen@gmail.com
How fun! How would one get involved in something like that? Also are you running the Utah Valley? It'd be fun catch up with you if you are!
You are so cool. You would be an excellent coach.
Your Amazing!!! And so are your girls.
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