Girls On The Run: A New Image For Young Girls

By Jossie Ingram

Girls on the Run has been offered to many young girls twice a year in the spring and fall season in elementary and middle schools nationwide.

The program is designed to increase student activity, fitness level and self-esteem. It also teaches life skills that will benefit the girls’ adolescent years.

“I believe this is a good program for young girls, and it’s good for the girls’ image, self esteem, health and fitness,” RAL’s secretary  Carolyn Kochis said.

 The program needs volunteers to orchestrate it, and to help guide them to the right direction of healthy living. At the end of a twelve-week program, the girls run or walk a 5k race. A 5k race is a little over three miles long, and the girls run it around Lake Sacagawea led by their two coaches and volunteers.

During the two hour practice at Olympic Elementary School the girls will walk or run the track with the coaches and volunteers. They receive many different snacks while they learn lessons about healthy living before they go to the track.

The founder of Girls on the Run is Molly Barker, who created the program in 1996.

She started her running at the age of fifteen when she found herself stuck in the “Girl Box.” The “Girl Box” is when a young girl starts to transform into who she is but becomes a totally different image.

Since she has been running the program, Molly has authored two books ‘Girls on track: A parents guide to inspiring our daughters to achieve a lifetime of self-esteem and respect’, and ‘Girls Lit From Within’.

The head coach of the Olympic elementary school program is Patti Smith. The volunteer coaches are RAL’s  Malinda Peine, Carolyn Kochis, Macy Jones, and Jossie Ingram.

All the girls that are participating get a free pair of new balance running shoes from Bobs Sporting Goods, a free t-shirt, water bottle, pink shoelaces, deodorant, and hair ties. The training starts on Feb. 23^rd and the final run will be open to anyone on May 15^th. The more people, the more fun it is.

“I’m excited about getting to know future Lumberjills. I’d like to teach them about healthy ways and how it affects their life,” Malinda Peine said.