**UPDATE: New pictures at Big 5K Run on the 21st at the waterfront! Yay Girls 

The 21 girls who’ve signed up for Girls on the Run (GOTR) at Gunston, determine their own running goals and try to meet them.  “We run all around and behind all the trailers as many times as we can,”  describes one of the students.  Mrs Espinola says that if they can get around the designated path 13 times, then they will be able to meet the 5K GOTR goal at season’s end.

But Girls on the Run, a national after-school program, has a mission that is more than just running.  Coaches work to “inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.”  At Gunston, with help of Mrs Temple, MIss Berger, along with Mrs Espinola (and often, Mrs Azizian) GOTR meets regularly after school to focus on all aspects of the program.

Last week to coincide with “Dare to Care/Red Ribbon Week,” Coach Temple shared scenarios of potential bully situations girls might encounter in running or other sports. The group talked over solutions and engaged in roleplay to practice good ways to face, discourage and undo bullying or similar behaviors whether they were the victim or just a bystander.

A group of the teammates shared that they truly enjoyed GOTR.  One girl said it was because GOTR provided “girl power” and it was a place they could just hang out. Another girl explained that she was able to talk about problems she had during the school day and was often able to work many of them out with the team. “You can find other girls who have the same interests as you and that’s really fun,” shared yet another runner.  All of them stressed that it didn’t matter how well they could run, and though each of them did improve, it was the activities, great coaches, other girls and fun that made them appreciate the program.