By Paddy Easton Graves
The ten-week Girls on the Run curriculum combines training for a 5K running event with lessons that inspire girls to “become independent thinkers, enhance their problem solving skills, and make healthy life choices.”
The Mar Vista Elementary School GOTR Team led by coaches Shana Gambero, Paddy Easton Graves, and Jessica Wilkens met with the girls twice a week for ten weeks, with each lesson including insightful games, relays, discussions about building confidence, health, life issues, a community service project, and each season ends with an exciting 5K race at Vasona Park in Los Gatos!
Being a GOTR coach has been life changing for me. I gained amazing life-lessons right along with the participants, and many of these I learned from witnessing these brilliant, strong-willed, and unbelievably energetic, free spirits express themselves!
These amazing girls showed me what it looks like when you show up as yourself – what better way to learn important life lessons than through running and having FUN!!
The GOTR 5K was held Saturday May 14 at Vasona Park in Los Gatos where Ninety schools were represented!
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For further information and to get involved, please go to: www.girlsontherun.org