It's hard to believe that my fifth season coaching Girls on the Run is coming to a close. The girls at Jamestown Elementary are beyond amazing. They are funny and kind and strong and compassionate and they're all becoming darn good runners. Thursday was our last practice before the season-ending Reindeer Romp 5K, and I asked each of them to write down the answers to two questions -- "What I like about Girls on the Run" and "What I learned at Girls on the Run". The rest of this entry is written by my 20 wonderful, sweet and very very special girls.
Jamestown Girls on the Run Final Thoughts
December 2008
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT GIRLS ON THE RUN
“I like to run and I like to be part of a team”
“How we all encourage each other and help when we need to. How our coaches push us when we are discouraged and they help us gain self confidence. It turns you into a better, valuable person.”
“We make friends and learn about ourselves, bullying, values, paces, feelings and running.”
“That you can run in different paces and learn more about you!”
“I enjoy running and learning new things and helping each other out.”
“That my coaches always support me on the last side when I sprint.”
“How we learn to push ourselves and everyone is special in their own way. And no one is better than anyone else.”
“The coaches, the nice teammates, games and (sometimes) running.”
“Having the coaches and teammates be there to support each other.”
“That we learn to push ourselves and try out best.”
“I like that we are encouraged to do our best. It’s a fun way to do exercise and learn about being healthy and strong at the same time.”
“It’s educational and fun at the same time. You make lots of lifelong friendships (until you go to different schools).”
“Fun games and lots of running.”
“It’s learning to respect things in life.”
“The waking up early and running.”
“It was fun to play the games as a group.”
“Running a lot”
“You run a lot! I like to run! I feel free and wild!”
“What I like about Girls on the Run is that we play fun games that have to do with running.”
“That you can run and good friends are on my team and meet new people!”
“I like to run and I like to be part of a team.”
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED AT GIRLS ON THE RUN
“I have learned a lot about myself and about my teammates. You don’t need to be pretty to have friends.”
“What I have learned at GOTR is to pace myself while running.”
“That running is not a race. Girls can do anything they set their minds to.”
“Not to gossip. To respect.”
“About communities and helping people”
“I learned how to pace so I’m faster in my total time.”
“To run without stopping to rest. Rest at the end!”
“Never gossip.”
“Pacing, trying your best, and you don’t need water to run a race.”
“It’s not just about how fast you can run.”
“The valuableness of friends, honesty, community service. How to make yourself a better person. Pros and cons and of course…running!”
“I learned how to run at my own pace, and how to treat the earth better.”
“Pacing myself.”
“I have learned a lot about myself, other people. Speed doesn’t matter. How to have fun in different ways and how to keep your body healthy.”
“I have learned that speed doesn’t matter but your pacing does! And I’ve learned how to deal with problems, for example with “I feel, when you, because, in the future”.
“It is not all about running, it is about making it.”
“That you ALWAYS have to believe in yourself no matter what.”
“We learned how to push ourselves in running and not to gossip or do anything mean and to treat yourself and others with respect.”
“To pace myself and not be as much of a person who doesn’t run.”
“Everyone goes at their own pace and we’re all different in good ways.”
December 2008
WHAT I LIKE ABOUT GIRLS ON THE RUN
“I like to run and I like to be part of a team”
“How we all encourage each other and help when we need to. How our coaches push us when we are discouraged and they help us gain self confidence. It turns you into a better, valuable person.”
“We make friends and learn about ourselves, bullying, values, paces, feelings and running.”
“That you can run in different paces and learn more about you!”
“I enjoy running and learning new things and helping each other out.”
“That my coaches always support me on the last side when I sprint.”
“How we learn to push ourselves and everyone is special in their own way. And no one is better than anyone else.”
“The coaches, the nice teammates, games and (sometimes) running.”
“Having the coaches and teammates be there to support each other.”
“That we learn to push ourselves and try out best.”
“I like that we are encouraged to do our best. It’s a fun way to do exercise and learn about being healthy and strong at the same time.”
“It’s educational and fun at the same time. You make lots of lifelong friendships (until you go to different schools).”
“Fun games and lots of running.”
“It’s learning to respect things in life.”
“The waking up early and running.”
“It was fun to play the games as a group.”
“Running a lot”
“You run a lot! I like to run! I feel free and wild!”
“What I like about Girls on the Run is that we play fun games that have to do with running.”
“That you can run and good friends are on my team and meet new people!”
“I like to run and I like to be part of a team.”
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED AT GIRLS ON THE RUN
“I have learned a lot about myself and about my teammates. You don’t need to be pretty to have friends.”
“What I have learned at GOTR is to pace myself while running.”
“That running is not a race. Girls can do anything they set their minds to.”
“Not to gossip. To respect.”
“About communities and helping people”
“I learned how to pace so I’m faster in my total time.”
“To run without stopping to rest. Rest at the end!”
“Never gossip.”
“Pacing, trying your best, and you don’t need water to run a race.”
“It’s not just about how fast you can run.”
“The valuableness of friends, honesty, community service. How to make yourself a better person. Pros and cons and of course…running!”
“I learned how to run at my own pace, and how to treat the earth better.”
“Pacing myself.”
“I have learned a lot about myself, other people. Speed doesn’t matter. How to have fun in different ways and how to keep your body healthy.”
“I have learned that speed doesn’t matter but your pacing does! And I’ve learned how to deal with problems, for example with “I feel, when you, because, in the future”.
“It is not all about running, it is about making it.”
“That you ALWAYS have to believe in yourself no matter what.”
“We learned how to push ourselves in running and not to gossip or do anything mean and to treat yourself and others with respect.”
“To pace myself and not be as much of a person who doesn’t run.”
“Everyone goes at their own pace and we’re all different in good ways.”
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