Thanks To Girls On The Run I Completed My First 5K With My Buddy

GOTR 5K Run 

It has been just about two weeks since I participated in and completed my first 5K run. The Girls on the Run 5k was held with the Aroostook County group running their 5k in Presque Isle. This 5k is not timed and the goal of the program is to have an immediate and lifelong impact on the young girls in our area.  

A little background about Girls on the Run

From the website of the Girls on the Run the mission is to “inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident, using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.” I had never heard of GOTR until our girl enrolled in the Aroostook County group this year. As a parent I can tell you that this program is beneficial and I recommend anyone with young girls consider joining next spring.

The big day

The GOTR program culminates with a 5k that the girls participate in with a running buddy. A running buddy is usually a parent or other adult that is in the child's life and is there to encourage their girl to complete one more goal. This year the Aroostook County groups from Fort Fairfield and Presque Isle ran the GOTR 5k at Riverside Park and the Mary's Mile loop.  

I did it too

This was my first 5k and we were excited to be able to complete this race together. There was a festival before the 5k with face painting, hair coloring, bib decorating, and so much more for the girls to get into the spirit of the day. Overcast weather did not dampen the spirits of the participants or the organizers.

As a parent I would like to thank the Aroostook County GOTR coaches that took the time to empower and encourage all of the girls this spring. The benefits of this program will last long into the future. This also allowed our girl and myself to have a special morning and complete our first 5k together.  

To learn more about Girls on the Run you can visit this website and to stay up to date on GOTR Aroostook County for next year, like this Facebook page.