St. Anne’s-Belfield School will host the Charlottesville Girls on the Run Celebration 5K on Sunday, Nov. 13. Approximately 200 area girls between the ages of eight and 13 will come together to complete the race and celebrate a successful fall season.
Begun in 1996 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Girls on the Run is now a national 501(c)3 non-profit organization and 5K training curriculum that includes life lessons to inspire independent thinking, creative problem-solving, and overall wellness. More than 300 end-of-season celebrations are routinely held across the country..
“Girls on the Run is about running and physical health, but also emotional and mental health as well,” said Megan Grant, team coach and fourth grade teacher. “Girls learn life skills including confidence, positivity, and empathy. They also connect these lessons to physical movement, and come to view being active as not just a way to be healthy but also a means to feel joyful about themselves.”
The School team practices twice a week, and each of the sessions begin with stretching and a warm-up activity related to a daily topic. Often the activity involves a relay, and topics have ranged from navigating social cliques to putting an end to gossip. The girls also design and implement a service project at the end of their season. Last April they volunteered at U.Va.’s Middle Eastern Leadership Council’s Race for the Refugees 5K.
This fall’s run will begin at 2:00 p.m. on Nov. 13, with a start at the St. Anne’s-Belfield School football field, 799 Faulconer Drive.
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