On Sunday, hundreds of girls from Milwaukee schools ran/walked/skipped their way over the finish line, accomplishing something that I never have in my four+ decades. They completed a 5K, with help and training from the non-profit Girls on the Run (GOTR).
GOTR is an afterschool program that encourages pre-teen girls to develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through running. What began in 1996 in Charlotte, N.C. with 13 girls and a small group of volunteers has grown into 200+ cities across North America. GOTR helps pre-teen girls realize their full potential in and outside of school.
Our local chapter, GOTR of Greater Milwaukee, has grown to more than 900 girls. Through a 10-week training program held after school, girls get a chance to train for a 5K while they get a better understanding of who they are and what's important. Issues like healthy relationships, bullying and self-esteem are addressed alongside the physical drills needed to get the girls ready to complete a 5K.
Click the story above to hear more from the girls and coaches at the Pierce School in Riverwest the week before their big race Sunday, June 7. See results and photos from the race on their Facebook page here.
