Girls on the Run Wraps Up Fall Session with 5K

More than 30 girls from Cascade Middle School and Olympic Elementary School in Longview culminated the fall session of Girls on the Run of Southwest Washington with a 5K run on November 21st. 

“It was a difficult start because of the cold, blustery weather,” said GOTR Council Director Christy Van Curen, ”but the girls pushed through and warmed up once they began to run.”

This year marked the first time GOTR has offered a fall session. Van Curen expects at least nine schools to participate in the spring classes.

After the event, participants, coaches, and parents gathered for a pizza party and slideshow at the Kelso Theatre Pub.

Girls on the Run of Southwest Washington was founded in 2005. Pacific Surgical Institute has underwritten the cost of New Balance shoes for the participants since 2007. During that time, nearly 400 pairs of quality running shoes have been purchased.

In April 2009, Cowlitz on the Move recognized Pacific Surgical Institute and Bob’s Merchandise as “Community Champions” for their support of Girls on the Run of Southwest Washington.

Molly Barker founded the national chapter of Girls on the Run in 1996, with the focus on encouraging positive emotional, social, mental, and physical development among adolescent girls. GOTR participants meet with coaches twice a week for twelve weeks to train for a culminating 5K run and talk about issues that include nutrition, alcohol use, teamwork, and peer pressure.