Another Season Ends

Last week marked the end of the Spring 2010 season of Girls on the Run (GOTR). I was sad for it to end but somewhat relieved to have more of my personal time back since I’m getting to the last intense month of my marathon training and my new job is getting pretty intense as well. Its actually intenser. Is that a word? Microsoft says no apparently.

Community Service Project

The GOTR curriculum focuses on three major areas: all about me, all about us, and all about community. In the last few weeks of the season the girls worked together to come up with a community project that they could execute during one of our sessions. Last season the girls decided to make cards for our military service members and veterans, and for ill children through the programs “Holiday Mail for Heroes” and “Make a Child Smile”. More details on my blog GOTR Community Service Project.

This season the girls decided that they wanted to put on a bake sale with the proceeds supporting the Helen Woodward Animal Center. The girls all signed up for something to bring (baked goods, drinks, cups, plates, etc) and a couple weeks ago we completed our project!

GOTR Bake Sale for the Helen Woodward Animal Center

The project was a great success! We ended up raising $134 to send to the Helen Woodward center. Our GOTR site meets at the Carmel Valley Rec center where there are a large variety of activities going on. There is a steady flow of people and we had a decent stream of customers. We also had a handful of people who made flat-out donations to our fund without buying a treat! The girls had a great time and they all enjoyed putting their efforts towards a greater good.

GOTR Bake Sale for the Helen Woodward Animal Center

GOTR Bake Sale Refreshment Table

Season End Celebration

The last official day of GOTR Spring in San Diego was last Thursday April 29th. We had the girls meet at a building nearby where we had access to the cafeteria. During our celebration we let the girls spend time making necklaces, bracelets, and keychains with the beads they had earned all season (one ¼ mile lap earns 1 bead), we had a yogurt sundae making session for our healthy snack, and then we gave out awards to all of the girls.

Season End Shirt Signing

 Season End Bead Crafting

Yogurt Sundae Bar

Lunafest

After the season end celebration I jetted off to an adult flavored GOTR event – Lunafest! Lunafest is a film festival with films made by women about women. It was an INCREDIBLE event! The event began with a cocktail type reception with a GREAT spread of food and drinks. After the reception (which lasted long enough for all of us to enjoy the gorgeous sunset view right on the water in La Jolla Shores) we then headed inside for the films. The films really were great. After the event there was a survey asking which film was your favorite and I really struggled picking just one!

As if the Hors d'œuvres and films weren’t enough, on the way out we all got these great goodie bags! Reusable Whole Foods lunch bags, cute running gloves thanks to GOTR San Diego, active snacks, and great coupons.

The event was a lot of fun and it was a really nice way to end the GOTR season. My friend Joanna from Zimmer and my petsitter (and SO much more) Jodie and her husband also attended the Lunafest to help support the GOTR cause.

Jodie, Joanna, and J'Me at Lunafest

The capstone event of the GOTR season is a 5k … which happens to be this Saturday! The event the girls will run in is the "Give Your Heart to Monarch 5k" to support the Monarch School of San Diego. The Monarch School is a school for homeless and at-risk children in the area, and is one of only three schools of this kind in the country!

I am SO excited for this race. Last year’s race was a truly amazing experience which was so moving for me personally as a coach. I think I held back tears about a dozen times!

I will post an update next week with more details about the race this weekend.