Girls On The Run Celebration 5k

DULUTH, Minn. — This 5k along the Lake Walk is a big celebration. The young people here are part of Girls on the Run. A national organization providing ways to build both confidence and peer connections. And after spending 8 weeks in the program, these girls are ready to take off and reach the finish line.

“It’s super fun at the very end when you see all the girls jumping around, and super excited for their accomplishments that they’ve done in the past 8 or so weeks of working hard at practice. Filling out journals and building up that self esteem, and feeling really good about themselves,” Coach and Running Buddy, Becky, said.

Girls on the Run is a non-profit, afterschool program that is all about helping young girls from 3rd to 8th grade start thinking about how their emotional and physical health are connected. It’s all about having fun, and learning important lessons along the way.

“It’s part of what it means to be discovering yourself, learning more about your own self and who you want to be friends with, how you spend your time, that type of thing. So, it’s just such a precious and impressionable age group, and a lot of fun,” Program Director for Girls on the Run, Kathleen Cannon, said.

The race included around 2,600 girls from across the northland, plus their adult running buddies to support them. All brought together to show the girls to just move forward, no matter the pace.

“It’s not about how fast, strong, whether you’re good at athletics, or if you do any sports. It’s just about having fun, I guess. Having fun and running,” Runner, Katrina, said

“The idea is really that we know girls can do anything, and they get so many conflicting messages from society, and understanding that you, your own self deep inside, that you have the star power that you’re capable of anything,” Kathleen, said.

What started as a small start-up in 2012 that served 24 girls in the Twin Cities, now serves 20,000 girls across the state. Registration for the fall season of Girls on the Run in Duluth will be opening up August 1st.