the Girls on the Run Grown Up Guide - Girls on the Run St. Louis

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WELCOME TO GIRLS ON THE RUN®!

ank you so much for entrusting our staff and volunteers with a very important girl who is close to your hear e mission of Girls on the Run is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Over the next few months program participants will learn what it means to be strong, confident and connected, and by the conclusion of the program, the girls will be physically and emotionally prepared to complete a 5k r e finish line is just the beginning, however, as our ultimate goal is to provide the girls with tools and resources that will serve them well for a lifetime.

ABOUT GIRLS ON THE RUN

It is our true privilege to mentor, support and inspire the girls in the program. All Girls on the Run volunteer coaches are trained and certified to teach the formal curriculum which incorporates experiential lessons that build confidence and emotional health. In addition, fun physical activities prepare e curriculum is updated every three to the girls to complete a 5k r four years to ensure its relevance and heighten efficacy. e program has been evaluated since 2001; this research documents improved self-esteem, increased motivation to be physically active, heightened awareness of the value of physical activity and heightened satisfaction with body shape in participants (evaluation results are available at www.girlsontherun.org). To date, over 3/4 million girls across the United States and Canada have experienced the lifechanging impact of this program.

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

We want to engage the families and caregivers of our participants as well! is guide is designed to deepen your awareness and knowledge of what the girls are experiencing in the program. A general overview of each of the 24 lessons is included as well as questions and conversation starters you e purpose of can use to reinfor the questions is to stimulate conversations that build upon each lesson and further weave the Girls on the Run mission into the daily lives of our girls and the adults who care for and love them. Why is this important? While children can be affected and inspired by their teachers and friends, it is parents and caregivers who have the ultimate influence in their lives. As you discuss the lessons, you will reinforce the goals of the Girls on the Run program while also deepening your connection with one another. If you are returning to Girls on the Run for the second, third or even sixth time, we strongly encourage you to continue asking your girl these questions. She is growing up and continually changing, and while the questions remain the same, the answers will evolve.

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JOIN THE FUN!

To make the Girls on the Run experience even more meaningful, consider training to run with your girl in the end-of-season Girls on the Run 5K event. Every girl runs the 3.1 miles with a “running buddy” who provides encouragement and support along the course. We strongly encourage parents and caregivers to serve in this capacity. If you have never run or walked a 5K before, there is plenty of time to prepare! We have included a 5K training plan at the end of this guide that provides easy instructions on how to train over the next ten weeks to successfully run or walk in the 5K. e plans are customized for a variety of fitness levels – even if you have never run a step in your life! Take a look and find the one that is best for you. If you are new to running, please talk to a medical professional before getting started. e best reason to participate in the Girls on the Run 5K with your girl is the opportunity it provides to spend time training together. Walking or jogging together is the perfect time to ask the lesson questions included in this guide. As you both get moving, your moods will become elevated which makes it easier to share thoughts, feelings and beliefs. You may reach a level of communication you have never experienced befor e important conversations around growing up will reveal themselves when they are free to occur in the space of this time together. Remember that the key to staying active is to have fun with it! You can run, walk, hop, skip or jump - just keep moving. Ready, set, GO!

LESSON 1: BUILDING OUR GIRLS ON THE RUN TEAM

WHAT GIRLS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

The primary goal of the first lesson in the curriculum is for the girls to get to know one another and their coaches. This session includes games and activities that raise awareness of and celebrate the diverse gifts and talents that each girl brings with her to Girls on the Run. A second goal is to begin to share the culture of Girls on the Run – a safe, supportive environment where all girls can be themselves. An additional goal is for the girls to learn about Girls on the Run Identity Cards and energy awards. Finally, the girls receive their first take home goal today. At the end of each lesson the girls will be given a goal that will help them use the concepts and skills learned in Girls on the Run in other settings such as at home or in school.

“Girls on the Run has taught me that I am the boss of my own brain” “When I run I feel strong and free and me” “Even though I can’t run very fast, I made friends who cheered me on and made me feel loved”

Questions & Conversation Starters:

“Girls on the Run taught me that real friends value me just the way I am”

1. Tell me about your coaches. 2. Did you meet any new girls today? What are their names? 3. Describe one of the games you played today.

“I wish every girl could be in Girls on the Run”

4. Share something you learned about yourself or your Girls on the Run team today. 5. What is an Identity Card? 6. What is an energy award?

“It’s like I’m a light bulb and Girls on the Run is my power source” “Girls on the Run is a place where I can be myself ” “You can do anything if you try – even run a 5K”

7. Do you have a goal to try to accomplish before next time? What is it? (Goal: Think of two more things that make us special and unique.) 8. Let’s each name one unique thing about ourselves that we think is special.

“When you see your inner beauty, everyone else does too” “Be yourself, be free, be confident, be fearless… be a GIRL ON THE RUN!”

SUPPORT GIRLS ON THE RUN

LESSON 2:

Want to get involved with Girls on the Run? Our team consists of volunteers who support the organization in many ways – from coaches to committee members to board members and more! Everyone plays an instrumental role in delivering our life-changing curriculum to the girls of our community. If you’d like to show your support of Girls on the Run, we invite you to participate in any or all of the following:

In lesson 2, the girls are continuing to strengthen their ties to one another as they work to unite as a team. Specifically, they are learning to recognize the power they each have to choose attitudes that help their Girls on the Run team work well together. During the lesson the girls identify areas of challenge and confidence when it comes to their choices. The concept of accountability for one’s actions is explored, as is the concept of making decisions with intention. Finally, the girls are beginning to track their progress toward running a 5k by setting personal lap goals.

• Volunteer to be a coach • Donate items to your local Girls on the Run council

I AM GIRLS ON THE RUN

Questions & Conversation Starters:

• Volunteer your expertise or talents to serve the organization

1. What does it mean to be a “Girl on the Run”?

• Make a financial contribution

2. What are some of the ways you show everyone that you are choosing to be a Girl on the Run?

To learn more about ways to become involved in Girls on the Run, please visit our website at www.GirlsO eRun.org.

3. Do we sometimes do things without thinking about them? What is something that you do every day without thinking about it? (You can also answer this question.) 4. Why is it important for us to think about why we do the things we do instead of just doing them? 5. What is your goal for this lesson? (Goal: Talk to someone at home or school about a choice you think you are good at and another choice that you are still working on.) 6. Let’s each share a Girls on the Run choice we are good at and one we are still working on.

LESSON 3:

STAR POWER

In today’s lesson, the girls are learning about the concept of visualization – imagining something in their minds. The coaches lead them through a visualization that reinforces the difference between positive and negative thinking. The group is also continuing to build relationships and further establish trust with one another.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What is visualization? Try to describe the Girls on the Run visualization that your coach did today. 2. What is the bright star within you? 3. How do we feel when we let our stars shine brightly? How do we feel when dark clouds cover our stars? 4. Is it our choice to let our stars shine brightly? How can we help each other when dark clouds cover our stars? 5. Did you add something to your Identity Card today? What did you add? 6. Did you learn a new energy award today? Would you be willing to show me that award or make up one of your own?

RUN-WALK WORKOUT: Warm-up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run at a pace that you can still talk or a “conversational pace” for prescribed number of minutes and follow with walking at a brisk pace for prescribed minutes. Example: Run 3 minute - Walk 2 minutes repeat sequence 8 times for a total of 40 minutes. Cool-down walking 5 minutes at an easy pace. RUN WORKOUT: Warm-up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run at a pace that you can still talk or a “conversational pace” at an iRate level of 6-7 or if you are using a heart rate monitor at 65-75% of maximum heart rate. Cool-down walking 5 minutes at an easy pace. SPEED “A” WORKOUT: Warm-up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run 10 minutes en Repeat the following 5 times: Run one minute hard at 85-90% heart rate or 8-9 on I-Rate Scale followed by running 3 minutes at an easy pace to recover. It is key to be disciplined and run the easy segments easy. Otherwise the quality of your running and progressing is compromised. After the one-minute repeats, cool down running 5 minutes easy followed by 5 minutes walking easy. SPEED “B” WORKOUT: Warm-up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run 5 minutes en Repeat the Following 5 times: Run two minutes hard at 85-90% heart rate or 8-9 on I-Rate Scale followed by running 3 minutes at an easy pace to recover. t is key to be disciplined and run the easy segments easy. Otherwise the quality of your running and progressing is compromised. After the two-minute repeats, cool down running 5 minutes easy followed by 5 minutes walking easy. SPEED “C” WORKOUT: Warm-up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run 5 minutes en Repeat the Following 6 times: Run two minutes hard at 85-90% heart rate or 8-9 on I-Rate Scale followed by running 2 minutes at an easy pace to recover. It is key to be disciplined and run the easy segments easy. Otherwise the quality of your running and progressing is compromised. After the two-minute repeats, cool down running 5 minutes easy followed by 5 minutes walking easy. SPEED “D” WORKOUT: Warm-up walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run 10 minutes en Repeat the Following 4 times: Run one minute hard at 85-90% heart rate or 8-9 on I-Rate Scale followed by running 3 minutes at an easy pace to recover. It is key to be disciplined and run the easy segments easy. Otherwise the quality of your running and progressing is compromised. After the one-minute repeats, cool down running 5 minutes easy followed by 5 minutes walking easy.

TRAINING SCHEDULE KEY TERMS

LESSON 4:

SELF-TALK MATTERS

WARM-UP: 5 minutes at an easy pace prior to every workout. COOL-DOWN: Walking 5 minutes at an easy pace after every workout to gradually bring heart rate and breathing back to normal levels. FLEXIBILITY: Stretch after every workout when the muscles are warm to maintain or improve flexibility and prevent injuries. HEART RATE: Using a heart monitor maintain a range between the prescribed percentages...65-75% of estimated maximum heart rate.

Today’s lesson educates the girls about self-talk. Self-talk is what we think in e girls our mind about ourselves or say aloud to others about ourselv share examples of positive and negative self-talk and learn tactics to recognize ey also play games that reinforce using and eliminate negativ positive self-talk.

I-RATE: Rate of perceived exertion. Rate your level of intensity by how you feel, 1-10. 1 being at rest and 10- being an all out level. Use this system to stay in the smart training range listed on the training program (i.e. 6-7) CROSS-TRAINING: Include activities that are non walking. Cycling, swimming, pilates/ yoga, strength training, elliptical trainer, stairmaster, spinning are great cross training modes for training. Cross-training allows you to actively rest your walking muscles while training opposing muscle groups and reducing the risk of overtraining and injury. It helps speed recovery and reduces burnout. Heart rate zone of 75-80% of maximum or I-Rate of 7-8. STRENGTH-TRAINING (ST):Strength train with machines, weights, resistance tubes/ bands or classes like pilates, toning or yoga. Include strength training exercises for your upper body, core (abdominal and trunk) and lower body. EASY PACE: Walk at an easy pace at 70-75% of maximum heart rate or an iRate level of 7+. CONVERSATIONAL PACE: Conversational pace should be at a slow, and comfortableconversational pace. You should be at a pace where you can hold a conversation easily. Heart rate zone of 65-75% of maximum or I-Rate of 6-7.5. Note: Heart rate will gradually climb due to fatigue and dehydration. Allow for a 5% increase and max heart rate of 75% of maximum rather than slowing pace to stay within zone. MODERATE PACE: Moderate pace at 75-80% of maximum heart rate or an iRate level of 7-8. A pace where you can hear your breathing, but not breathing hard. PICK-UPS: Run the workout at an easy pace and include 3-4 short, 30-60 second “pick-up’s” within the run. Pick up your pace to a challenging pace where you can hear your breathing and it feels just outside your comfort zone. WALK-RUN WORKOUT: Warm-up by walking 5 minutes at a brisk pace. Run at a pace that you can still talk or a “conversational pace” for prescribed number of minutes and follow with walking at a brisk pace for prescribed minutes. Example: Run 2 minute - Walk 2 minutes - repeat sequence 10 times for a total of 40 minutes. Cool-down by walking 5 minutes at an easy pace.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What is negative self-talk? 2. Have I ever said anything that you think is negative self-talk? 3. Where do you think negative self-talk comes from? 4. Can you think up a signal or sound we can use if we catch each other saying something negative about ourselves? Let’s try it! 5. Since we can choose our thoughts, let’s each say something positive about ourselves! Now let’s give ourselves an energy award for being positive! What award would you like to do?

LESSON 5:

UNTANGLING OUR EMOTIONS

Today’s lesson is about emotional health. The girls explore different kinds of emotions and discuss how uncomfortable emotions, such as anger, sorrow, and frustration make them feel. They are also learning the importance of being able to identify their emotions. Lastly, they are discussing methods to effectively manage their emotional responses.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What are some examples of emotions? Are there any “bad” emotions? (There are not – emotions are just comfortable or uncomfortable.) 2. What happens if we feel like we can’t express some of our emotions? 3. Why is it important to let our friends and family feel all of their emotions, even if it makes us uncomfortable? 4. Have you ever had a feeling inside, but you didn’t know what emotion it was? (You can share your own story.) 5. One thing you learned today was the importance of taking in a deep breath and ‘being’ with a feeling to figure out exactly what it is. Then you can figure out what it is you are feeling. Let’s do that now. Let’s take a minute to be quiet, breathe deeply and then share what we are feeling.

[BEST SUITED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN RUNNING AT LEAST 4 TIMES PER WEEK FOR 40-50 MINUTES FOR AT LEAST 1 YEAR]

ADVANCED 5K RUN

LESSON 6:

HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE

The girls are learning in today’s lesson about the importance of healthy nutrition and healthy habits such as regular physical activity and sleep. During the workout, the importance of “pacing” is examined. This lesson offers an excellent opportunity for parents/caregivers to discuss the importance of “balance”. A balanced lifestyle represents a happy medium in all aspects of life – physical and mental – which do not fall to either side of the extreme.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What are some of our favorite fruits and vegetables? 2. What do you think represents a balanced meal? Why is it important for us to eat balanced meals? 3. Is it hard to always eat healthy foods? Why? (There is room for nearly all foods in your diet, but the key is moderation!) 4. How much physical activity should kids do each day? (60 minutes) 5. Why is it important to be physically healthy? 6. What is one thing that you plan to do to improve upon your nutrition and/or healthy habits?

LESSON 7: ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

The concept of seeking gratitude is one from which people of all ages can benefit. In today’s lesson, the girls are introduced to the idea that seeking gratitude for our circumstances, whatever they may be, is a simple choice. The girls are also learning to understand that seeking gratitude provides a positive perspective or outlook. Finally, they are beginning to connect an attitude of gratitude with helping others and making a positive impact on the world. Today’s lesson also gives the girls a chance to run their farthest distance yet.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. “Gratitude is an Attitude.” What does that mean to each of us? 2. Let’s take turns and each name three things (or people) for which we are grateful. 3. Let’s share three things about ourselves for which we are grateful. 4. Finally, let’s tell each other why we are grateful to have each other in our lives. 5. Why is feeling gratitude a choice and not just something that happens? 6. How can an attitude of gratitude motivate us to impact our world in a positive way? 7. Did you set a lap goal today? Did you meet your goal? (Be sure to reinforce effort and personal improvement.)

[BEST SUITED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN RUNNING AT LEAST 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK FOR 20-30 MINUTES FOR AT LEAST 4 MONTHS]

5K RUN

LESSON 8: FINDING MY HAPPY PACE

e primary learning goal of today’s lesson is to identify how running can be a form of relaxation as well as a time for self-reflection. e importance of developing a strong sense of self is also reinforced. Lastly, stretching and breathing techniques that can aid in relaxation are introduced.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. Why is it difficult for people to slow down and find quiet time? 2. Why is quiet time, without video games, television, cell phones or other distractions important to our health? 3. Sometimes walking/running can be a time for quiet reflection. Let’s walk without talking for awhile and see how it feels. 4. Do you prefer walking/running with or without talking? 5. Let’s each make a plan to include quiet time in our daily life. How much do we need? How can we do it?

LESSON 9: REAL BEAUTY

Today the girls are exploring a new definition of beauty – inner beauty. They are discussing what makes them beautiful on the inside. The importance of thinking positively about ourselves is explored as well. Today the girls share if they have ever seen a beautiful sunset, heard a beautiful song, heard beautiful words, and smelled a beautiful smell, as a way to identify different types of beauty.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. Let’s each share how we define beauty. 2. Do you think you can understand a person’s character by how they look? Why or why not? 3. Let’s each share something that we feel makes us beautiful on the inside. (Not physical traits, but character traits such as kindness, honesty, patience.) 4. Now let’s each share something about each other that we think is positive and beautiful. 5. What if someone became your friend but never actually saw you. No pictures, nothing. How would you want them to describe you? 6. Why is it important to value who we are on the inside more than the way we look on the outside? 7. Do you have a goal to complete before next session? What is it? (Goal: Ask someone how they define beauty. Then share the different real beauty characteristics we talked about during the lesson.)

[BEST SUITED FOR FIRST-TIME 5K PARTICIPANTS AND THOSE WHO RUN OCCASIONALLY OR RUNNERS WHO WERE INJURED AND GETTING BACK INTO IT]

5K RUN-WALK

LESSON 10: LET’S COOPERATE

In today’s lesson, the girls ar ey are ey engaging in activities that reinforce the impor are also being given opportunities to apply cooperative skills to different situations that require communication to complete a task. The group is discussing ideas for their Community Impact Project.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What is cooperation? How can cooperation be beautiful? 2. Are there actions we can choose that build more cooperative circumstances? (Listening, being helpful, having a positive attitude, etc.) 3. Sometimes cooperating with others can be difficult. Tell me about the game you played today and how you practiced cooperation. 4. How do you and I cooperate every day? 5. Let’s both name an area where we could each cooperate a little bit better. 6. Let’s think about areas where we are grateful that people cooperate and share them with one another. (This could be in your family, your neighborhood, your community or in the world.) 7. What ideas did your group come up with for your Community Impact Project?

LESSON 11: I CHOOSE TO Stop and take a BrThRR

The girls are gaining a better understanding of peer pressure in today’s lesson. They are exploring and discussing areas where people succumb to peer pressure and learning a specific strategy to resist it. The Stop and take a BrThRR (breather) strategy, which stands for Stop, Breathe, Think, Respond and Review, encourages the girls to take a step back from a situation to fully assess how they feel, rather than making a split-second decision.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What is peer pressure? 2. Let’s each name a time when we felt peer pressure and share how we responded to it. 3. Why does standing up to peer pressure take confidence? What are some things we can do each day to help build up our confidence? I’ll share a couple then you can. 4. Today you learned about the Stop and take a BrThRR Strategy. Do you remember what Stop and take a BrThRR stands for? (Stop, Breathe, Think, Respond and Review). Will you tell me about it? 5. I’m going to share with you something that I feel pressured to do by my peers. I’m then going to use the Stop and take a BrThRR strategy and see how I respond. 6. Let’s talk about other times we have felt peer pressure. How could this strategy help us in those situations?

[BEST SUITED FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN WALKING OR EXERCISING REGULARLY 2-3 TIMES PER WEEK FOR AT LEAST 3-4 MONTHS]

5K WALK-RUN

LESSON 12: LET’S PLAN

The girls are learning strategies for group decision making today. They are putting the strategies into practice as they plan the games/activities for the day and decide what Community Impact Project they would like to conduct as a Girls on the Run team. Earlier in the season the girls identified issues/causes that mattered to them. Then they brainstormed project ideas. Today they are evaluating their ideas and making a decision about the Community Impact Project.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What decisions did you make with your Girls on the Run team today? How did you make those decisions? 2. I understand you decided on your team’s Community Impact Project today. What did the group decide to do? 3. Do you think it’s more challenging to make a decision on your own or with a group? Why? 4. Let’s think about a time when we have made a decision together. 5. What kind of impact can a group make on the community that one person cannot? (Talk about the idea of power in numbers.) 6. Now let’s talk about another time we have worked with a group to make a decision at home, work/school, or in our neighborhood. 7. Do you have a goal to accomplish before next lesson? What is it? (Goal: Think of your unique gifts and talents and identify one way you can contribute to the Community Impact Project.)

LESSON 13: IT TAKES COURAGE

In today’s lesson, the girls are learning to assert themselves in a healthy manner. A technique for constructively expressing one’s feelings using “I statements” is reviewed and the girls have the opportunity to practice it by role playing with one another.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What does it mean to stand up for ourselves? 2. What are the four key phrases to use when you want to stand up for yourself ? (“I feel”, “When you”, “Because”, and “I would like for you to.”) 3. Let’s each think of and share a time when we could have used these statements. (For example, “I feel frustrated, when you leave your cereal bowl on the table after eating because it shows a lack of concern for keeping our home clean. I need for you to put your dishes in the dishwasher when you finish eating from now on.”) 4. What can happen if we don’t let someone know that he or she is doing something that hurts or offends us? 5. Let’s each share some things that stop us from standing up for ourselves or others. 6. Why is standing up for ourselves important even though it’s difficult at times? 7. Let’s see if we can think of a time we’ve seen someone stand up for themselves and it made an impression on us. (You can start by sharing an example from your life, literature, history, movies, etc.)

[BEST SUITED FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO WALK THE 5K OR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN INACTIVE FOR FOUR OR MORE MONTHS]

5K WALK

LESSON 14: PUTTING AN END TO GOSSIP

The topic of lesson 14 is gossip. The girls are learning to better understand the consequences of gossip and discussing how gossiping not only hurts the person about whom the gossip is being spread but also the person who is spreading it. Games and activities include methods to stop gossip from occurring or spreading further.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What is gossip? (Gossip is spreading rumors, embellishing stories, sharing with others what has been told to you in confidence and/ or talking behind someone’s back. It is anything that is said about someone that you would not feel comfortable saying directly to them.) 2. Why do you think people enjoy gossiping? 3. What is the easiest way to stop a gossip chain? (Use the Stop and take a BrThRR method to come up with a response so that the gossip is stopped.) 4. Tell me about the telephone game. What happened? 5. How can you help support someone who is the victim of gossip? (You can share a story about either being a victim or supporting someone or about spreading gossip and how you learned its harmful effects.) 6. How does gossip break connections between people? 7. Let’s each describe how we would feel if someone were gossiping about us.

LESSON 15: BEING A STAND-BYER

GIRLS ON THE RUN 5K TRAINING PROGRAMS

In today’s lesson, the girls are learning to recognize common bullying behaviors. They are also discussing tactics to employ in the event that they are being bullied or are witnessing someone else being bullied. The girls are encouraged to utilize the “Stop and take a BrThRR Strategy” learned in previous lessons when facing potential bullying situations. Stop and take a BrThRR stands for Stop, Breathe, Think, Respond, Review.

e following training programs are designed to guide you to the finish ere is a program for everyone and the real key to success starts with determining which program best fits your current activity level. at way, you will progress safely and enjoy a memorable experience with the ‘Girl on the Run’ in your life!

DEVELOPED BY JENNY HADFIELD

ere are five 5K Training Programs:

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. What is bullying? (Physical - hitting, kicking, pinching, biting, locking people in or out or making mean faces. Verbal - calling names, teasing or putting others down. Emotional - spreading rumors, making fun of others or intentionally excluding people.) Note: cyber (internet) bullying is growing as well and includes threatening or abusive text messages, social media posts and/or e-mails, forwarding private communications to larger groups and altering online information. 2. Why is it important to treat others the way we want to be treated? 3. If someone is bullying you by spreading a rumor about you, what could you do? (Stop and take a BrThRR Strategy, tell an adult.) 4. Have you or any of your friends at school ever experienced bullying? What happened? 5. What does it mean to be a stand-byer when it comes to bullying? 6. Can you share with me one or two of the bullying situations that were most powerful from today and how you would like to respond?

Walk [all walking] Walk-Run [a little running sprinkled in with walking] Run-Walk [a little walking sprinkled in with running] Run [all running] Advanced Run [for those who have run half marathons] Why so many? Because everyone is at a different fitness level and we all have varying goals for the day of the 5k. Some of you may be starting an exercise program for the first time and preparing to participate in your inaugural 5k event and others may be daily runners! Regardless, we are all training to reach the start line safely and more importantly, to be smiling as we cross the finish line with our friends and family members! About Coach Jenny Hadfield Jenny is a published author of three books (Marathoning for Mortals, Running for Mortals, Training for Mortals), writer, coach, speaker and endurance athlete. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology, a Masters Degree in Exercise Science and is a certified coach and personal trainer. For more information on Jenny, visit www.JennyHadfield.com.

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LESSON 16: “BEST” FRIENDS

There are several learning goals incorporated into this lesson. The first is to allow the girls the opportunity to discuss and identify the kinds of qualities one seeks in friends. The second is to examine difficult situations that young girls can face when in a friendship. The final learning goal is to learn why it is important to be intentional when choosing and cultivating our friendships.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. There is an expression called “people pleasing.” Do you know what this means? Why is it okay to not be friends with everyone? (People pleasing is when we stop standing up for what we believe in and alter our behavior in order to be liked by others.) 2. Have you ever met someone and you just didn’t get along with them? Why do you think that happens? 3. Let’s share some of the qualities that we look for in a friend. 4. Now let’s each say the name of one of our best friends and share why we choose to be friends with her/him. 5. How do we feel when we are with our best friends? Do we feel like the star within us is shining brightly? 6. Why is it important to have qualities we look for in friends? (We need to have standards of what is important to us.) 7. When do you think it’s okay to end a friendship? (You might share a time you had to end a friendship and why.) 8. Next time you are going to do your practice 5k. What are some of the things you have learned at Girls on the Run and at home that have helped you prepare to run a 5k?

LESSON 17: PRACTICING OUR 5K

Today the girls will be building their confidence for the end-of-season 5k by completing a practice 5k (3.1 miles) with their teammates.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. Wow! Today you had your first chance to try and run a whole 5k! How did it go? 2. How are you feeling about your effort today? 3. Are you planning to do anything differently at the final 5k event? 4. I know pace is important in running that far. What was your pace like today? Was your breathing okay? How far did you run? (Be sure to focus on effort and personal improvement.)

NOTES:

NOTES:

LESSON 18: POWER UP

In this lesson, the girls are learning about the various ways that the media, ey entertainment and advertising industries por are also engaging in activities designed to elevate their critical thinking skills, reducing the impact of negative or unrealistic images/messages on their self-esteem.

Questions & Conversation Starters: 1. Today you talked about advertisements and the messages we receive from the media. What was the most interesting thing you learned? 2. How do many advertisers portray women in their ads? Why do you think they do that? 3. Let’s each talk about what makes a person beautiful. (What’s on the inside!) 4. How do the images we see and the words we hear relate to how we feel about ourselves? 5. Let’s try to be more aware of the ads we see in magazines and on TV, ok? If we see something that portrays girls or women in a negative way or with negative self-talk, let’s point it out and talk about it. 6. What are some actions we can take to focus more on the products, movies, television that celebrate girls and women for who they really are?

LESSON 19: COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

LESSON 24: THE FINISH LINE IS JUST THE BEGINNING

The concept of community is the topic of discussion in today’s lesson. The girls are learning about the different kinds of communities and the valuable role that we all play in creating these communities. The girls are also continuing to think about the Community Impact Project they will conduct as a Girls on the Run team.

Girls on the Run coaches determine how their team will celebrate the final day. It is an opportunity for the coaches to publicly share positive thoughts about each girl and to honor each participant’s unique gifts and talents. It is a joyous occasion filled with love and laughter.

Questions & Conversation Starters:

Questions & Conversation Starters:

1. What is a community? 2. Why does a healthy community strive to ensure that all members have the tools they need to be strong and independent? 3. How is our home a community? How do we strive to make sure all our members are healthy and strong? Let’s name all our members and talk about each. 4. Can you think of a situation in our neighborhood/school/town where some members need help? What do they need in order to live a healthy life?

1. Today was your last day at Girls on the Run. What are you feeling right now? 2. It has been such an honor for me to watch you growing and learning over the last several weeks. What can the two of us do together right now to honor and remember this moment for the rest of our lives? (Take a photo, write together in a journal, light a candle, designate a symbol to remind you of the moment – a tree, for example, if you are walking.)

5. Let’s each share an issue that we care deeply about with one another. (Environment, animals, equality, peace, etc.)

3. Let’s always remember this moment and how good we feel right now. Everyone has times when they feel great and other times when they feel down. It’s not always easy, but I do know that being grateful and reminding ourselves of how beautiful we are is something we can choose to do at any time if we want to.

6. Everyone is unique. We each have strengths in some areas and we each struggle in other areas. What is one of your strengths that you can use to address the issue that you care deeply about?

4. Let’s think of a small physical gesture (thumbs-up, a snap, a quick clap, a wink, etc.) we can do if we are feeling down in the dumps that will remind us of the love and connection we feel right now.

LESSON 23: OUR GOTR TOOLBOX

LESSON 20:

Today is the last official day of Girls on the Run before the closing celebration. e girls are revie ey are also sharing what they enjoyed and did not enjoy about Girls on the Run.

Today the girls are planning for their Community Impact Project. As a team, they are finalizing how the project will be structured and determining how they will each use their unique gifts and talents to contribute to the project.

Questions & Conversation Starters:

Questions & Conversation Starters:

1. What is one word you can think of that best describes your experience at Girls on the Run? 2. What are some of the tools in your GOTR toolbox? (These can be things she learned in general or specific strategies such as Stop and take a BrThRR.) 3. How do you feel now that Girls on the Run is almost over? 4. Do you feel like you are ready for the 5k? (If you are running the 5k together, share how you are feeling as well.) 5. What did you like the most about Girls on the Run?

DESIGNING OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT PROJECT

1. What specific responsibilities do you have with the project? 2. Do you need to bring or prepare anything to carry out your role? 3. How do you feel knowing that you are helping someone or something by doing this project? 4. Can you imagine a role or profession for yourself in the future where you would have an impact on the community/world? Maybe when we get home we could do research on the ideas you are interested in pursuing for a career. 5. Who benefits when doing a community project like this? The people receiving or the people giving? 6. Can you think of anything that the two of us could do together to positively impact our community?

LESSON 21: USING OUR STAR POWER

LESSON 22: HOW WE SHINE

Today the girls are performing and completing their Community Impact Project.

The Girls on the Run season is nearing its end and today the girls are beginning the closure process with one another. It is a special time for them to acknowledge and celebrate their time with one another. They are also recognizing and honoring the strengths and talents of their teammates.

Questions & Conversation Starters:

Questions & Conversation Starters:

1. How did your project go today?

1. Tell me about the games you played today.

2. How did it feel to do something to help another person or group of people?

2. What are some of the words that the girls said about YOU?

3. I am so proud of you for giving back in this way! What have you learned about yourself while doing this project? 4. Would you like to do something like this again? What sort of project could we do together? 5. What group could we help?

3. Can we play a game that is similar? Let’s enthusiastically shout words to each other that express what we love about one another! 4. Let’s each share how we feel right now after hearing those words.