CHS Girls on the Move

Yesterday was our first official Girls on the Move meeting.  I must admit I was feeling a little nervous because I wasn't sure if I would be the only one there or if the football team was going to kick us off the track before we even got started.  But thankfully, six wonderful girls who were vertical and moving by 7am on their own accord, showed up and made my 25 minute trip totally worth it. Not to mention they successfully ignored the fact that the football team and their parents were slowly migrating to the bleachers and watching the skips, bends, and knee lifts.

Before our meeting, I had taken extensive notes on the things I wanted to talk about - why we run, the importance of stretching, what proper running form looks like, and how the entire purpose of this club is not to run faster than the next girl, but instead to see what we are all made of.  Well I'm not sure if it was nerves or lack of organizational skills, but I managed to skip over most of those things.  Ten minutes in and they were running around the track and I had not even discussed looking forward, a straight back, and unclenched fists.  Oooops! What was I thinking? A quick glance and I decided they looked pretty good form wise and I would address this on Wednesday.  Mental note, check!

Now with only six girls, I have no doubt they noticed who was the first to finish and who was the last.  Being last amongst a group of your peers is never easy - I would know because in middle school I was NEVER the fast runner, but the one who was trying to cheat herself out of the last lap (sorry Coach Russell).  "Laura" was that runner who came in last but watching her reaffirmed that this club was a good thing and worth every minute of my summer vacation.  Those six girls started running their first lap around the track all together - a solid pack.  But after that one lap, the crowd dispersed.  I started the second lap with them and then let them run off so I could keep time but "Laura" was struggling and she didn't want to suffer alone. After she stopped to tie her shoe, she asked if I would run with her.  Of course!!!!  I could tell she really was not having fun so I shared with her some of my stories about how I was never a runner in school but if we broke the lap into segments it wouldn't be so bad.  So we did - run the straightaways, walk the curves. I had to let her finish her last lap on her own so I could shout out times to the other girls but I was most impressed with her.  Like I said - it was obvious she was not having fun but she did not utter one complaint or ever just quit.  She finished her mile in a little over 12 minutes, walked it out, and then did jumped right in with our other exercises with a smile that was half misery and half I'm going to finish this no matter how much it hurts.


When I left yesterday I was a little worried that she might not come back to the next meeting or that I didn't let her know just how well she had done.  From all the things I have learned teaching, I have learned never to underestimate the power of positive words.  But something tells me she'll be there, accepting the fact that this will not be easy, but when it is all said and done, she will have learned a little more about herself and all the things she can do in this world.

Overall, I would call it a successful first meeting.  However, there were many mental notes made and quite a few things I need to remember to do tomorrow.  I'm going to spend some time at the library today reading some coaching books and reviewing some sample workouts.  I really want these girls to know how awesome they are and that they can do "it" whatever their "it" may be.  So here is to a day of preparing and to another successful workout tomorrow...

Happy Running,

Tracie

In an effort to follow my two passions, teaching and running, I'm starting an all girls running group this summer with some of the students from CHS.  Honestly, I got the idea from reading Kristin Armstrong's "Mile Markers," and then I briefly mentioned it to some girls one day last week.  Then the idea just took off.  I had no idea girls would be so willing to wake up at 6:30 am during the summer but just as I have a need to stay busy this summer, so do they.  And when I mentioned doing volunteer work and developing our leadership and teamwork skills, they couldn't sign up fast enough.  The idea of working out, working together, and helping others seems to be a common desire among many young ladies and that makes me excited.  I am thrilled and at the same time nervous.  What do I know about coaching a running club?  Well thanks to lots of book previews on Amazon and quizzing of my running friends, I've selected a few books to purchase and found some awesome websites via Girls on the Run.  But I still welcome any input, suggestions, comments, concerns.  This is a new thing in a fairly small town and I hope that I am able to share with all of these young ladies the joy running has brought me.  Please feel free to leave me your feedback!

An excited and nervous teacher/running coach....

TR