Volunteering :: Girls on the Run

My senior year of college while I was student teaching in a 1st/2nd grade classroom, I decided to volunteer to be an assistant coach/running buddy for a program called Girls on the Run.

Girls on the run is a program for young girls that focuses on teaching physical and emotional life skills through running. The goals are the program are all about leading a healthy, confident life - and using running to get you there.

The program is typically ten weeks long and during the twice weekly practices, we do a 15 minute "lesson" on an important topic; bullying, self-esteem, eating habits, etc - and then train for a 5k race.

It doesn't matter the time it takes to finish, but we focus on building endurance and trying your best.

It's an amazing program and the final race is absolutely adorable. Everyone runs with an older buddy, gets their hair and make-up done, and invites their family to watch and cheer them on.

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I've been feeling like I need something. Something that doesn't include work, or friends, or Joel. Something that connects me deeper to Los Angeles and breaks my routine a little bit. 

I miss being around kids and I miss the communities that I had back in Chicago, and then it dawned on me.

It's the perfect thing I've been needing. 

There was an assistant coach position at a school right near my house, so when I emailed the California contact, she (and I) couldn't believe the serendipitous timing. 

The team has been training for two weeks now, but I'll jump in, get to know these girls, and coach them to a 5k race on May 18th. 

I can't wait to start next week and have a feeling that this might end up helping me more than the girls.