Fairfax resident Becky Chen was out of breath after the 3.1-mile run at Burke Lake on Saturday, May 18, but glad to take part in the Girls on the Run program, which culminated at Shelter B at the park that morning.
"It's been a really positive thing. We learn about ourselves, how to have a positive lady image," the 12-year-old said.
Emily Kenny of Vienna has been running 15 years and ran with the girls at Burke Lake for her niece, Allison Toler of Fairfax Station, who was part of the group from Silverbrooke Elementary School. The Marine Corps Marathon and the Boston Marathon were some of her past running feats.
"I ran to support my niece. She was excited I showed up. It [running] relieves a lot of stress, clears your thoughts," she said. Kenny's brother works for the Girls on the Run headquarters in Charlotte, N.C.
Girls on the Run was established in 1996, starting with a group of third- and fourth-grade girls at Charlotte Country Day School, and it branched out to Northern Virginia in February 2000. Their 12-week program consists of self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts, with a goal of encouraging positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development, according to their literature. They meet in groups of up to 20 participants, twice a week in open areas for one-hour sessions to train for the 3.1-mile run. Topics covered during the 12 weeks are based on the work of psychologists Mario Fantini and Gerald Weinstein.
"The Girls on the Run program objective is to reduce the potential display of at-risk activities among its participants. The goal is fewer adolescent pregnancies and eating disorders, less depression and suicide attempts, as well as fewer substance/alcohol abuse problems and confrontations with the juvenile justice," it stated. The founder, Molly Barker, won America's Most Out-of-the-Box Individual, sponsored by Mazda, USA.
ALEXANDRIA RESIDENT Rebecca Anderson is one of the Northern Virginia representatives. She has degrees in exercise science and sports psychology. She was with the nearly 200 girls at Burke Lake that morning.
"This is the end of this 12 weeks. We've seen girls’ self-esteem improved. About 50 percent come back," she said.
Gena Manning is another coach, with experience as a dietitian and a degree in human nutrition.
"The mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle, teamwork. All the programs are run through the school or rec centers," she said.
Area schools they have been in touch with through Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs) include Rolling Valley, North Springfield and Silverbrooke Elementary.
"There is a registration fee, but there is financial assistance available. We have some PE teachers we've talked to that seem interested," Anderson said, although the group is independent of the Fairfax County Public Schools.
McLean resident Emily Tarbox, 24, is a coach as well.
She's seen girls "going from not wanting to see us at all to coming back year after year," she said.
The program is for girls 8-12. Tarbox appreciates the gratification she sees on their faces,
"It's great to motivate younger kids. It's kind of like a hobby for me. It was so fun. With all these girls you can't help to have fun," she said.
Erin Taylor of Annandale talked about the influence from the coaches, Manning in particular. Taylor heard about it through Girl Scouts.
"She encourages us. I might do girls track," she said.
A SIMILAR PROGRAM for boys has been mentioned but is not in the plans so far. Anderson's husband, Gary, was at the run for moral support. He looked at ramifications of the program, but just for boys.
"I don't think the boys are dealing with the same issues. It would have to be structured different," he said.
Although this 12-week session is complete, they are holding a summer camp in the mornings on July 15-19 at the George Mason University track next to the field house. Registration fee is $100, which includes a T-shirt and water bottle.