I was not athletic as a kid. I tried out for T-ball and was laughed off the field for striking out. While it may have been justified, a group of boys teasing me when I was already down had a long-term impact on how I saw myself as a female in sports.
I’m not the only one – research shows that girls are just as interested in sports as boys, but participate at much lower rates. Reasons? Social pressure, cost, self-esteem, and more.
Girls on The Run aims to change how girls participate in sports. Part of their mission is to remove barriers to participation, whether that’s linguistic, cost-based, or cultural. By getting girls to run, an activity that requires minimum equipment and no team (both reasons that I love to run), Girls on the Run gets girls moving and increases their confidence. Do you remember the feeling of finishing your first 5k? Yup, they give that feeling to grade school kids.
So I was thrilled to register for the fall 5k/10k fundraising race. Even better, it was at James Regional Park close to home.
Pre-Race
Packet Pickup was at Red Rock Running Company’s Rainbow store. It’s less than 15 minutes away, but unfortunately, I had another commitment during the 2 hours for packet pickup. So I grabbed swag right before the race. The only items were a cotton t-shirt and a standard RRCC bib.
I’m not a huge fan of a ton of swag, especially without a car to put it, so this worked out well for me.
Girls on the Run Las Vegas Executive Director Kate McLaughlin got the crowd excited. County Commissioner Michael Naft said a few words, noting that this was the first official race to use the new 5k route and tunnels underneath Robindale. Then it was a countdown, and the Sassy Ladies of Las Vegas cheering on the start.
Girl Power 5k Race
The race had a good vibe, with some of the girls and their parents at stops along the way. Participants wore plenty of pink, and ages ranged from pre-teens to seniors.
The course did follow the new route exactly – heading from the restrooms at the center of James Regional Park east/northeast, across Cimarron, and then onto the dedicated mixed-use path.
Police were present to guide and protect runners from non-existant traffic. The effort was appreciated.
We encountered quite a few runners and cyclists using the path in the opposite direction. The trail was clean and in great shape, with some of the items encountered on my first run of the route cleaned up.
It’s mostly flat, with a few gentle inclines coming out of the tunnels. I actually hit a good pace and a finish I was pleased with. That netted me a cute medal with the Girls on the Run logo.
Post-Race
This was a fun, positive experience for a cause that all runners can appreciate. I’m looking forward to the capstone event on December 5 at Craig Ranch Park. That’s where the girls themselves run a 5k, completing a 10-week training program, along with their coaches and the entire running community.
