How does Girls on the Run work?

Girls on the Run is a twelve week program, consisting of twenty-four one and a half hour sessions. The curriculum is taught by a team of two coaches. All Girls on the Run coaches have been screened, passed a background check, interviewed and trained by Girls on the Run of Metro Portland, and are CPR and First Aid certified. Coaches adhere to the prescribed curriculum for each lesson.

The girls meet twice a week to participate in fun running activities that develop team cooperation, goal setting and leadership skills. The sessions incorporate focused discussions about critical issues that will affect the girls as they reach adolescence.

The curriculum is divided into three parts:

• Part 1: Understanding themselves and setting personal goals(4 weeks)
• Part 2: Learning skills to foster leadership, team building and cooperation (4 weeks)
• Part 3: Examining their relationship to the community, including development and implementation of a community service project (4 weeks)

Every lesson focuses on a specific issue-related topic and follows a five-part format that provides consistency and structure for the girls’ experience.

Introduction: As the girls arrive and settle into a circle, the coach “checks in” with each girl and gauges the group dynamic for the day.

Getting on Board Activity: The Getting on Board activity is a game that introduces the day’s topic and helps to focus the group.

The Warm Up: The warm-up is a brief activity or game that energizes the girls and warms up their muscles. The Warm Up activity is usually a short interactive running game that incorporates the lesson topic for that day. After the activity, the coach leads a stretching session, during which time the group begins to discuss and “process” the topic.

The Workout: The workout follows the warm-up/stretch. The amount of running varies on each girls’ ability, pace and their stage of progress. Eventually, the workout builds up to a “practice” 3.1 mile run/walk on site, to give the girls the confidence helpful in participating in an actual 3.1 mile community running event. The workout also involves the “topic of the day”. For example, in the session on positive attitudes, each girl is asked to make a positive statement about herself to the coach each time she completes a lap and reflect on it during the next lap.

The Wrap-Up: Following the workout is a cool-down and stretching period where the girls do group processing and discussion. Each session ends with positive reinforcement from the coach, a group cheer and a snack.

Expected outcomes:

Girls take pre- and post- attitude surveys to measure the effects of the program on their feelings about themselves and others. Girls on the Run International utilizes these surveys as part of their over-all program outcomes evaluation. Girls on the Run strives to help its participants to:

• Develop a positive self-image and stronger sense of identity
• Learn to respect peers and cooperate in a group
• Build supportive relationships
• Communicate openly with parents and peers
• Strive for personal goals
• Improve physical health and fitness