This morning I ran the
Poconos’ Wurst 5K Trail Run in support of Girls on the Run. The Pocono chapter of GOTR – girls, coaches, and parents – came out to
Shawnee Mountain for the event, which benefited the activities of the Pocono GOTR chapter. It was a very hot morning and, as you might expect for a run on a mountainside, the course was hilly. I buddied up with a couple of girls from Girls on Track, the secondary GOTR program that serves older girls (6th through 8th graders) who have already surpassed the initial Girls on the Run program (for 3rd through 5th graders in most locations); we would run the trails together to make sure that we all finished the course safely and with smiles.
At the start area, one of the few parts of the course that was paved rather than grassy or gravelly, an organizer introduced the event and described the course. Then he said something you hope never to hear when trail running: “If you heard the rumor about the bear, it’s true. But we think it’s gone. Just keep your eyes open out there.” Yikes! Apparently some Shawnee Mountain caretakers went into the trails in golf carts to scare away the bear about fifteen minutes before the run started. Then the speaker continued, “The rattlesnakes are usually on the other side of the mountain at this time of year, but that’s not necessarily true of the copperheads. Plus there are ticks, so be careful out there!” Bears and snakes and ticks – oh my! But we’re Girls on the Run – we don’t let wildlife scare us away from a good 5K trail run!
The start gun sounded and we set off. Unfortunately, I got tangled up with another runner and fell as if I were a baseball player sliding into home plate. My GOTR buddies, of course, stopped and asked if I was okay. I wanted to look calm and collected despite being terribly embarrassed. I said, “Yes, it’s just a few scrapes – that’s not going to stop me from running this course with you!” So we continued on, running and walking alternately because of the heat, uneven trail grounds and hills. The girls were awesome in rising to the challenge of their first trail run.
Despite my embarrassing fall, I hope I taught them a lesson about picking yourself up, dusting off and persevering to meet the goal. GOTR has always aimed to show its young runners that they are strong, both physically and mentally, and that they can use those strengths to accomplish whatever goals they set their minds to. I am glad I had the opportunity to turn some scrapes and bruises into a reminder of one of the most important lessons of the GOTR seasonal curriculum.
That's me, pictured, showing off my event tee post-run, all cleaned up, scrapes swabbed with antibacterial gel! And I’ll be looking forward to hearing more about the amazing accomplishments of the Pocono GOTR in upcoming seasons!
Anyone have any suggestions? I'd love to hear from you!
The Red Dress Run for Women in Hartford, Connecticut, which supported the Go Red foundation’s initiative of empowering women to understand how to improve and maintain their heart health, was a big success! I participated with four fabulous – and fabulously determined – women. Running has had a place in each of our lives for varying lengths of time – from my 18 year history on the road and track to some who just started out recently. But we all were equally excited to share 3.1 miles of roads with 1,100 women in support of a worthy cause. The weather was hot and very humid, which makes running a road race challenging and somewhat uncomfortable. On the other hand, we were lucky that the rain held out because it POURED about an hour after we finished running – at just about the time that we were swallowing the first bites of well-deserved pancakes (yum!). 
I’ve said before that running is an activity that makes me feel great physically, mentally and emotionally. I loved this sign (pictured, right) that was posted at the park where the Red Dress Run took place. It is true that running is like a friend. Just like I know my friends will always be there for me in times of need (or whenever, really), I know I can always lace up my sneakers and hit the road wherever I am and whenever I need time for myself.
