How to Feel Amazing After Running 3 Miles

All it takes is a little confidence, training and a Rocket Boost from Dad.

At the Jaycees 17th Annual 5K race on Saturday morning in Florham Park, pink-faced SOMA Girls on the Run between the ages of 8 and 10 reached their goal of finishing a 5K. Some were running in a race for the first time. Others were beating their time from last year.

"How do you feel after finishing your second 5k?" I asked one of our runners Maxine Ostella during a post-race pow-wow.

"Actually I feel amazing," she said. 

"Really? You're awesome," said her dad, who gave her a few 'Rocket Boosts' during the race where he would hold her hand and propel her forward. The boost kept up her spirts and gave her renewed confidence to keep running and finish strong.

"I know," she said smiling and in a matter-of-fact tone.

It made us laugh but really that's what Girls on the Run is all about. It's a program that empowers third- through fifth-graders to use running as a tool to build confidence, self-awareness and friends.

This past season we had 16 girls on our team. The 3.1 miles they ran this weekend was the culmination of 10 weeks of training at Jefferson School. Our Maplewood chapter of Girls on the Run was led by myself and two amazing Coaches Kamal Zubieta and Carol Holden. Our amazing girls included:

• Marvelous Maggie
• Lovely Lily
• Great Gabby
• Excellent Eloise
• Ice Cream Imaan
• Magnificant Maxine
• Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Sophie
• Koo Koo Kate
• Energetic Elizabeth
• Mischievious Morgan (wink!)
• Exceeding Eve
• Energized Eabha
• Lucky Livvy
• Cool Carmen
• Nice Noori
• Lively Louisa

We talked about bullying, gossip, how to be emotionally and physically healthy. We shared stories about how others helped us or treated us kindly. We shared stories of how we felt scared, upset or helpless and how a Girl on the Run would respond to various situations. Our lessons and our training helped us feel stronger, wiser and more powerful. 

I want to congratulate all of them for being strong, positive and beautiful girls inside and out! They inspired us coaches every day and made us proud.

Please leave a comment below to share in our congrats! They rock (and so do you for cheering them on)!