Practice 5K!

Practice makes perfect! Well, you don't have to be perfect, but we did get perfect running weather, with blue skies, mild temperatures and a kindergarten cheering section to get us started. The girls started a little sluggish, but when the girls started taking turns leading the warm-up, the energy level increased. Coach Jenn, led us in some high knee running exercises, Coach Tanya added arm circles and now we were ready to start! We reviewed the route with the girls, explaining that one lap would equal 1 mile and that they were to complete 3 laps. Our volunteers; Laura, Becky and Meghan, had the water station table ready with plenty of water and gatorade. After bathroom breaks, checking the laces on shoes, we were ready for the first lap. Hurray!!!! Coach Jenn reminded the girls about the importance of pacing and off we went, everyone at their own pace. Some of the girls ran together, some ran with Coach Jenn, Brianna was fortunate enough to have her mom running and encouraging her and Marissa ran with Coach Tanya. We made sure all of the girls were with a buddy.

The girls cheered each other on through the first lap. I heard lots of way to go, you are doing a great job! and keep it up! The first lap ended with the girls stopping to get some water and then off to lap 2. Some of the girls needed to walk, which is always okay, as long as you keep moving, which they did. You could hear the girls tell each other during lap 2, we are halfway there, Yeah!!!

The final lap was a cause for much joy and excitement as the girls made their way to the finish line. Each girl received a medal as she crossed the finish line. The girls joined together and made a victory tunnel for the final girl, Marissa. When Marissa heard the girls chanting her name, she suddenly forgot she was tired and ran. All of the girls ran with her during the final downhill to the finish line. We did it! Everyone finished, what a great job! All of the girls got a goodie bag with treats and a miniature sneaker with laces-for going the extra mile. What a great way to start the weekend. Congratulations to all of the girls! A big GOTR cheer to the volunteers and to Brianna's mom for coming out to support her.
Remember: The Celebration 5k is May 23 and the girls will need running buddies. Running buddies do need to register at the GOTR Montgomery County website. You will also receive information concerning packet pick-up.

Making Healthy Decisions: Lesson 14

Life is full of choices and making good decisions is a critical skill to learn in life. How do you make a good decision? We were happy to greet the girls with all of our coaches present and ready to help the girls discuss decision-making. Coach Tanya, led the first activity by placing the girls into small groups and getting them to think about and agree on a decision/and or activity they did that morning. The girls then had to think about and agree on a difficult decision that might take place in the future.
Each of these decisions required the girls to draw their response. The future decisions were quite interesting, with topics ranging from: getting married, getting up to go to work early every day and the ups and downs associated with being a rock star!
Coach Jenn, got the warm-up going with a game about Pros and Cons. The girls stayed in their small groups, while Coach Jenn, read scenarios which required some of the girls to run to the Pro station and write 2 Pro statements and the other girls to run to a Con station and write 2 Con statements. This activity not only required the girls to think about the pros and cons of the scenarios, but to do a quick cardio activity. To finish the warm-up the girls had to run back to Coach Jenn and decide on the healthiest decision of the scenario. Ask the girls to fill you in on some of the scenarios and the discussions.
On to the workout, with Coach Connie asking the girls to determine the difference between a long and short-term consequences and long and short-term results. What does this have to do with a workout? Well, it involves a board game,sort of like Life, and who doesn't love a board game. This one involved the girls following the instructions on the board pieces they received as they performed ran laps around the blacktop. Some girls recieved cards which rewarded them with lap counters for positive decisions, while other girls received cards which required them to crabwalk and run another lap, because of a poor decision. A fun way to run, collect lap counters and think about consequences of decisions.
During the cool down the girls talked about some of the decisions in the workout. We sent the girls on their way with a GOTR Cheer. We ended the lesson with Coach Tanya distributing Tuesday healthy snack(yummy apples), wearing her Eat More Veggies, t-shirt.

You Call IT!: Lesson 17

Sometimes it's nice to take a break from the regular format of the lessons and do something different, and that's exactly what we did. We started with a few announcements (more on those later) then proceeded outsidefor a warm-up. Thank you to all of the parents that made sure the girls had there water bottles. The weather on Friday was hot and the girls definitely needed plenty of water.

After the warm-up straight to the big field for a game, sort of like follow the leader. We continue to work on building the girls endurance, focusing on pacing, and more importantly moving, even when it's hot. Just for fun, we went up and down hills, and back around the field. I made certain the girls had frequent water breaks and an opportunity to sit in the shade for a few minutes A big GOTR cheer for the girls who hung in there with few complaints and finished the running. The reward: pure FUN! We set up stations with hula hoops, jump ropes, and a station in the center of the blacktop, where the girls did their favorite warm-up or exercise. The goal was to have fun and keep moving. We finished the session with several rounds of spirited tug-of-war and group jump-roping. After our cool down we headed inside to escapte the heat and finish the snacks.

Announcements
*Deadline Extension of Secret Essay Contest: Each girl received an information sheet on the deadline extension for the Secret Essay Contest (May 14th is the new deadline).
* Running Buddies: It's time for the girls to identify their running buddies. Running Buddies do need to register for the 5k. You should have received an email from the GOTR Montgomery County Office with information on Running Buddies. Please let us know if your daughter needs a running buddy.
* Practice 5K- Friday, May 7: The Practice 5K is this Friday, May 7. Please come out if you can and support the girls. We still need volunteers to hand-out water and cheer for the girls.