For this final week, I thought that I would write about perseverance. In the first marathon that I ran, I was dead tired after about mile 15. I had trained, but probably not as much as I should have. Plus it was extremely warm, something I wasn’t used to since I had been training in Indiana during the winter (and the race was in Florida). What kept going through my head was Dora from Finding Nemo. I changed her song “Just Keep Swimming” to “Just Keep Running.” I just had to keep moving forward. In the end, I made it! There may have been some walking, but that finish line was a beautiful thing.

The upcoming 5K will have its own set of challenges for the girls. They have practiced and prepared, but they will need you to be there cheering them on, encouraging them to “Just Keep Running” or even “Just Keep Moving.” You can do this by cheering on the sidelines or by joining the race as a running buddy.  We can help them believe in themselves and meet their goals.

Running teaches perseverance which is something that we could all use a little more of. It is about pushing through even when things are difficult, and the Geist 5K is sure to have some challenges for the girls. So join us on May 19^th for the Geist 5K. Even if you don’t run, you can learn about hard work and perseverance from the girls that trained all spring leading up to the big race.

I’m not talking about going on a diet. I’ve never been a fan of the fad diets and the harm that they can cause. When we as a society put such an emphasis on losing weigh it can skew the perspective of even the thin. Rather than dieting, I much prefer the idea of just eating healthy. It is amazing that when you break from some of the over-processed foods, your body can crave fresh fruits and vegetables.

Healthy eating and loving the person that you see in the mirror can go hand in hand. We should teach today’s young women what healthy eating means, not so that they grow up counting calories, but so that they don’t need to. And what better way to do that than, planting a garden. The food comes right from your own backyard; nothing can get fresher than that. Everything seems to taste better when you had a hand in preparing it.

Another friend shared with me yesterday how distant she feels in her new city. She’s been there for nine months now, but she has struggled to make new connections because those around her just seem to be lost in their own bubbles. Even walking down the street, she feels invisible as many people pass by without even making eye contact. It reminded me how often I can get lost in my own situation rather than being aware of those around me. It doesn’t have to be big: a smile at a stranger, starting up a conversation, genuinely asking about someone’s day, or leaving behind a small treat. The point is, together we can build each other up. At Girls on the Run, we want to always show love to each one of the girls by appreciating their individuality. In doing so, they learn to pass that love onto others. Joy is contagious, so spread some to those around you today.

When I first started running in middle school, even a mile or two was a challenge. Ashley and I had been friends in elementary school, so when she joined track, we were drawn to each other. It started on a silly level, singing songs to get us through the workouts. As we built our endurance and moved into high school, it became much more of a friendly competition. We pushed each other and became better runners and people in the process. Our high school cross country team was small, but we shared life together. The struggles of high school are much easier when you have a strong group of friends and miles to share the stories.

My next sister in running was one of my actual sisters, Lori. While we ran cross country and track together for two years in high school, it wasn’t until she graduated that we actually started running together. I always looked up to her, so when I saw that she looked at me as a running equal, I couldn’t get enough. Lori pushed me to run my first half. Living together for much of our time in college, we were able to embrace running for the joy of running rather than for a team. We explored new runs together and enjoyed running as an outlet from the stress of college. When she moved to Florida, we decided to run a marathon together there. Even though we couldn’t train together, we could swap stories and encourage each other on phone calls. This past February was my 5^th year to travel to Florida for that race. While Lori has always been faster than me, I balance her with endurance, and we work together to make a fabulous pair. My other sister Amy has just joined the world of running. I can’t wait to run a race with her. She hopes to run her first half this fall.

My two other fabulous running buddies are Courtney and Liz. Liz and I lived together for a year after college and were neighbors after that. Having Liz next door kept me accountable. Even if I could talk myself out of running, it was harder to rationalize lame excuses to her. Sure we had plenty of days when neither one of us wanted to head out, but once we did, we would make the run enjoyable together. I can’t imagine what the people at the gym thought about us as we were cracking up throughout runs on the track, breaking up the laps with punching the punching man or any number of silly activities. If people heard our conversations eighteen miles into a long run, they probably wouldn’t even think that we were speaking English, but we always seem to understand each other and know what is necessary to get the other through any rough patch.

Courtney and I work together. I encouraged her to start running with me, and the transformation has been amazing. She pushes through any obstacle in her way and has taught me the true meaning of perseverance. Courtney has now completed three half marathons and is looking towards her first full this fall. Running together has been a way for us to appreciate life and each other. Between Courtney, Liz, and my husband, I now rarely leave for a run on my own.

The close female relationships that I have formed around running seem to me what Girls on the Run is all about. The supportive friendships developed over miles help allow the girls to open up and gain confidence in who they are. Without my sisters in running, I would not be as strong of a person overall. This spring, I hope that the girls are able to develop deep and meaningful friends in running that will allow them to become the powerful young women that they have the potential to be. May they each have their own sisterhood of running throughout their lives.

Now, not wearing make-up is more of a habit than a pledge, but I was inspired again to my commitment while reading about Molly Barker’s Naked Face Project. When I stand make-up free in front of my students, it isn’t just about me running out of time in the morning—it is a way to show them that beauty is different than what the media portrays and that they don’t have to fit into a mold.

Molly Barker (the founder of Girls on the Run) and Caitlin Boyle have almost finished two months without putting on make-up, shaving, or highlighting their hair. You can learn more about this on the website www.thenakedfaceproject.com.

Molly sent out an invitation earlier this week to join her on the final day of this project, this Saturday. You can participate in any way large or small to show that society’s expectations don’t determine true beauty. The following is a list she gave on how to participate. I encourage you to join this commitment to break down stereotypes and build up the wonderful females in your life.

• Post a profile pic of myself on Facebook, Twitter or some other social media website, Naked Faced.
• Write about it on my blog.
• Invite all my friends and colleagues to participate.
• Write a letter (or post on their website) to a magazine or television network and let them know you’d like to see more positive messages about girls and women in their publications and on their airwaves.
• Take an 8 year old out to dinner and tell her how beautiful and amazing she is.
• Take an 80 year old out to dinner and tell her how beautiful and amazing she is.
• Send a thank you card to my mother for all she means to me.
• Send a thank you card to my daughter for all she means to me.
• Watch shows that portray women and girls in a positive light.  (This means turning off most reality television.)
• Put away all pop-culture magazines that make fun of or judge women (including celebrities, they are after all girls and women too!) based on their appearance, and find something else to read that shows how strong women and girls really are.
• Write a letter to a woman in politics and thank her for her service.  (For full effect, write someone who runs for office on the party ticket…you are NOT a member of.)
• Volunteer somewhere.
• Go for a run.
• Post an Operation Beautiful Sticky note. (www.operationbeautiful.com)
• Take an hour to just be alone and be quiet.
• Sweat.
• Practice yoga.
• Do some kind of sport I have never done, but always wanted to.
• Lift some weights.
• Wear a costume for no reason.
• Admit, at last, that I’ve been wanting to run for political office and do something about it.
• Cook a great meal and eat it with your family on the floor of your living room, picnic style.
• Have a sleepover.
• Research girls’ empowerment programs and reach out to set up time to volunteer.  (Girls on the Run, Girl Scouts, Girls, Inc, to name a few.)
• Write a letter to my younger self and post it on my refrigerator.
• Skip somewhere.
• Do something outside my comfort zone.
• Smile really big at everyone I pass today.
• Dance and sing really loudly in the car. (Windows down for full effect.)
• Make a card for someone and deliver it personally.

As a way to provide our supporters and participants with more up to date information we have created this blog. We would like for it to be a place to share the stories and experiences of both coaches and participants. It could also serve as a source of running and self-confidence tips. Lastly, it will be great resource for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. If there is something that you would be interested in reading a blog about, please just let us know.

I am Molly Shover, an English teacher and coach at Lebanon High School. I am working on my masters in English at University of Indianapolis and am working on this blog as a part of a project for the course “Writing for Nonprofits.” I chose to work with Girls on the Run of Hamilton County because as both a teacher and a coach, I strongly believe in the connection between physical activity and a student’s self-confidence and ability to succeed. Girls on the Run has taken that concept into elementary schools around the country. Many young women struggle with identity and self-image, so Girls on the Run has chosen to tackle these struggles at an early age by using running to empower girls.

My passion for running began in middle school when my PE teacher first encouraged me based on the potential that he saw inside of me. Now I cannot imagine my life without running, and just last month I completed my fifth marathon. Because of my own running experiences and those of my students, I want to help Girls on the Run of Hamilton County to be able to build recognition and support in the online community. Hopefully you will enjoy reading about the impact Girls on the Run is having on the young women of Hamilton County!