'Girls on the Run' program helps girls discover joy of running

An energetic 11-year-old, Dulce Hernandez didn't get up early on a Saturday morning to run a 5K because she was worried about losing weight or getting into shape.

She is, however, deeply concerned about having fun and making good choices.

The fifth-grader at Mountain View elementary has participated for two years in a program designed to entice girls to be more active, while teaching them how their decision will help or hinder them in reaching goals — physical, educational and emotional.

The beauty of the "Girls on the Run" program is that it offers volunteers, some of whom are serious runners and some who are not even joggers, the chance to help girls develop of love of exercise at a young age by disguising it as a good time.

As I talk to women about fitness and travel my own long and winding path to a healthier life, there is a common theme. Most of us were driven to a gym because we wanted to lose weight. We endure stair steppers, cycling, swimming or treadmills because we have a goal — usually a weight — in mind.

Once we reach that goal, we are left trying to decide if we are committed enough to continue. So many women never really find the pleasure in exercise.

In the last year and a half, I have discovered that if we were active because it was fun — and not because we wanted to squeeze into our favorite jeans — we would be more likely to stick with an exercise program.

Many of us grew up playing sports, so physical activity isn't anything new. But once the competitive opportunities are gone — usually post-children or due to a demanding career — we sink into complacency and unhealthy food choices out of convenience, never really considering what the lasting effects will be on the quality of our lives.

Girls on the Run attempts to teach girls that they should run because it's fun. It provides structure and a team-like atmosphere for a sport that many see as training for other things.

Dulce and her friends play games that involve both sprinting and longer distances. They receive shoes, water bottles and T-shirts, and they train all fall for a 5K race.

The race, held Nov. 20 this year, raises money for the program that exists in elementary schools from Mountain View to Rowland Hall-St. Mark's and culminates 12-weeks of workouts. Each elementary-age girl is paired up with an adult running buddy for the race. Some of the adults are strangers when they start out, while others are parents or relatives.