The Harford-Cecil County chapters of Girls on the Run, an organization dedicated to empowering young girls, held their first 5k on Saturday, November 18, 2023. “[Girls on the Run] is meant to teach girls how to take care of their bodies and get interested in the sport,” said a first-year coach at Edgewood Elementary School. “It helps them stay fit and energized the right way all while encouraging them to be awesome.” 

The race started at 8:30 a.m., but before the run, the girls were able to decorate their bibs, spray their hair, dance, and make signs for each other. After making their way to the start line, nearly 50 girls throughout elementary and middle school warmed up to “Cotton Eye Joe” and shook out their jitters. The 3.1 miles winded through Perryville Community Park, running alongside the water the entire time, making for a gorgeous view and point of distraction for all the girls. 

“I know one of the girls didn’t think she would be able to run the whole 5k,” said Kate McComas, a Bakersfield Elementary School coach, “but she ran with me the whole time and was actually one of the first girls to finish and she was so shocked by herself and it was wonderful to see that smile.” 

Leah Davies, a coach at Holly Hall Elementary School, describes the race as “giving a sense of community and giving the girls some confidence to push through their challenges.” Her fellow coach Mrs. Campbell followed that up saying, “Today was a great way for them to celebrate the hard work they’ve been putting in.”  

“When we first started this, we thought it was just be an afterschool club, but as we started doing this, we realized it’s much bigger than that,” said Bakersfield Elementary School coach Monica Graham. “This has changed not only the girls but the coaches as well, not just with the running, but with the girl empowerment. It’s been a lot of fun.”