On Saturday, May 19 at 9:30 AM, Girls on the Run of Berks County will host its annual Spring 5K event at Penn State Berks University, open to all runners and walkers!
Berks County, PA: Community runners and walkers are invited to join the Girls on the Run Spring 2018 5K on Saturday, May 19 at the Penn State Berks campus located at 1800 Broadcasting Road. This non-competitive 5K fun run/walk is open to community members of all ages and fitness levels. At the event, over 480 Girls on the Run program participants in grades 3–8 from across Berks County will finish their first 5K, after completing the 10-week Girls on the Run personal development program at their local school.
This is the biggest season of all-time for the local non-profit, which completed its first season locally in the fall of 2013. Girls on the Run is a physical activity-based, positive youth development program for girls.
Participants meet after school twice per week in small teams of 10 to 20 girls with their volunteer coaches, completing twenty 90-minute sessions over a period of 10 weeks.
The Girls on the Run program creatively integrates running as a method of reinforcing the principles of goal setting, teamwork and personal accomplishment; and participants complete a 5K event at the end. The curriculum covers topics such as accountability and intentional decision-making, identifying and curtailing negative self-talk, resisting peer pressure and more. Girls learn to assert themselves in a healthy manner, effectively manage their emotional responses, and identify areas of challenge and confidence in their own personalities. As a non-profit, Girls on the Run offers this unique experience to all girls, regardless of family income. Last season, 49% of program participants received financial assistance to participate.
This spring’s local school teams include: 10th & Green (2 teams), 16th & Haak, Amity, Andrew Maier, Brandywine Heights Intermediate, C.E. Cole Intermediate, Conrad Weiser West Elementary, Cornwall Terrace, Daniel Boone Middle School, Glenside, Governor Mifflin Intermediate, Green Valley (2 teams), Greenwich-Lenhartsville, Kutztown, Millmont, Muhlenberg Elementary Center, Northwest Elementary, Oley Valley Elementary, Owatin Creek, Schuylkill Valley (3 teams), Shiloh Hills, Spring Ridge, Tilden, Whitfield, Wilson West Middle and Wyomissing Hills.
The Girls on the Run 5K will be held at Penn Sate Berks, with a host of activities for participants. The 5K course route is fully-enclosed on the campus, to provide a safe and fun experience for all participants. Pre-event activities beginning at 8:00 AM will include live music from DJ Ben Smith of 5 Star Productions, a free photo booth provided by ROG Orthodontics, a free “happy hair” colored hairspray station provided by Salon Avanti, a free “spirit” station hosted by Penske Women’s Network, plus a host of activities provided by other local Girls on the Run sponsors and community vendors.
Girls on the Run of Berks County corporate sponsors include The Junior League of Reading, Tower Health, East Penn Manufacturing, Penske Truck Leasing, Bellco Federal Credit Union, Berks Elite Training, Body Zone Sports and Wellness Complex, Performance Toyota, Reading Pediatrics, RKL LLP, ROG Orthodontics, Specialty Rigging Company and Tompkins VIST Bank.
Online registration is open at www.gotrberks.org through May 16th, and in-person registration will be conducted at the event beginning at 8:00 AM. The registration fee is $28, and all proceeds from registration fees directly benefit Girls on the Run of Berks County.
