Part 1: How a 5K Changed My Life

I didn’t mean to fall in love with Girls on the Run.

It all started back in 2006 when my sister-in-law Tabitha and I signed up for what we thought was just another 5K. We showed up and were stunned by the sea of girls sprinting joyfully in tutus and pink shirts. “What is this?” we asked. So I did what any geek would do. I Googled it.

Next thing I knew, I was helping start a team at my son’s school in Loudoun County, Virginia. That was Rosa Lee Carter Elementary, and I became a coach for Girls on the Run Northern Virginia. My house was full of boy energy at the time, and coaching gave me a space to play with the girls. I had no idea that tiny decision would change the trajectory of my life.

Fast forward to 2012. I was pregnant with my daughter. Yes, my kids are 16 years apart. I can only handle one at a time, thank you very much. We had just moved back to my hometown of Culpeper. A couple years later, in 2014, Tabitha saw a tiny blurb in the newspaper that a Girls on the Run council was launching nearby. I reached out right away and met the founder after their very first 5K at Verdun Adventure Bound. I had baby Abby on my hip. And yes, we cut the course a little that day. Girlfriend got hungry.

And in so many ways, Abby's been by my side ever since. I now proudly call her “Assistant Abby” because, let’s be honest, she could probably lead coach training by now. She’s grown up on sidelines, under cheer stations, in storage units full of GOTR bins, and at countless 5Ks. She has ideas, opinions, and more Girls on the Run knowledge than most adults. She’s growing up GOTR, and watching her step into the teen years with her own faith, voice, and strength has been my greatest inspiration.

And just like that, what started as a curious 5K turned into a calling. From boy-mom energy to baby Abby on my hip, Girls on the Run kept showing up in my life and I kept saying yes.

Want to help us keep saying yes to more girls? Join me at Team Possible. A gift of $37/month is all it takes to change a life.

That’s the beginning of our story. In the next part, I’ll share what happened when I suddenly found myself in charge with no staff, no paycheck, and no idea what I was doing. Pink duct tape and all.

Part 2 is coming soon, and trust me it gets wilder.