Run? Several of our Woodbridge High students decided to do just that – dedicate a Sunday to supporting younger runners that may or may not have someone to run with on a Girls On the Run 5k event. Thanks to the collaboration of Phillis Wheatley, the mention of this event from a colleague, and the coordination from Carol Bean and Kim Chitty, and Carrie Townsend, this turned out to be a much (MUCH!) bigger deal than anyone expected.

Pulling up to the site on a VERY damp, OKAY, a LITTLE cold 🙂

drizzly Sunday in Dover, I was overtaken with HUNDREDS of young female runners in Tutu’s,

Moms and a TON of Dad’s being pulled by their young female runners, and HAD NO IDEA I had landed in the Delaware State Girls on the Run 5k – these young runners were AMAZING for taking on this challenge and from the assortment of hair paint, stickers that promoted their event that landed on their face, bandaids that decorated their faces, to the bobbly head gear, very soon, the drizzle and the rain coming down had NO claim on the excitement that was bubbling among all of these countless schools representing these young girls on race day.

Being paired up quickly with Phillis Wheatley runners, it was more than difficult to stay together when the start of the race was announced – within seconds all could be different with your placement. With that being said, as I ran I was completely taken in with what I saw and heard:

Dads pulling their young runners on the inclines

Moms encouraging their runners to slowly increase the length of their sprints.

Young runners pulling their Dads up those same hills

“Next year, I want my Dad to be able to be here!” and stories of how the young ladies either thought this was a million miles long (depending on the course to them, the steps and eventually miles up and down inclines COULD in fact feel like that over time!) to the amazing young runners that were done before anyone expected

I was completely enthralled in seeing individuals I recognized, among THRONGS of runners

and walkers – that represented our community. Mayor Genshaw and daughter a familiar employee of Petco with his daughter, and in the middle of it all, I was witnessing our Woodbridge students -Logan, Suzely, Jasmine, Charlie, and Kaileb – and they were inspiring these young runners, and I felt were being inspired themselves. Between them all we represented the Girls Who Code Club, the Riff Literary Magazine, Middle School Track and Cross Country, as well as obviously the Phillis Wheatley Girls on the Run team.

The feeling/vibe/rhythm of the event was amazing and no weather conditions could push down what I felt was the best run our WHS team has participated in this season. I was so so very proud of what each of these individuals did to take time on a Sunday to make it even more amazing, and the insights into what can be done with differing levels of schools, runners, students, and just awesome people in our community come together. One of the best Sundays one could expect, that can happen on ANY given Sunday 🙂