Why be a Girl On The Run

I often tell people I'm a coach for Girls On The Run. 

Some people know how awesome it is. 

Others, have no idea what GOTR is. 

Girls On The Run is many things... 

Yes, we run (skip, hop and jump). 

Yes, we work hard.

Yes, there are cheers :) and lots of smiling faces. 

Yes, there is dedication. 

Yes, we build confidence. 

Yes, we create strong girls. 

But what I love best.... 

GOTR makes the girls of today, strong and ambitious women of tomorrow. 

I encourage you to help out if you can. Volunteer for the local 5K this Spring. Take your girl for a run.

Or just go out and cheer on the smiling faces! :) 

CHEERS! Here's to our Spring Season and making amazing little girls everywhere! 

Mental Health Day

Today would definitely count as Amanda's first mental health day for the year 2012. I feel like I've been going non-stop since the start of the new year. I took on another job, I'm training for my first Marathon, Todd's been busy with his job and Navy career, we almost bought a house, I want to go back to school, my step-dad has moved in with us until the rest of the family can make the "BIG MOVE" to the city...  AND Girls on the Run started this week for the Spring season! :)

All is going very well here in the Delp household, but quite frankly... I'm exhausted. I'm working hard to fight off the grumpy's and NOT be that over worked and exhausted nurse everyone hates. I'm running a lot. Actually, my running is amazing right now. I've never felt so strong or ran as well as I am now. I've actually almost talked Todd in to running in Poconos with me in May too!! YAY! (fingers crossed I can beat him over the finish line! haha)

So, today, I took a day. I took the entire day. I kissed Todd goodbye this morning from my big comfy bed and went back to sleep and I think the clock said 9:43AM when I finally cracked my eyes open again. I did have a moment of panic because I had slept so late and I hadn't been up and doing something. After a few belly rubs of Ginger I didn't care anymore. I had oatmeal and coffee while I sat on the couch watching TV. I didn't make a to-do-list and I didn't clean anything besides making the bed and the mandatory wipe-up of the kitchen counter-tops and the bathroom. No vacuuming. No dusting. No laundry. Nothing. It can, and it will, wait for tomorrow.

Taking a day is hard for everyone. Especially when we're busy. I know that by taking today will help keep me nice, healthy, loveable (Todd shouldn't have to have a grumpy wife) and able to keep doing all the many things I love to do!

Plus, tomorrow gets the added bonus of being called "Coach Amanda" again. :)

Have a great week friends!!

Shiny and "new"

Okay - Soooooo I'll admit. I've lacked LOTS of motivation recently. I'm worn slap out about 80% of the time and the rest of it I'm blaming lazy. I swear I probably get in 10 miles a day at work. Seriously. Well, maybe not quite 10... but really, I should check it one day. I easily get in 5 miles.

ANYWAY!

Finding motivation has been challenging... Todd and I are both just doing our thing lately. Run, work, eat, maybe workout, sleep, repeat. Honestly, it's boring. HA! But this week was different!!

I FINALLY got to be "Coach Amanda" to 32 elementary school girls participating in Girls on the Run! It was awesome!! I missed our first week due to my work schedule, but after a few butterflies in my stomach and a whole lot of "I don't have a clue what's going on".... the school bell rang and the girls slowly trickled out to the black top behind the school. Each one with big eyes, messy hair, smiles and rushing to put their bags up to come meet me! (I had beat the other coaches to practice.)

They FLOCKED to me!! It was almost like bugs to a light bulb. Each one with the same question: "Are you the NEW COACH!?!?!" Happily I said "YES! I'm one of your new coaches! My name is Amanda."

A few ran their fingers through my redheaded ponytail. Others grouped together to talk about me. Some told me I looked like I could run "really fast". One even told me "I was cool". A few held my hands. One tried to pick me up. It went on and on...

I was on cloud nine all afternoon.

We went through our activities and started our running activity. These girls were so amazing! Of course, there were a few rowdy gals... but for the most part, I've never met a more well mannered group of little ladies in my life. I don't think I stopped running the entire time (Not what I would say of my fellow coaches though!), which I believe helps to make me "different" to the girls. I'm also not a "mother" yet... which helps, I think.

Regardless, I raced the fast girls. I skipped with the little girls. I held hands with a team of 5 while they ran their lap TOGETHER as a TEAM (this group was the ONLY one of all 6 small groups to consistently stay together as a team). I taught 3rd graders how to do push-ups. I praised each and every little smiling face the I saw moving. I joked with them. Made silly faces. Jogged with "the last one" of the group. Teased my fellow coaches for not running...

And before we all knew it. Time was up! :) I still am not quite sure who was more upset that the day was over, me or the girls?!

Several of the girls made sure to introduce me to their parents. But one girl, "Jules", had started to leave and suddenly stopped, told her mom she forgot something, turned around and came to me smiling and said "Coach Amanda, I'm so glad you're my coach" and was gone as quickly as she had come.


Only thing is, I'm SOOOO HAPPY to be their "Coach"! After one day, they've already lifted my spirit and motivated me beyond words!!


I knew GOTR would be amazing.... but actually, amazing hardly describes it.