Motivate the next generation: join SoleMates for Girls on the Run

As a national sponsor of the
Girls on the Run SoleMates charity running program, Garmin is partnering with
this great organization to further their mission and share the stories of the
women and men who are “running for a reason”. Runners can sign up for any event
— runs, walks, bike rides or triathlons — and raise funds that will support
their chosen council of Girls on the Run. Want your next race to help change
lives? Find out more here. Today’s story comes from Elyse, who shares how her
life took a positive turn when a high school coach saw her potential and got
her plugged into a team. Now Elyse is paying it forward as a coach and SoleMates
fundraiser for Girls on the Run.

Running
is my life… but it hasn’t always been that way. Growing up, I lived with my
little sister and mother. I was a very reserved and very self-conscious kid. I
stuck close to home and focused on my studies. One day during my freshman year
of high school, I was working with the faculty advisor of the school newspaper
on the new issue, when she told me she was the track coach and asked if I would
ever consider running on the team. I told her that I was not athletic at all
and had never participated on a team, and I would be worried about
disappointing teammates if I didn’t perform to high enough standards. She told
me to give it a week, and if I didn’t like running, I could quit the team. On
the first day of practice, I was nervous, but excited to see what a team sport
was all about. We were told to jog for fifteen minutes around the track. I
couldn’t even make it a full lap around. By the end of the first week I could
jog for fifteen minutes without stopping and I was so proud of my
accomplishment.

My
coach, the late Bob Elder, took me under his wing and developed me as an
athlete. By the end of the first season, I had become an 800 meter runner. I
went to track camp that summer, and quickly became one of the fastest runners
on the team. More importantly than my speed, I developed confidence. I was much
more sure of myself, and my personality came out anytime I was on the track or
around my team. That confidence spilled over into the classroom and into my
non-running life. I no longer felt like the shy, invisible girl. I developed a
presence about me because I had found my niche.

I
am currently a Girls on the Run coach and a SoleMates fundraiser so that I can
help other girls feel strong and beautiful through athletics. Strong, confident
young girls make for strong, confident teenagers and strong, confident adults. Running
gave me a family and a sense of purpose. Encouraging someone as young as eight
to develop healthy habits and give them a sense of accomplishment that goes
beyond the classroom is what keeps me coming back.

I am not sure who I would have been without
running, but I am very happy that running and my coach molded me into the
person I am today.

Find out more about the Garmin trade-in program that benefits Girls on the Run.

The post Motivate the next generation: join SoleMates for Girls on the Run appeared first on Garmin Blog.