I’m not sure if I’ve ever mentioned it on my blog or not, but I ran cross country for two years in
high school. It feels like a lifetime ago, but I guess it kind of was since it’s been over ten years! I was never one of the top runners on the team, but it’s pretty incredible what running can do for you physically and mentally.

Girls on the Run

I was thrilled when I was approached to team up with Always and Target to help support my local Girls on the Run, especially because I know on a personal level how transformative physical activity can be. Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a non-profit that aims to encourage girls in third through eighth grade to pursue their dreams through a physical-activity based program. For over 30 years, Always has been committed to empowering girls and women in a variety of
ways, including education, product access, and confidence-building efforts, so they understand
the importance of the strong foundation Girls on the Run helps to build at this critical age.

Based on information gathered from the Always #LikeAGirl campaign, 50% of girls start to lose
confidence once they hit puberty. According to Girls on the Run, many girls lose confidence
starting at age 9 and see a sharp decline in physical activity at age 10. To help combat these
statistics, Always and Target teamed up to donate $1.8 million to Girls on the Run over the past
2 years. This donation helps remove financial barriers for more girls to participate, and it’s also
an investment in the coaches who guide and empower these girls.

I had the opportunity to go on a shopping spree at Target and create a fun gift basket to surprise local Girls on the Run coach Cathy Pedro.

In addition to some stylish workout gear and Always feminine products, I wanted to include some pampering items, so I picked out some other beauty, skincare, and haircare goodies. It was so much fun getting to surprise Coach Cathy at her school on the day of a GOTR practice!

In addition to the gifts I got for Coach Cathy, Always and Target are giving Coach Cathy a
$5,000 gift card to be spent on her amazing girls to get them new socks and sneakers, as well
as other gear to keep them going.

After the gift basket reveal, I had a chance to grab a quick interview with Coach Cathy to
discuss her experience with Girls on the Run. You can check out the interview and some clips of
the surprise gift basket below!

The annual Girls on the Run 5k celebration took place over the weekend in downtown Cincinnati, which is always a milestone event for the girls and their coaches. It’s an inspirational event where these inspiring young girls’ hard work really pays off and gives them their moment to shine.

If you’re looking for a volunteer opportunity then I highly recommend getting involved with your
local Girls on the Run chapter! Click here to learn more.

You can see Coach Cathy’s full interview in the video, but I wanted to share some insightful
words she shared with me about her love for this program:

Why do you love being a coach with Girls on the Run?

Coach Cathy: Any girl can do it. Last year we had a girl that [had] special needs. We weren’t
even sure if she could finish the race. She finished with a huge smile on her face. It was her first experience at a “team” sport and she loved it! Working in a school, you see girls divide into
different cliques. With Girls on the Run, those lines are erased and they learn to appreciate
their differences! It is a lesson that I hope they carry through life.

This post is sponsored but all opinions are my own.