Mike Powers| News-Bulletin photo
Members of Girls on the Run from Gil Sanchez Elementary School have a laugh while warming up before a fun run last week at Belen High School.
Belen
Despite some headwinds, Girls on the Run is starting to get back into full stride.
Thirteen runners from Gil Sanchez Elementary School in Jarales took part in a spirited 5K at Belen High School along with members of the Eagles’ track team to prepare for a season ending run in May.
The GSE students belong to the Rio Grande chapter of Girls on the Run, which has clubs in Valencia, Bernalillo and Sandoval counties.
“We do a 10-week program after school,” during the fall and spring, said Sophia Smith, executive director of Girls on the Run Rio Grande.
The program emphasizes “life skills, like confidence, kindness and joy. We’re the only sports program in the nation that focuses on the mental side of things rather than the physical. That is our largest emphasis,” Smith said.
“Girls’ physical activity levels and mental health are declining. Our program supports girls when they need it most,” its website states.
The club meets twice a week, starting in a classroom before heading outside for physical tasks.
“We have themes like find your happy pace, joy, don’t be a bystander; be an upstander. It’s more in the structure of discussion and games so it’s really fun and encouraging.”
Girls on the Run was slowed considerably during the COVID pandemic, with Gil Sanchez Elementary currently the only active club in Valencia County.
“The pandemic hit us pretty hard,” Smith said. “We had to shift for a little bit — hopefully next fall season we’re going to have more.”
The program is for girls in third through fifth grades, with some schools, including GSE, covering sixth grade.
“I like the running part and all the activities,” said Mia Gabaldon, GSE sixth-grader who is in her third year with Girls on the Run. “We do a lot of activities. We learn how to manage our ideas and work together, expressing our feelings.”
As a non-profit, Girls on the Run, is also involved in giving back.
“We do stuff for the community,” said Kaelynn Gonzales, GSE sixth-grader. “We did hygiene (products) for teens in Belen” as a group project.
The season ending 5K on May 19 is not about competition.
“The purpose is to celebrate everything that they’ve done — to hang out altogether,” said Smith.
Mike Powers spent more than 40 years as a television news and sports anchor, mostly in the Albuquerque market. He has won numerous awards including New Mexico Sportscaster of the Year. He covers a wide range of sports, including the Valencia County prep scene.
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May 2, 2024
