What
It’s that time of year again! Flex your girl power (or show your support for those women and young ladies in your life) by signing up for Girls on the Run in St. Louis. Established in 1996 by 13 brave young women at a small Charlotte, NC, school, this 5K event quickly grew into a national non-profit with over 200 councils in all 50 states, over 100,000 volunteers and over 185,000 participants. The goal of the program is to create a world in which girls of all ages feel confident in their abilities and free to boldly pursue their dreams.
Though many of the racers are part of a Girls on the Run team, you don’t need to be a member of the organization to join in on the fun. Join racers at the starting line, located on N. 14th St. and Market, right by the Soldiers’ Memorial. Depending on your endurance and capabilities, you can participate in either the 1 Mile Fun Run, which starts at 7:30 a.m. or the 5K, which begins at 8:00 a.m.
Along the route, you will get to experience some of St. Louis’s known and not-so-known sites. The beginning of the race will take you past Memorial and Aloe Plazas, which contain memorials honoring some of St. Louis’s many war veterans, Union Station and the Meeting of the Fountains.
Once you come out of the West Aloe Plaza, you will continue up Market Street until you get to the Donn and Heidi Wolff Jazz Institute and Art Museum. Once there, take a left up N. Compton Ave. until you come to Olive St., where the Emerson Performance Center makes its home. Continue down Olive St. until you come to N. 18th St. You’re on your last leg, so give it your all and put on a smile, because you’re about to enter the Cheer Zone. Take a breath, pat yourself on the back and then join in on the festivities. There will be food trucks, a DJ, dancing and a Happy Hair Station for all you participants who want to spiff up for the celebrations.
When: May 12, 2018
Where: St. Louis, MO
How: Register here: https://www.athlinks.com/event/34010
What Else?
Girls on the Run is about building each other up, which is why race organizers have established some ground rules. Help make the race more enjoyable for everyone by maintaining an even pace throughout the race, walking to the far right of the street to allow runners to pass on the left and refraining from pushing at the starting line. If you have a stroller, start at the very back of the race, and if you see another runner struggling, help them find medical attention. Above all, have fun!
Though the race committee always sets up plenty of after-race activities for participants to enjoy, the event might be an excellent opportunity to explore St. Louis. Check out the Gateway Arch while you’re in town, visit the City Museum—a playground for the whole family!—or take a stroll through the Cahokia Mounds, a historic Native American city that rests across the Mississippi.
 by signing up for Girls on the Run in St. Louis.){kind=link}