Run for self-esteem--Akron Beacon Journal article May 15

Pre-teen girls work on physical and emotional fitness via talk, track

(05-15-2007 - Akron, OH) A growing program is trying to help local pre-teen girls stay on track physically, emotionally and mentally during the often-difficult journey from childhood to adulthood.

Robyn Cutler, Bath Township mother of four and avid runner, recently launched an Akron chapter of Girls on the Run, a national program that combines talking with track.

And in Wayne County, another chapter of the program -- Girls on the Run of Northeast Ohio Inc. -- has been bringing the message of health and wellness to more and more pre-teen girls throughout the region for the past five years.

The national program's stated objectives are to ``reduce the potential display of at-risk activities'' that can lead to adolescent pregnancies, eating disorders, depression, suicide attempts, alcohol and substance abuse issues and other problems.

Its motto: ``Educating and preparing for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.''

``Here at Girls on the Run, we tell them: `You don't have to be a really fast runner or a great athlete,' '' said Dawn Henry, Wayne County runner and mother of two girls who started Girls on the Run of Northeast Ohio. ``It's just doing the best that you can with what you have.

``I've seen a lot of increased self-esteem.''

For two afternoons each week during a 12-week session, girls ages 8 through 11 meet to talk about real-life problems and issues common among pre-teens.

The chats include everything from gossiping to getting along with others, making good food choices to handling strong emotions.

The Wayne County-based council typically holds meetings at participating elementary schools throughout the region, including in Akron.

The new Akron-based group meets at the Shaw Jewish Community Center of Akron, which is sponsoring the program in town. (The Road Runner Akron Marathon also is contributing.)

Eventually, organizers want to expand to other locations.

Healthy choices

On a recent afternoon at the Jewish Community Center, a dozen girls stood in a circle and snacked on granola bars as Cutler prompted them to share a good, healthy decision they've made in the past day.

``Our choices need to be something that feels good for us,'' Cutler reminded them.

``I brushed my teeth,'' one girl said.

``Instead of watching TV, I went outside,'' another said.

``I changed my underwear,'' a girl chimed in, prompting giggles from the others.

After the opening discussions, the girls played a game that combined decision-making skills, teamwork and exercise.

In one example, the subject of a story that Cutler shared pondered what to do when she suspected an adult who was supposed to drive her home from a party had been drinking too much.

The girls then raced with their teammates across a playground, paused to brainstorm how to handle the problem and then raced back to the meeting spot to share their ideas, which included asking another adult for help.

``Those are very hard situations,'' Cutler told the girls. ``... If it feels good in your stomach, you're probably doing the right thing.''

For the rest of the meeting, the girls walked, ran, skipped, jumped, crawled -- anything to get them up and moving around a track for about half an hour.

Team 5K race

At the end of each 12-week program, participants complete a 5K (3.1-mile) race as a team.

``It's never about who runs the fastest,'' said Anissa Freeman, chief executive officer of Girls on the Run International, based in Charlotte. ``We don't time the girls. It's just about getting to the start line and getting to the finish line.''

This session, the girls who meet at the Jewish Community Center are training to participate in the Akron Children's Hospital 5K Fun Run on June 3.

Girls on the Run of Northeast Ohio also is planning its own 5K race sometime this fall.

More than 100,000 girls nationwide have completed the Girls on the Run program since it started in North Carolina about 10 years ago, Freeman said.

Usual drop in activity

During adolescence, many girls stop participating in organized sports unless they're competitive, said Dr. Keith J. Loud, director of the Center for Active Adolescent Health at Akron Children's Hospital.

``It's an uncomfortable time,'' he said. ``And for whatever reason, we know we see precipitous drops in physical activity in girls during those years.''

In previous generations, girls got physical activity at school, he said.

``Gym classes were held every day, so girls could get some of that in their class,'' Loud said. ``That doesn't exist anymore.''

Girls on the Run is the type of program that can ``pick up the void'' and build good lifelong habits, he said.

In fact, researchers from the University of South Florida who studied the program have found that girls who completed the course showed improved self-esteem and body-size satisfaction.

Brady Marks, 9, of Akron said she didn't run often before she started the program. Now, however, she thinks it's fun.

``Instead of running alone,'' she said, ``you get to run with friends.''

For more info, contact:

Cheryl Powell
Beacon Journal medical writer
Phone: 330-996-3902
E-mail: chpowell@thebeaconjournal.com

The Shaw JCC of Akron, founded in 1920, creates community based on Jewish values in by providing quality programs and services in a safe and secure environment for people of all ages. The Shaw JCC is open to all members of our community without regard to race, gender, religious preference, marital, or economic status. Our 60-acre community campus, located at 750 White Pond Drive, is home to the Shaw JCC as well as the Jewish Community Board of Akron, Jewish Family Service, and the Jerome Lippman Jewish Community Day School.