Sports
Girls on The Run Romp Through Reston Town Center
Thousands of runners and buddies turn out for annual Reindeer Romp 5K.
What brings 7,000 people out on a very early, very chilly Saturday morning?
Girls on the Run's annual Reindeer Romp 5K, of course.
Girls in in grades three through six from all over Fairfax and Loudoun counties gathered at Reston Town Center before dawn on Saturday.
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Each girl has been training for this race for at least 10 weeks with her school's Girls on the Run team. The program pairs running with lessons of healthy living and a positive self-image.
Lisa Mackem, Girls on the Run coach, said she really tries to get the girls to be aware of the techniques of running, the importance of stretching and the rewards of teamwork. Now coaching her third Girls on the Run season, she finds her "veteran" runners help the newer girls and really step into leadership roles.
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Every girl in the Reindeer Romp 5K ran with a buddy . Sometimes their buddy was a parent, sometimes an uncle, grandparent , neighbor or teacher. While waiting to run, the teams were energetic and enthusiastic – and cold.
was open early and had a booth set up outside with hot drinks. Lots of girls were bouncing around and jumping on their toes just to keep warm.
"I was so cold, I really wanted to run," said Delaney Kirr, runner from
The teams were divided into waves, so the start times were staggered. As each group surged forward, the crowd cheered and the girls took off. The race course circled the Reston Town Center and cheering sections lined the streets.
The race was professionally timed and results will be available early next in week.
