There is something beautiful that happens when a group of people go for a run together. Running is simple: left foot, right foot, repeat. It requires very little intense concentration and focus, unlike ball sports. Just keep moving forward. And so, there emerges on a group run an incredible opportunity for connection between runners. I have met people who were complete strangers at the start of the run, and three hours later we were on our way toward a life-long friendship. Some of the most intimate, meaningful conversations I have ever had occurred on runs. Other times, I have been left on the side of a trail, doubled-over and clutching my belly because it hurt from laughing too hard. All of this, just because a few people decided to run together.

For me, this opportunity for connection is the most beautiful part of running. But I did not always understand this.

I first volunteered with Girls on the Run in 2018, helping at the finish line of the end-of-season 5K event. As I handed out water, I saw girls, coaches, and running buddies hugging, walking arm in arm, sometimes running right back to the course to cheer on their teammates as they finished. Yes, each participant achieved their own goal, but what was most important was that they did it together. Not just “I did it,” but also “WE did it.” Over the course of the season, the girls and their coaches built the connections that form the glue of every community.

This changed something in me. I was already an avid distance runner and had always trained alone, running mile after mile with just my own thoughts to keep me company. I loved this solitary time, but what I saw that day made me wonder what I might be missing. Fast-forward to the present, and I now help coach a team of runners that I share hundreds of miles with every season. Over the years since that first GOTR 5K, I have cheered on teammates as they set new person bests and hugged others when things did not go how they wanted. I feel that I am part of a community.

Now I have the privilege of leading the finish line crew of volunteers that I was once a part of. We get to see thousands of participants express through their running the beauty of the connections they have developed over the season. But the finish line is only the beginning. The girls carry the lessons of the program forward as they continue to grow, forging new connections and strengthening old ones.

- John Lavelle, GOTR 5K Finish Line Lead Volunteer

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If you'd like to support GOTR's programs that encourage girls in our community to make lasting connections in their lives, you can do so here. Thanks so much for your consideration!