By Sharon Stone
Close your mind and imagine what it’s like to Run Like a Girl.
Do you see a pig-tailed kindergartner, clutching daises while chasing a bunny through a field? Do you envision a uniformed athlete, muscles rippling, trailing a blurred ponytail while breaking the tape across the finish line? Or do you share my vision of a group of girls and women of all ages, gabbing and laughing as they nimbly trot through the beautiful trails of the Pacific Northwest?
However YOU run, whether you’re a girl or not, the October RLAG Half Marathon in Bellingham is like no other fun run you’ve participated in. There are no pacers donned with Garmin watches or timing chips to attach to your shoelaces. You won’t hear a loud start gun or see a giant digital clock that keeps track of every microsecond of your progress.
What you will see at this “race” is plenty of tutus and tiaras, as well as party-themed aid stations stocked with such things as chocolate, sassy trinkets and your own personal cheerleaders. The out-and-back course along the beautiful Bellingham Interurban Trail allows runners (and walkers) to turn back early if they’re having a bad day – or if they just feel like running 10 or 11 miles that day instead of the full 13.1. No pressure!
One of my favorite parts of this Fun Run is the finish line. Whether you are the first or the 350th to cross the line, a group of professional cheerleaders will be there to cheer you down the final stretch. After crossing the line you are greeted by the Bellingham Firefighters who string a custom finishers’ medal/necklace made by a local artist around each participant’s neck.
If that’s not fun enough, you can choose to join the carbo-loading dinner at the Bellingham Golf and Country Club held the night before the race. It’s a terrific chance to meet other runners, hear from some young, real-life Girls on the Run, and have yummy food and drink to fuel your run the next day.
This run always fills up with non-competitive women, first-time half marathoners, and even a handful of confident, well-adjusted men who are proud to Run Like a Girl on occasion. All proceeds go to Girls on the Run of Northwest Washington at the Whatcom Family YMCA.
It’s really a win-win: You get to enjoy a fun day with like-minded runners while also supporting the next generation of active girls.
For more information about the Run Like a Girl Half Marathon you can visit the webpage here. And if you’ve never heard of Girls on the Run you can visit them online at www.girlsontherun.org.
It’s time to get out there and Run Like a Girl – complete with ponytails, daisies and pride!
Run Like A Girl Half Marathon
Saturday, October 4, 2014
Fairhaven Park, Bellingham, WA
Registration opens at 8am; Race starts at 9am
Pre-Race Dinner
Friday, October 3, 2014
Bellingham Golf & Country Club, Bellingham, WA
Doors open at 5pm; Event starts at 6pm
