It will be a packed track on Saturday, as close to 1,500 girls and boys are expected to take advantage of their lessons and join the spring 2016 Girls on the Run/STRIDE 5K challenge.  

The event is a culmination of a ten week kid focused wellness program that was organized and run by the YMCA of Greater Brandywine. It also marks the 5th anniversary of STRIDE, the youth development and wellness program for boys that promotes the benefits of sports while removing the negative side of competition, which was started by the YMCA of Greater Brandywine and now flourishes throughout the country.

Girls on the Run of Chester County is an affiliate council of Girls on the Run International, a program that focuses on the power of running to help girls prepare for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living. Heart & Sole, the second component of the program, focuses on middle school girls.

Both programs help students redefine accomplishment through reaching individual goals athletically while at the same time working with others to achieve mutual goals. By taking out the negative pressure of competition while channeling the energy of sports, the programs helps counter social harms such as acceptance and body image that children often face even at a young age.

The public is invited to cheer the participants on and enjoy the family friendly event at West Chester East High School, at 450 Ellis Lane, from 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Among the event’s sponsors are M&T Bank, Athleta, FOX Supports, Cigna, Smartwool, Asics, the Chester County Fund for Women and Girls, and Precision/Safeguard.

Check out previous VISTA Today coverage of YMCA of Greater Brandywine here.