The University of South Carolina Upstate is pleased to announce it will host the fall Girls on the Run 5K Presented by Cigna from 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20. Nearly 1,000 people from across the region will descend on the university’s Health Education Complex (HEC) at 300 N. Campus Boulevard.
Participants will include girls from Cherokee, Greenville, Laurens, Pickens and Spartanburg County schools and community centers, their running companions and other community members. The 5K is celebratory and non-competitive.
Completion of the two-lap course around USC Upstate’s main campus is the crowning achievement for those who committed to the eight-week Girls on the Run Program that began on September 20 at schools and community centers across the Upstate.
“The girls in our program work all season long to be physically and emotionally prepared to complete the 5K event,” said Mary Ann Cleland, executive director for Girls on the Run Upstate SC. “We encourage girls to unleash their limitless potential through our program lessons and at the 5K the girls do just that. The 5K experience allows girls to realize the tangible sense of accomplishment that comes from setting and achieving goals.”
Ample parking will be available in a lot beside the HEC, with overflow locations across the street and a nearby lot beside the University Readiness Center.
The theme for this event is “Lace Up, and Power On!” Participation in the 5K is open to the public, but capacity is limited. The cost to register is $25. Runners will receive an event T-shirt. All proceeds will benefit Girls on the Run Upstate SC.
Photo/Video Opportunities: The run will start at 9:30 a.m. in the lower parking lot of the HEC. The first finishers will arrive at the finish chute at around 9:55 a.m.
Interview Opportunities: Cleland will be available to speak with the media before and after the race. Participants, coaches and board members will also be available for interviews.
About Girls on the Run Upstate SC
Girls on the Run is a transformational physical activity based positive youth development program for girls. The girls are taught life skills through dynamic interactive lessons and running games. The goal of the program is to unleash confidence through accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness. Girls on the Run Upstate SC is an independent council of Girls on the Run International, which has a network of 200+ locations across the United States and Canada. For more information, visit: www.gotrupstatesc.org