Girls on the Run returns to Sweet Briar campus for spring 5K

Girls on the Run of Central Virginia participants start the race in a cross-country wave during the council’s spring 2017 5K at Sweet Briar College. Photo by Karen Smith Photographer


Once every spring and fall, the Sweet Briar campus turns into a sea of happy hair that is running, jogging or walking along the picturesque Dairy Loop. With a couple of small loops added on, the route makes up a perfect 5K — ideal for Girls on the Run of Central Virginia and one of its two Spring Celebration 5Ks. The race starts at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 5, with pre-race activities scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.

As in previous years, the challenging 5K course loops around the center of Sweet Briar’s stunning 3,250-acre campus. Setting off with a cross-country “wave” start on the athletic fields near the train station, the runners will head onto the main road that leads past Guion Science Center, the Babcock Fine Arts Center and the Fitness and Athletics Center. After passing Sweet Briar House on the left and Fletcher Hall on the right, runners will make a left down Elijah Road, loop around physical plant and back up to the traffic circle, turning left on Chapel Road. Crossing the student parking lot, they will pick up Dairy Road and head up the hill toward the riding center. After passing the horse paddocks, they will climb Monument Hill before heading back down to the athletic fields where they’ll cross the finish line.

Girls on the Run of Central Virginia is an independent Council of Girls on the Run International, a network of more than 200 councils across 50 states and the District of Columbia. Girls spend 12 weeks in the program, including training to prepare for the semiannual 5K — a culminating event that recognizes and celebrates their efforts.


Girls on the Run participants near the finish line during the spring 2017 5K at Sweet Briar College. Photo by Karen Smith Photographer


Since fall 2011, Sweet Briar has proudly supported the program and its mission to “inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.” It provides a picturesque route, as well as student and staff volunteers to help direct traffic, as running buddies and with pre-race activities such as face painting and the “happy-hair” station. Celebration 5Ks take place each fall and spring.

Council director Mary Hansen is expecting more than 275 girls for the May event, along with their coaches, volunteers, family and friends and community runners. In all, about 800 people will be on campus for the event.

“We continue to be so thankful to Sweet Briar College for hosting this celebratory 5K event,” Hansen said. “The mission of Girls on the Run is to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident. The mission of Sweet Briar College is to prepare women to be productive, responsible members of a world community. Combined, these two missions help create a formidable group of individuals ready for their futures.”

It has been 13 years since Hansen began setting up the Central Virginia council, launching the program one year later at Holy Cross Regional School. In 2006, there were two teams with a total of 26 girls. Last year, the council served 1,100 girls.

For more information, email girlsontheruncenva@verizon.net, visit the council’s website or follow them on Facebook.