Nearly 2,000 girls laced up for a noncompetitive 5K at Boston Common on Sunday, each one running or walking alongside a chosen buddy before crossing the finish line. The run, which began on Charles Street at 9 a.m. and wrapped by 10:30 a.m., capped an eight-week Girls on the Run season built around friendship, confidence and goal-setting rather than finish times.
Per organizers, the event was expected to draw more than 5,000 runners, families, friends, coaches and supporters to the Common, according to Boston.com. The 3.1-mile course followed the streets named in the Boston Police advisory and ended at the Center Gate. Girls came from dozens of Massachusetts communities including Boston, Brockton, Hingham, Lynn, Lowell, Lawrence, Newton, Marlborough and Saugus. According to the event's own listing on runsignup.com, organizers said they were bringing together over 200 teams from throughout greater Boston, with coach check-in and participant arrival set for 7:30 a.m.
The Event's Focus
Every Girls on the Run participant at the 5K was required to run or walk alongside a chosen 5K Buddy, someone 16 or older, the race listing notes. The event was also billed as rain or shine, meaning the run would go on regardless of weather.
Kate Yenrick, director of engagement and communications at the nonprofit's Boston branch, discussed the program.
A Season Built on More Than Mileage
Girls on the Run Greater Boston runs an eight-week season that combines physical activity with lessons on friendship, confidence and healthy habits, with the Sunday 5K concluding the organization's fall season. Participants develop skills the program says are applicable at school, at home and in interpersonal relationships, extending well beyond the course itself.
Every participant received a finisher's medal and a bib, while the event emphasized its noncompetitive nature. The eight-week season extended beyond the race itself.
Traffic Advisory Issued for Runners' Route
Boston Police issued a traffic advisory ahead of the event, noting that participants would begin on Charles Street, head south and turn onto Boylston Street, then right onto Arlington Street and left onto Commonwealth Avenue before ending at the Center Gate, according to the Boston Police Department.
