The end of the year is getting close. I have heard numerous students, teachers, parents, and staff members commenting about how time seems to be moving so quickly. In these rather hectic last weeks of school, I will give anyone feeling like they cannot possibly get everything done the same advice I used to give my runners when I coached cross country:
Breathe. Stay calm. Relax. Pace yourself. You can only run one step at a time, and each step brings you closer to your ultimate goal. Stay focused on that next step. The race will take care of itself if you just do the best you can each step of the way.
This advice applies to life as well, as our young runners who participated in Girls on the Run learned this spring. This program fits well with James River’s mission to challenge and cherish children because it seeks to inspire young girls to build confidence, social skills, and emotional and physical wellness through small group lessons and exercise.
Their efforts this spring culminated in a 5K race with all of the area Girls on the Run groups fielding teams of runners. This final race was a big goal and completing it gave everyone involved a sense of accomplishment. I am grateful to our volunteer coaches, Carly Lawrence, Hollyday Marks, and Elizabeth Owen, for bringing this program back to James River. It is a fantastic opportunity for our girls in third and fourth grades to learn many of the “soft” skills that are so important in life: goal-setting, managing your pace, managing your time, making friends, perseverance, and mental toughness.
These are the same skills that our school works to ingrain in all of our students because they are useful throughout life. So, if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed and maybe a little panicky because the end of May is speeding toward you, breathe! We will get there and everything that is necessary will happen. We’ve got this. You’ve got this. Stay calm and breathe.