Fearless Abigail

- Originally posted August 21, 2009 -

In the first blog I mentioned Abigail, another of the Fabulous First Founding Fifteen Girls on the Run at Percy Priest Elementary. Now I want to share her story.

Let’s begin with the essay she handed me this past spring, “How has Girls on the Run helped you to be more fearless?”

In second grade science, we had caterpillars that we watched change into butterflies. Since second grade, I have gone from a caterpillar to a butterfly. GOTR has made me fearless in athletics, at school, being kinder, and making friends.

GOTR has made me a fearless athlete. I always knew I was a fast runner because when I play tag with the boys they can never catch me. I was scared to run long distances because I thought I wouldn’t be able to finish. GOTR made running long races fun. Playing games made practicing for our 5ks fun. Having a running buddy to talk to and encourage me helps me keep going. Now I am not afraid to run long races, and I think they are fun.

GOTR has made me fearless at school. I always knew I was bright, but I was afraid to speak up. I would never raise my hand because I was afraid to have everyone look at me and to be wrong. When I am the Sweat Queen at GOTR, I am the center of attention. They’ve named a cheer *** and stretch after me. Now I am not afraid of being the center of attention, or even if my answer is wrong.

GOTR has made me fearless at being kinder and making friends. I was never good at making girl friends because I play with boys at recess. At GOTR girls run and play like I do. Girls got to know me and now I have lots of friends. Now girls play tag with me and the boys, but sometimes I play what the girls want too. GOTR taught me to be kinder to these girls, and to everyone through community service projects. I feel like I am a new person. GOTR has made me fearless, and I think, “GOTR is so much fun! GOTR is number 1!”

Abigail, age 10

Fearless Abigail

*** We made up this special Energy Award 2nd season, when Abigail was at Children’s Hospital having a growth cut out of her neck. It turned out to be benign, but for 5 days we didn’t know what the outcome would be.“The Abigail” is a combination of “The Arnie” (yes, the actor-turned-Governor ), where we flex our muscles and holler with our best Austrian accents “Super Super Girl Power!” plus “LOVE” (touching our hearts) and “WHOOSH!” (throw the love into the circle). We’d imagined Abigail in the middle of our circle and sent her all of our Girl Power Love. The cheer was a keeper, and many others have since received “The Abigail.”

I cried when I read her essay to the girls, especially when I got to the part where she admitted she had been afraid to have people look at her, and to be wrong. She was so brave to say that. We’re all afraid to be wrong, but few of us admit it.

Soon afterwards, Abigail took part in the Kids’ Country Music Marathon; participants have run 25.2 miles prior to the event, and then run their last mile together at Titans Stadium. Imagine my surprise seeing “The Girl Who Was Afraid To Have Everyone Look At Her,” coming towards me wearing not just the contented smile (like she has a secret) she often wears when she runs, but also black whiskers painted on her orange face! After her strong finish, I hugged her and said, “Great job! I can‘t believe you decorated your face to look like a cat!”

“I was a tiger,” she corrected me. “What confidence!” I later said privately to her mother.

Abigail, with her Running Buddy Adrienne Williams and all the other fearless Girls on the Run and Girls on Track ran the Inaugural New Balance GOTR 5k May 9th 2009 (in the pouring rain, but that truly is another story).

Then, June 13th 2009, 10 year old Abigail ran her tenth 5k at Ellie’s Race for Africa — after participating in the Middle Tennessee Kids Triathlon the previous weekend!

Obviously, Abigail loves to run, but more importantly, she’s not competitive. She runs for her own pleasure. And most importantly, she has a fierce intelligence and a brave, kind heart.

XXOO

Jennifer

Jennifer Kimball, Girls on the Run Nashville Council Director, was reading Runner’s World one day when she saw a photo of Girls on the Run founder Molly Barker surrounded by a sea of young girls, all jumping in the air with huge grins on their faces and thought to herself, “I want to do that.” And, with the help of many other interested women (and a few good men), she did. In the fall of 2007 Girls on the Run Nashville began with 15 girls at Percy Priest Elementary and now Jennifer is the one surrounded by the happy faces of 66 girls participating in Fall 2009 programs. Jennifer always has a smile for the girls who she says both surprise, inspire her and make her laugh. Her passion, energy, care, determination and love for the girls and the program is truly contagious.