GOTR 5k rained out just before Nashville flood

It was warm but dry when we began setting up for the May 1stn 2010 2nd Annual New Balance GOTR 5k at Shelby Park. Always smiling Race Director Melissa Berrier looked adorable in her pigtails, and a GOTR tattoo on her cheek. She and her merry band had worked long and hard to prepare for a great race day experience.

The Nashville Striders put up the start and finish lines. Volunteers labeled, folded and alphabetized 14 piles of pink program tshirts for 7 programs’ girls and buddies. Tents went up and snacks were readied. We were busy bees, and optimists. Earlier in the week the weatherman had predicted 80% chance of storms for race morning, but by Friday night the chances had gone down to 10%! It actually looked like we’d have a window of mild weather and at the most rain, and we’d already proven that Girls on the Run can run in the rain!

Some may remember the 1st GOTR 5k last year: there were tornado warnings the night before and an early morning deluge. But there was a momentary clearing, the race started, and by the time the rain returned, it was too late to turn around! As our webmaster Cherie Pilliod wrote “It rained! It poured! We ran!” No spirits were dampened; in fact more girls had splashed through puddles than avoided them.

But soon enough this past Saturday, the rains did come, and the lightning, and the thunder, and the high winds. We huddled under the tents and picnic shelter as Nashville Striders race management and Steve Keith, Vanderbilt University Head track and cross country Coach/ GOTR Board member delayed and then canceled the race due to the severe weather. I was shell shocked; and further disheartened when I arrived home to my own flooding basement.

Who knew the downpour would continue non-stop for 2 solid days, breaking all previous records, accumulating 25% of yearly totals? That hospitals, museums, Symphony Hall, Bridgestone Arena, Opryland would all be flooded, leaving downtown Nashville without power? That interstates would be shut down, cars and homes go under water, that people would die? That Davidson County schools would be closed all the following week?

In perspective I realize how fortunate I was/am/we are. Girls on the Run too. What if we’d started the race and THEN the lightning had come and someone had been hurt? Much better to be safe than sorry.
And I believe we all are safe.

Girls on the Run will run another day; in fact many other days! Edmonson Elementary GOTR has already held its own 5k, and Chapman’s Retreat GOTR will hold theirs this coming weekend. Davidson County programs will have the option of running the Rescue Run May 15th or Ellie’s Run for Africa May 22nd.

Coach Deanna McCarthy emailed: I’m glad it wasn’t just a wimpy rain that sent us home without running, but a record setting day that will go down in history.

It was certainly one that none of us will forget.

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 84 girls participating in seven Spring 2010 programs in Davidson and Williamson counties. 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.