An Inspiring Evening at the Girls on the Run Galentine’s Day Fundraiser

By Lizzy Rouce

On Thursday, February 13, 2025, I attended the third annual Girls on the Run of Northern Arizona’s Galentine’s Fundraiser at Coconino Community College. Despite the much-needed snow accumulating in Flagstaff, the event quickly filled with supporters of all ages who gathered to celebrate and promote GOTRNA’s mission of teaching girls life skills through running. The evening began with a social hour during which attendees could scope out incredible raffle ticket prizes from supportive Arizona businesses, snack on freshly-made popcorn and baked goods, and snap a few photos in the 360-degree photo booth. Following the social hour, we watched the No Man’s Land Film Festival, a series of eight short films that showcased women and gender-nonconforming adventure stories.

My evening highlight was when two elementary-aged sisters were brought to the stage to share their experiences running in GOTRNA’s program this past fall. They told us how they loved making new friends, learning positive self-talk, and spoke fondly over the sense of accomplishment they felt when crossing the line at the end-of-the-year 5k. I felt a slightly unexpected nostalgia as the sisters beamed over running and learning life lessons between giggles. The two sisters reminded me of my earliest days of running alongside friends, the curiosity and freedom that came with it, and how precious those feelings truly are.

I am still re-discovering a relationship with running after a 7-year hiatus that began after high school. I found trail and ultra running in my mid-twenties, where I started to fully appreciate and understand the impact that running can have on daily life, from practicing emotion regulation to decision-making and conflict resolution to the value of building community and female friendships. These topics are consciously tackled in the Girls on the Run program, and the skills are aimed to be implemented at an age when girls need them the most.

I left the fundraiser feeling hope for the generations of girls that follow me, and I’m excited to see all the good that GOTRNA does this coming season. And in the spirit of female companionship, I’m excited to text my best friend, who I began running around with as early as preschool, to plan our next trail running adventure that I know will be filled with giggles.