Record Achievements for Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay

Captions: Photo 1: Participating elementary school girls personalize their “Born to Run” bibs at the UnitedHealthcare Girls on the Run 5k pre-race expo. Photo 2: Coaches join one of the girl runners as she marks her spot at the start and finish line. Photo 3: UnitedHealthcare Health Strategies Specialist Beth Granger (2nd from left kneeling) and Girls on the Run volunteer coach, joins other Belleair Rec Center team members and coaches before the race, where she also served as the race welcome ambassador on behalf of UnitedHealthcare. Photo 4: Excitement builds before the start of the UnitedHealthcare Girls on the Run 5K. Photo 5: Finisher’s medals await the 460 girls as they head to the finish line. Photo 6: A mom and her daughter share their sense of accomplishment after finishing the UnitedHealthcare Girls on the Run 5K.

UnitedHealthcare’s partnership with Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay helped set new records in program and 5K race participation, with 460 3rd through 5th grade girls from 32 Tampa and Sarasota area schools completing the 10-week training program and 5K “graduation” race on Sat., Dec. 10, 2016. Joining them were an additional 640+ family members, coaches, as well as local runners and walkers, setting a new record for total participation of 1,100 finishers.

Serving as one of the primary fundraising tools for the Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay program, the record turnout also helped fuel more than $6,000 in money to the organization, which will go toward the Girls on the Run Scholarship Fund so that all girls have the opportunity to be a Girl on the Run.

One of the program’s expansion efforts included moving the UnitedHealthcare Girls on the Run 5K to a new venue, from HCC Dale Mabry to Poynter Park in downtown St. Pete, Fla., offering a scenic waterfront course for all the participants. The move was prompted by the growing number of program as well as race participants and to also offer more of a destination race appeal to families and runners from the Gulf Coast region.

“UnitedHealthcare’s partnership over the past two years has been instrumental in the growth of our program,” said Laura Moore, Council Director for Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay. “Not only does UnitedHealthcare support the 5K race series, the company has also provided over 30 scholarships for the after-school training program to girls who would otherwise not be able to participate.”

The race and its proceeds commemorate and help fund the Girls on the Run training program in the Greater Tampa Bay Area, which has grown from six participating schools and 110 girls in 2014 to 32 teams and 466 girls from more than 30 schools in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Sarasota Counties for the fall 2016 program.

About Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay

Girls on the Run is a transformational physical activity based positive youth development program for girls in the 3rd through 5th grades. The girls are taught life skills through dynamic interactive lessons and running games. The program culminates with the girls being physically and emotionally prepared to complete a celebratory 5k running event. The goal of the program is to unleash confidence through accomplishment while establishing a lifetime appreciation of health and fitness. Girls on the Run Greater Tampa Bay is an Affiliate Council of Girls on the Run International, which has a network of 200+ locations across the United States and Canada. For more information, visit www.girlsontheruntampabay.org.