girls on the run of silicon valley

Girls on the Run of Silicon Valley is an independent council of Girls on the Run International, founded in 1996 by Molly Barker, a visionary, Ironman triathlete. Today, there are over 160 councils across the U.S. & Canada, with new council locations added each year.

Girls on the Run of Silicon Valley (GOTRSV) was founded in 2002 by Kathleen Nestler and Christy Cowley. Both Kathleen and Christy grew up in the south Bay Area and wanted to share their love with running and the GOTR experience with the girls in their community. They started with one small group of girls at Lakeside Elementary School in the Santa Cruz Mountains above Los Gatos and have grown the organization to include 58 sites and and 1207 girls 2012.  We are expecting to have over 65 sites and 1300 plus girls in 2013.  During the last 10 years over 5,000 girls have participated in GOTR programs in Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties. Kathleen continues to manage GOTRSV as Executive Director and Christy continues to coach and serve as a board member and volunteer extraordinaire.

Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a life-changing, non-profit prevention program that uses the power of running to help girls in 3rd-5th grade develop self-respect and value a healthy lifestyle. Our curriculum addresses the development of the whole girl – her physical, emotional, mental and social well-being. The program combines training for a 5k (3.1) mile running event with healthy living education. The curriculum empowers girls with a greater sense of self-awareness, a sense of achievement and a foundation in team building, as well as a commitment to making a positive difference in their communities, all of which help them become strong, contented and self-confident women.

Girls on the Run of Silicon Valley, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is a community collaboration and is funded by program fees, donations, fundraising and grants. GOTRSV relies on the support of local individuals, businesses and organizations. Without the support of the Silicon Valley community, GOTR would not exist. Each year we train over 250 coaches from our community who lead the programs and serve as confident, physically active role models. We thank you all!