If you see some 10-year-olds with pink cheeks and shoes to match running around Jefferson Elementary School, cheer them on! 

Those are this year's Girls on the Run and by the end of 12 weeks they will participate in a 5K race in Somerville. 

We just finished our first full week of practice and everyone is off to a great start!

Our first lesson we learned about Girls on the Run as an organization and we spent most of the practice running as we learned about each other. We learned some of us were born outside of New Jersey. Others of us love to read and dance. All of us know the pledge of allegience by heart!

During our second practice, we talked about thinking positively and we all wrote down on a giant poster what makes us happy, excited or proud with every lap around the field. From swimming to art to horses to friends and family, the girls have lots of positivity in their lives and being a Girl on the Run is part of that!

Our third practice was all about choosing to be a Girl on the Run. We all committed ourselves to thinking positively, cheering each other on and being confident.

All the girls have run at least a mile by now and many made the 2-mile mark last Saturday. Keep cheering them on as they improve each and every week!

Some of our favorite moments from the past few practices were:

• Outstanding Oona led us in her popcorn and avocado cheers
• Ice Cream Imaan and Nice Nori run/walked with friend Loving Lila. We love to see girls supporting each other
• Jolly Josie and Excellent Eloise kept a good pace around the track
• Energetic Eabha shared positive words with fellow runners
• Spectacular Sophia was a sit-up queen
• Koo Koo Kate was too fast for our coaches as she sped around the track avoiding the water gun squirts
• Amazing Amelia said she was going to choose to live healthy as a Girl on the Run
• Great Gabriella ran hard and earned her 2 miles
• Super Sophie picked up the pace on Saturday on her way to 2 miles
• Electric Elizabeth made friends with all the Girls as a new team member on Saturday and joined right in with the running pack
• Energetic Eve took on responsibility of Music Master for the group and is collecting everyone's favorite songs for our ultimate playlist
• Lovely Livvy is on track to her 5k
• Magnificent Maxine (the running machine) showed a big improvement over the past three sessions and loves to meet her running goals.

As we ran the last few laps with Maxine as she completed two miles, we asked her how running that length made her feel:

"I feel like I could do anything," she said!

That's how we want all the girls to feel and we are so proud of all of them for choosing to be Girls on the Run. Lucky Liz (that's me) and Krazy Kamal are so happy to be these girls' coaches and are already seeing them build confidence, friends and miles along the way.

Keep it up, girls!!

If you want to cheer our girls on, leave an encouraging note for them in the comment stream!