Welcome to Girls on the Run Minnesota, Mankato!

Since 2009, our friends at YWCA Mankato have provided Girls on the Run programs to the Greater Mankato community. Over the last 14 years, more than 3,000 girls in Mankato have participated in Girls on the Run, gaining confidence, new friends, and a love of movement. We’re excited to share that in 2024, Girls on the Run programming will continue in Mankato, now as part of Girls on the Run Minnesota.

At GOTR MN, we’re delighted to welcome the Greater Mankato community into a dedicated, robust support system that is making Girls on the Run possible across Minnesota - from Grand Marais to New Prague and from Rochester to Brainerd - and invite YOU to join us in this important work.

Whether you’ve participated in Girls on the Run before or you’re brand new to our organization, there’s a place for you here and we’d love to have you. 

A few things we’re looking forward to this year:

• A Prospective Site Info Night, happening virtually on January 18, 2024. RSVP here. If you or anyone you know is interested in starting a Girls on the Run team this spring, this is a great opportunity to get your questions answered and we’d love to have you. Once sites are confirmed, coaches can begin signing up here.

• Speaking of coaching, the volunteer coaching opportunity is one of the best gigs around - open to all genders and backgrounds, with all training and materials provided. We like to say, “Just bring your best self and we’ll take care of the rest.” We’re hosting a special Coach Training Session in Mankato on Thursday, March 21, from 6 PM - 9 PM. 

• Program registration, which opens February 1, 2024. We conduct registration via lottery (more info here) and provide generous, automatic, confidential financial aid. We’re also proud to provide shoes, pants and/or sports hijabs at no cost to you, so don’t let cost or access to gear be barriers to participation. 

• The launch of our brand-new GOTR curriculum with new and improved games, activities, and tools. The new curriculum is called “Hello, Superstar!” Numerous studies and reports have shown the decline in girls’ mental health and physical activity levels over the last decade. The world has changed, and the needs of girls and the pressures they face have intensified. These updated lessons support today’s girls through meaningful and fun lessons and activities, further emphasizing the value of understanding emotions, accepting ourselves, and embracing what makes us shine in our own way. 

• Celebrating Mankato at our Limitless Potential Luncheon in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday, May 9, 2024. This Minnesota-themed celebration is a vital part of what keeps Girls on the Run accessible, and we’re hoping to honor the broader Mankato community at this special event.

• Practices begin the week of April 1, 2024, and Mankato teams are invited to the big Girls on the Run 5K happening at the State Fairgrounds on Saturday, June 1. 

The future is bright and we are grateful for the opportunity to welcome Greater Mankato to our Girls on the Run Minnesota community. Interested in getting more involved? We’d love to have you.