How to Connect with Your Girl Through Running

October 1, 2017

Posted In: Running, Sole Fun, Sole Girls Topics

Tags: connection, parent info, running, running with girls

At Sole Girls, we love to run. It’s not just because it makes us feel free, helps our mental health and makes our bodies feel awesome, but it’s also an amazing way to connect with people. When we run, it creates an atmosphere free of barriers that makes connection and talking about difficult topics easier. We spend a lot of our time connecting and running with girls, and if you’re looking to do the same here are some of our tips to get you and your girl connecting through running together!

1. Find your Happy Pace

At Sole Girls we talk a lot about how physical activity, especially running can be fun. One of the things we teach all of our girls is how to find their happy pace. Our happy pace is the pace when we feel good in our bodies, we aren’t getting cramps and we aren’t out of breath. It’s the pace that makes us feel strong, happy and comfortable being in our bodies. When you find your happy pace, it makes running an experience of joy and freedom instead of an experience that is often associated with discomfort and pain.

2. Talk While You Run

A really good test to see if you’re running at your happy pace is to see if you can keep a conversation going without getting out of breath! If you’re having a hard time running while talking to your girl, it means you need to adjust your happy pace. You might even need to remind your girl to find her happy pace too. Not only is this a great tool to help you find your happy pace, having a conversation while running makes it way more fun and gives you an opportunity to connect in a new way. Happy pace = happy face!

3. Share and Get Vulnerable

If you’re an adult who doesn’t consider themselves a ‘runner’ being vulnerable and sharing that   you’re feeling nervous about running with your girl is a great way to help ease her own anxieties about running. When we share the things that we’re scared of it helps girls understand that it’s okay to have some fear and even adults still get scared! Even if you aren’t nervous about running, often adults have similar fears to kids, so sharing your fears can always be relevant to your girl. After talking about your fears, it gives you an opportunity to support each other and conquer those fears together!

4. Come Up with a Goal Together

Before you head out for a run with your girl, come up with a goal that you are going to complete together. You can choose a time goal, a distance goal or whatever creative goals you can think of! Put emphasis on completing the goal together, so that it isn’t just about her being accountable to you, but also you being accountable to her. Having someone who is with you from the start line to the finish line makes achieving a goal that much more exciting and rewarding! Don’t forget to celebrate when you reach your goal!

5. Play Games

Girls love to play games and sometimes as adults we forget how to play! When you’re out running with your girl, incorporating games into your run can add a different energy and a new focus. Playing games like I Spy, Tag, obstacle courses, the Floor Is Lava or dance parties are great ways to add more playfulness to your runs together and let your inner child shine!

Now you’re ready to get out there! We hope to see you on the trails or road having fun running and connecting with your girl!