As one of the original founding members of Girls Just Wanna Run, the race has given me and other women of all ages and abilities the opportunity to come together for one day for the sake of our health and welfare. Personally, this run was my first attempt EVER at running and sadly enough I was 39 years of age. The training through the Litchfield Athletic Club was a great start and I loved meeting other women like me. Some of those ladies are still my friends today and we still take part in the race. Running the GJWR 5K , started my journey of running and I forever grateful. The support and encouragement along the race course was truly electrifying.. Running with my friends and fellow Jr's made all the difference. The sea of pink women has left a lasting impression. Go on girls, sign up, what do you have to lose!

My inspirations are the women that I began running with and still walk with today. I was fortunate at the time to have a great work friend who encouraged me out of my comfort zone and motivated me to try. Girls Just Wanna Run 2014 was my second race. This photo is from that race.
This race is special to me because as a participant you feel so encouraged by the other racers. The walkers cheer on the runners and are cheered supported as you pass others. The spirit of community is so strong and so positive.

I started running and a friend of mine mentioned this fantastic race- the first one I ran. I'm inspired to run for a community based race with fantastic women. The rest is history - I became a runner and I love it.

I will be there in 2021.

I have participated in every single GJWR race and would never dream of missing it. I have participated with with my daughters, friends, and co-workers. It is such an invigorating day filled with pride and camaraderie amount women and girls. The music, the food, the coveted race shirt, and the hard working ladies that put this on make this a race not to miss! See you on the course.

Girls Just Want to Run was the first race each one of my girls ever did when they were little....(Although I piggy-backed Madeline for most of her first race!)

Litchfield women & their families are so fortunate to have GJWR to look forward to every year! Everything about this race is inspiring. The women who organize this event are passionate and dedicated. The husbands & sons who help are terrific. But my favorite thing about this race: the friends, mothers and daughters coming together to laugh & cheer each other on.

We are thrilled that we can look forward to GJWR 2021!!! Thank you, Junior Womens!

The best part of the race is that I have been running it with my daughter (Ella) since she was in first grade. She is in 9th grade now! It has inspired her to be a great runner. She enjoys running for sport and fun. I also commend the Junior Women's Club for their efforts and dedication to maintaining such a wonderful event. Looking forward to May, 2021.

A dear friend told me about this race in 2014; she always recommends the good ones! I was new to running (only two years worth of it then), and loved the idea of a Ladies Only race. We ran together, and along with my other coworkers started making our group bigger and bigger each year. I look forward to this race, annually, because it brings us back together no matter how far apart our careers have taken us. It gives us a great excuse to be together again for post-race food, for whacky costumes, for laughs... and I'm so grateful we find time for one another after all these years of doing it. The ladies at this race are so positive. I arrive with a smile each year, and leave with a full heart... not just for the day out with my best gals, but because of how the entire group goes above and beyond to lift one another up!