Registration is now open for the fall season of Girls on the Run, a 12-week running and character-building program for girls 8 – 12 years old. The program begins Sept. 14. The 75-minute workout and educational sessions will be offered at 14 San Diego sites on a twice-weekly basis, including Point Loma, Balboa Park and the La Jolla/University City areas. The classes are designed to prepare preteen girls for successful futures by helping them learn to set and achieve healthy goals. The program encourages healthy exercise, nutritious eating habits and good decision-making skills, according to organizers. The fall and spring semester programs are led by certified Girls on the Run volunteer coaches and culminate in non-competitive 5K events giving the girls a chance to celebrate their accomplishments. The sessions follow a progression of topics to foster self-esteem and healthy living. Each session has a specific topic, including learning to listen, body image, peer pressure, healthy decisions, contributing to the community, team building and saying “no” to drugs. San Diego locations for the 2010 fall sessions include: • Balboa Park, Morley Field • Point Loma, NTC Park • UTC, Jewish Community Center According to organizers, the objective of Girls on The Run San Diego is to decrease the number of at-risk behaviors among its participants, including reducing eating disorders and adolescent pregnancies, substance/alcohol abuse problems, depression and suicide attempts, and confrontations with the juvenile justice system. For more information about the fall program, call (619) 770-7605, or visit www.gotrsd.org.