Two years ago, the freshman pledge group of Kappa Delta and other sorority women on campus became involved with Girls on the Run of Greater Baton Rouge by making inspirational bandanas for a 5k race the girls in the program ran.
Since then, the bandanas have become a race tradition for Girls on the Run and the project expanded into a group of sorority members who run together.
The mission of SoleSisters of LSU is to use running as a tool to train sorority women in confidence, self-respect, healthy living and service. They commit to train for and run the Louisiana Half Marathon, which takes place Jan. 20 in Baton Rouge, said mass communication junior Carley Wahlborg.
SoleSisters of LSU began last year just for the Kappa Delta sorority, but this year it has grown to welcome all Greek women on campus.
“We all have certain ties that bond us together,” Wahlborg said.
There are currently 151 women signed up in SoleSisters to run in the Louisiana Half Marathon, Wahlborg said.
Mass communication junior Katherine Fremin was one Kappa Delta member who started out volunteering with Girls on the Run. She said her freshman year she mostly helped raise awareness for Girls on the Run, and last year she worked as assistant coach for the girls.
After completing the 5k, Fremin said seeing the reaction of the girl she coached made her feel like it was worth it to stay in the program.
Kinesiology junior and Delta Gamma member Sara Bair said she’s always had a passion for running because it allows her to escape from the world. Fremin said she has loved to run since high school and calls it therapy.
“I can just go out and run as hard as I can, for as long as I can and just let it out, all on the road,” Fremin said.
Both women said they are excited about training as a group to run the half marathon in January.
“I feel like it’s one of those bucket list things that I’ve wanted to accomplish for a really long time,” Bair said.
SoleSisters had a kick-off day Oct. 9 and welcomed potential members and the community with music and informational booths about Girls on the Run of Greater Baton Rouge and the Louisiana Half Marathon. There was also a fun run on Sorority Row, Wahlborg said.
For members of SoleSisters, there are four to five running options a week, with runs in the morning and afternoon. Wahlborg said members are encouraged to make at least two a week to assist in their training.
In the next few weeks, the women will have the opportunity to hear guest speakers discuss nutrition, training and injury prevention while on their practice runs. The practice runs will be around campus, the local community and near popular areas such as the LSU Lakes.
The group has a fundraising goal of $3,100 to fund scholarships for girls who want to participate in Girls on the Run. Wahlborg said more than half of the girls participating this year will be able to do so because of a scholarship. By making their goal, SoleSisters will fund about 20 scholarships.
“We want to make sure that any girl who wants to participate in Girls on the Run has the ability to,” she said.
Bair said it’s an encouraging experience to help others out, and she is excited to see the girls participating in Girls on the Run complete their 5k.
“We picked $3,100 mainly because it’s 3.1 [miles] which is a 5k,” Wahlborg said.
Each sorority chapter can do its own fundraising, but there is also a website where people can donate.
Wahlborg said the lessons girls learn in Girls on the Run don’t just apply to young girls.
“As college women and as sorority women we need to be those role models for those girls,” Wahlborg said.
Fremin said it is important to live a balanced lifestyle and she participates in SoleSisters to show others how living a balanced life does not make you any different.
‘As college women and as sorority women we need to be those role models for those girls.’
