Ten teenage girls locked up in a detention facility in Kearny Mesa got a taste of freedom Sunday by running a race in downtown San Diego.

The young women, aged 15 to 17 years, are being held at the county Probation Department’s Girls’ Rehabilitation Facility for low-level crimes, usually drug-related or fighting. Officers ran with them Sunday in the Allstate Hot Chocolate Run as a way to introduce new experiences before release.

Most of the girls had never run a race before and had limited experience playing recreational sports.

“My first reaction was, ‘I don’t think I can do it,’” said Sierra V., her face flushed after finishing the 5K race. She was among thousands of people who ran the annual race, which offers a 5K or 3.1-mile course and a 15K or 9.3-mile course.


Sierra said she had never run a race and the hardest part were the hills. With pride, she said the only time she stopped was when her partner had to tie her shoe.

The outing from the detention facility, where most girls stay two to three months, was run by probation officer Tyra Myles. This is the fourth 5K she has run with girls from the facility. Only those who have completed benchmarks in the program get to go and are assigned officers to look after them while at the event.

“Most of our girls have not had an opportunity to participate in something like this,” she said. “It’s good for their physical health, their mental health. It helps them set and achieve goals, and allows them to experience things in the community they’ve never experienced.”

Myles said it helps build self-esteem for the girls, many of who have grown up sheltered from what the region has to offer. On a basic level, said many of the girls have not done other things that most people may take for granted, like carving pumpkins or painting Easter eggs.


From left, teacher Jackie Smith West crosses the finish line with girls from the Probation Department’s Girls Rehabilitation Department, Sierra V., Gabriella S., and Yesenia C., in the Allstate Hot Chocolate 5K run in downtown San Diego on Sunday. (Bill Wechter / For The San Diego Union-Tribune )

The Girls’ Rehabilitation Facility can hold up to 50 girls from ages 13 to 17. Each girl is given an individualized treatment plan with programs designed to meet personal, emotional and educational needs. They are sent there by Juvenile Court and the program can last up to a year. There is a school on site and all credits can be transferred to county school districts.

Kathren G., said she was nervous about running at first but training at the facility helped. Girls practiced by running in a recreational yard where 27 laps equaled a 5K. As part of their motivation, like warriors of old, the girls put on face paint of blue dots around their eyes and foreheads.

Kathren treated herself after the race to hot chocolate and cookies, provided to all runners, and was going with the whole group to Denny’s. She had her own plans once she got back to the facility.


“I’m going to go to my room and just going to lay down and relax,” she said.

One of the fastest times in the group belong to Yesenia C., who completed the run in roughly 30 minutes.

She said her first reaction to being told about the run wasn’t one of excitement. “I was shocked, because I’m not much of a runner,” she said.

Some family members came to the race to support girls in the race. Marissa F. had her aunt, brother, uncle and cousin cheering at the finish line.


“I think it is fantastic,” her grandmother Roberta Calac said. “She usually doesn’t do stuff like this.”

The Allstate Hot Chocolate run has nicknamed itself “America’s Sweetest Race” and was established in Chicago in 2008, according to the event website. More than 200,000 people have run in the race, which now takes place in 17 cities in the United States and soon in Mexico City . Money raised by the event goes to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.


Business

phillip.molnar@sduniontribune.com (619) 293-1891 Twitter: @phillipmolnar

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