Mission: We inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.

Girls on the Run is a life-changing, experiential learning programs for girls age eight to thirteen years old. The programs combine training for a 3.1 mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting workouts. The goals of the programs are to encourage positive emotional, social, mental, spiritual and physical development.

In 2000, Girls on the Run International became a 501c3 organisation and today engages 45000 girls a year, the 3000 women who work with them in 171 Councils across North America, and the 500000 individuals engaged in the annual WonderGirl Run series.

The latency period, from six to twelve years of age, is typically a time when a young girl develops a sense of who she is and where she fits in the world. But cultural pressures today tend to short-circuit this process for girls. Referring to a 2007 report by the American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on the Sexualisation of Girls, the task force chair stated, “… three major mental health problems girls suffer from—depression, low self-esteem, and eating disorders—could all be alleviated by working to stop the objectification of girls.” Societal messages from media, merchandise, and interpersonal relationships have resulted in girls treating their bodies as objects to be evaluated for their appearance. Self-objectification affects the ability to concentrate, impairing performance on activities such as math computations or logical reasoning.

Molly’s idea was to enable girls to understand these societal influences, and to have the strength, determination to rise above them and eliminate them. Girls ages eight to thirteen volunteer to enrol in a 12-week training program for a fun, non-competitive 5K event in which the girls can walk, run, or roll (in wheelchairs), as long as they keep moving forward. Using the 5K as a goal, certified volunteer coaches lead groups of fifteen girls through a research based curriculum, learning essential life skills. In each biweekly session girls enjoy games and workouts while learning essential life skills. GOTR encourages the positive emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual and physical development of young girls, and most importantly, challenges girls to stay true to themselves in the face of pressures to conform. Girls from diverse socioeconomic groups and cultures examine the “Girl Box” and discover ways to flourish outside of it, enabling them to reach their highest potential. Girls on the Run councils acting as independent organisations across the United States and Canada serve girls in their local communities under the umbrella of the parent organization, Girls on the Run International. National sponsors, Secret deodorant, Horizon Fitness, Goody Products, Garmin and Carolina Pad provide vital support to advance the mission of the organisation. GOTR also rely on grants, individual donations and fees. Each of the Affiliate Councils pays an annual fee to obtain initial and ongoing training and use the curriculum and templates for marketing and operations while raising their own budget and managing their own boards. The program is fee-based, however financial assistance is available to ensure the program is accessible to all who are interested.

The Girls on the Run is for girls aged eight to thirteen.