Why the Young Age?

Studies show that girls between the ages of eight and twelve are still receptive to adult influence, while beginning to feel peer pressure.  It's an age psychologists call the latency period of development when girls begin to confront important life and relationship issues.  As a prevention program, Girls on the Run initiates healthy decision making about difficult issues and really talking to their parents/caretakers before it's too late.

In addition, learning healthy exercise habits early in life increases the chances that participants will value their own physical fitness as adults. Recent studies show that only those who develop exercise habits in their teen years or earlier are likely to maintain those habits for life. It's well documented that regular, moderate exercise improves cardiovascular functioning, and reduces the risk of developing breast cancer, osteoporosis (brittle bones), and obesity. In addition, girls of this age are more open to the positive peer influences, positive adult role models and the confidence enhancing which are all parts of the GOTR experience.

A variation of the Girls on the Run program - Girls on Track - has proven positive with middle school participants.

Is it safe for young girls to run the 5K (3.1 mile) distance?

"Children's bodies are well suited for endurance exercise, and numerous studies have shown that children show many positive physiological adaptation to endurance exercise training.  The keys are gradual progression and common-sense adult supervision.  If those conditions are met, running 3 miles is a reasonable goal for most young people."

From Russell R. Pate, Ph.D. with the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina