Life is like a marathon. There are times that as women our stride is sure and strong and we feel confident with each step. There are times when our feet feel heavy and we wonder if we can keep moving. We feel like we’re just “gutting it out”.

Girls between the ages of eight and 12 are at the point in the race where they begin to experience the first of life’s struggles. But there’s a worthy organization called Girls On The Run there to cheer them on and help them break through those tough times.

What is Girls on the Run? And what are they about? According to their site, the organization is on a quest  “to empower young girls to have a strong sense of identity, have a healthy body image, understand their importance in and impact on their community, and prepare them for a lifetime of self-respect and healthy living.”

In short, “we want the girls to respect themselves, appreciate their uniqueness, be leaders in their own way,” says Executive Director Jill Indovino.

The program is offered during that window of time after school where girls, when left unsupervised, are more likely to make poor and often dangerous decisions. According to the site, girls this age “are still receptive to what adults have to say, yet they are beginning to feel the pull of peer pressure. … It is the perfect time to address important personal and relationship issues to a girl – like learning how to manage her emotions, the dangers of gossiping, how and when to speak up for herself and more.”

The organization was founded by Molly Barker, a four-time Hawaii Ironman tri-athlete in 1996. Molly, a former school teacher and track coach, worked as a counselor addressing the needs of women with eating disorders, alcohol and substance addictions and depression.

Indovino says the girls who participate aren’t the only big winners in the program. “These girls show incredible intelligence, compassion and determination when in the right environment.  The other equally rewarding aspect is the number of women that are inspired by this program not only for the girls but for themselves.”

To date, tens of thousands of girls and women participate in the program which happens to be in more than 150 cities across North America. In 2009, Girls on the Run hosted 100 end-of-season 5k events across the United States and Canada.

Girls On the Run has an upcoming  one mile fun run and 5K scheduled for May 16, 2010 at Forest Park at The Muny. The fun run starts at 8:30 a.m. the 5k starts at 9 a.m. For race details click here.

Indovino and her team operate the St. Louis chapter (which relies enirely on the generosity and support of the local community) with a vision to expand Girls on the Run throughout greater St. Louis across all socioeconomic boundaries. The goal is to raise over $200,000 for scholarships in 2010 and serve 4,000 girls. To donate to the organization, click here.

Not a program in your area? Start one! Here’s more information.

Lisa is a contributor for Girls Guide. She is a freelance writer and you can find her writing regularly at St Louis Family and MotherOfBun. You can email her at lisadetmerbertrand [at] hotmail [dot]com, and follow her on Twitter.