We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Julia Howe. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Julia below.

Julia , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Being a teen girl triathlete is a huge part of who I am, and this community is one of the most incredible, supportive, and inspiring groups I’ve ever been part of. But I’ve also seen so many friends and teammates push their bodies way past their limits, skipping meals, losing their periods, and obsessing over their weight, all to get better, faster, stronger.

It’s not just my triathlete community — 8 in 10 female athletes show signs of Relative Energy Deficiency, including disordered eating, menstrual issues, and risks to cardiovascular and bone health. This struggle feels normal, like part of the deal: burnout, constant injuries, and beating up your body. But instead of finding joy in sports, too many girls end up broken before they even get through puberty.

With Hitting The Wall, I’m starting conversations people usually avoid. How do you work out on your period? How do you break free from disordered eating? I want to show there’s no one way to “win” at sports. On our podcast, we feature mothers, CEOs, and Olympians who thrive because they put their health first. I love getting to watch these girls regain trust in their bodies again and find that joy that has made me love my sport so much.

Julia , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I grew up near the woods outside San Francisco, spending weekends hiking with my cousins or racing my dad to Jamba Juice. Fitness was freedom — throw on your shoes and go. But as a teenager, everything became about competition. I’ve raced nationally for Team USA, casually in local 5Ks, and joined both school and club teams, but what’s stuck with me most are the friendships built along the way.

In 2023, I founded Hitting The Wall, (HTW) an international movement supporting teen girl athletes with mental and physical health resources. The HTW girls believe that no one shouldn’t have to destroy their bodies to succeed in sports. Our podcast has reached 1.5 million online, and our resources are being used by thousands globally. We’ve partnered with groups like the YMCA and Girls on the Run, reaching schools across the U.S., Australia, and Hong Kong.

When I’m not racing, I’m volunteering at races. As Program Manager for Heart in Motion, I help organize 4,000 youth volunteers for events like Bay to Breakers and the SF Marathon, sometimes standing at the finish line to hand out medals. I also co-host Express Yourself Teen Radio, the top YA program on VoiceAmerica, broadcast in 132 countries, where I share my segment Passion in Action, spotlighting youth innovation and advocacy.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

When I started Hitting the Wall, being 14 felt like a disadvantage. I worried companies wouldn’t take me seriously, so I wrote overly stiff emails to seem “professional enough.” Sometimes I’d slip my age in at the end, like an apology: “By the way, I’m a minor—sorry.” I thought being young made me less credible.

Our whole organization is student-athlete-led, with teen girls hosting the podcast and creating all the social media. Sure, we’ve made mistakes—once we called a volleyball photo “vollyeball” on Instagram. But that’s part of being real. We’re teen girls talking to teen girls, and being over-polished wouldn’t feel authentic.

Now I lead with the fact that we’re youth-run. I’m proud that we’re teen girl athletes advocating for teen girls. It’s not a weakness. It should be the reason to take us seriously.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

During a Zoom meeting with about 15 girls, we were talking about how to stay safe when working out at late night. Out of nowhere, a “zoom bomber” broke in, pretending to be a young girl. They blasted explicit images and tried to humiliate us for discussing sexual harassment in sports. One of our admins kicked them out pretty quickly, but it was still shocking.

What stood out, though, was how the girls handled it. Instead of shutting down, they kept supporting each other, dropping encouraging messages in the chat and staying engaged. The whole point of the attack was to throw us off, but it didn’t work because we were tougher than they expected.

People get uncomfortable, hostile, or violent when young girls speak up. There’s this pressure, especially on young women, to be polished and agreeable, but my mission is not going to be neat. One of the hardest parts has been creating space for conversations that reflect the messy, real stuff girls go through. I have to remember I don’t need validation from the outside when I know the work is helping girls feel seen and empowered. That’s what keeps me showing up.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hittingthewall.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hittingthewallpodcast/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-howe

Image Credits

Emma Yeh