19 students will take on the challenge of a lifetime at the Rock 'n' Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon on sunday

The fifth cohort of students enrolled in the Étudiants dans la course program and their mentors will take part in the marathon after a year of intensive training

MONTREAL, Sept.25, 2014 /CNW/ - This Sunday at the Rock 'n' Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon, a group of 19 students will proudly gather at the start line with their mentors, trainers, and partners from the Étudiants dans la course program.

All of the 15-to-18-year-old students in the program attend a Montreal high school. This Sunday, they will be fulfilling a commitment they took on nearly a year ago to run their very first marathon. They will thus prove that with determination, they can rise to challenges and achieve what seemed to be impossible at the outset.

Thanks to a rigorous but gradual training program, the support of inspiring mentors, and the motivating dynamics of their close-knit group, these young men and women learned the value of physical activity, a healthy diet, and discipline and how these can translate into greater self-esteem and the willingness to set and achieve goals. "Too often, young people underestimate their own abilities and this program enables them to move beyond that point. More than just a physical challenge, running a marathon shows them that in spite of daily difficulties, they can set and achieve ambitious goals. They can then transpose this life lesson to other areas of their lives," believes Éric Leclerc, spokesperson for Étudiants dans la course.

With the support of mentors for the entire duration of the program, the students also benefitted from the expertise of a trainer, a nutritionist, and a team of health professionals. Several partners and sponsors also contributed to the program, thus providing the students with a memorable experience.

Finally, to help ensure their ongoing development, Étudiants dans la course will award a scholarship to each student who completes the program successfully to help them pursue their studies. These scholarships will be awarded at a gala event to be held in Montreal on Tuesday, October 7, 2014.

About Étudiants dans la course
The Étudiants dans la course program is dedicated to students from disadvantaged communities in Montreal to help them achieve their goal of crossing the finish line at the Rock 'n' Roll Oasis Montreal Marathon. The program aims to promote physical activity, a healthy diet, and discipline to encourage vulnerable youths to excel and improve their self-esteem. Supported by volunteer mentors and trainers, students enrolled in the Étudiants dans la course program take part in a rigorous 10-month training program to achieve their ultimate goal of crossing the finish line at the 42.2 km event.

SOURCE: Students in the running

For more information, media representatives may contact: Éric Leclerc, Étudiants dans la course, 438 870-8141, [email protected], www.etudiantsdanslacourse.org, Twitter: @etudiantsdlc, Facebook: facebook.com/Etudiantsdlc