After 10 months of training, the participants of the Students In The Running
program will be at the starting line at the next Montreal Oasis Marathon on
September 5th, 2010

MONTREAL, Sept. 2 /CNW Telbec/ - In October of 2009, a group of approximately 20 young students from at-risk environments in Montreal joined the Students In The Running Program and are now training for the Montreal Oasis Marathon taking place on September 5, 2010.

In collaboration with the Fondation du Dr. Gilles Julien and the Montréal Oasis Marathon, Students in the Running is a project that aims to promote physical activity, healthy eating and discipline, while reinforcing self esteem and inspiring students to set objectives and reach them. "The goal of the project is to change the current lifestyle of the students and get them excited about a project, about life…The main hurdle we're up against is the lack of motivation of our youth. If they can run a marathon, they've already achieved an enormous accomplishment. This in turn allows them to feel more confident about their abilities and their power to make their dreams happen", says Stéphane Lemay who initiated the project.  Moreover, in order to help the students achieve their dreams, graduates of the Students In the Running Program will receive an academic bursary to enable them to either continue their studies or a technical training program.

Thanks to the invaluable support and advice of their mentors, the students have followed a training program adapted to their abilities. They've benefited from the care of a trainer, a nutritionist and a team of health professionals. "Personally, I find this training has been well suited to me and the other students. At the beginning, I didn't think I could run more than 30 minutes, and now, after eight months of working at it, I can run over two hours and thirty minutes, no problem", proudly says Hamed Hader, one of the students of the 2009-2010 edition. Many other partners are associated with this project and have allowed the students to have the experience of a lifetime.    

During the past few months the students have participated in other runs, most notably the Lac Brome Merrell circuit, in order to evaluate their training level and to better understand how to pace themselves over longer periods. These runs have stirred some powerful emotions. "I can't describe the feeling I felt when I finished my first 20k at the Lac Brome circuit. Very simply, I felt like an athlete", affirms Hamed.

With only a few days left to go before the big challenge, the students are winding up their physical training and their mental preparation. The marathon is a challenge that demands respect while creating some anxiety. However, once they've left the starting line, the students will be undertaking the 42.2 km course through the streets of Montreal with confidence and a new found perseverance and determination that they will take with them throughout their lives.

For further information:

Éric Leclerc
Phone: [phone]
Email: [email protected]

Web site for Students In the Running: www.etudiantsdanslacourse.org