The FAB 5K Challenge Program is a free 12 week running and life skills program, that challenges youth girls in grades 6 through 8 to train for and complete a 5K run. Our program combines the power of sport with a goal-setting framework. This provides participants with an empowering environment that encourages them to become more physically active while developing important life skills such as goal setting and resilience. The FAB 5K Challenge Program is designed to enhance self-confidence, cultivate peer friendships, and build supportive relationships with our coaches.

Our program runs from April to mid-June each year. FAB participants and volunteer female coaches meet once a week for 90 minutes. Each 90-minute session includes a meet and greet, ice breaker, warm up, running drills, games, cool down, snack, and goal setting discussion. Additionally, throughout the 12 weeks FAB participants and coaches have the opportunity to participate in 3 fun community running events.

The goals of our program are:

• to encourage youth girls to become more physically active and engage in healthy living
• to develop goal setting skills that can be used to pursue future goals
• to create an environment that allow participants to develop the 5Cs of positive youth development (Confidence, Competence, Caring, Connection, Character)

Our ultimate goal is to inspire participants to ‘dream big, live big’ by providing them with the skills and the confidence to live an empowered life.

We are big on removing barriers to participation, so in addition to our program being FREE, each FAB participant will also receive:

• FAB training shirt
• FAB goal setting journal
• New pair of running shoes
• Healthy snacks
• Entry and transportation to and from all program events

Eligibility

Any individual whose gender identity and/or sex is female in grade 6-8 and lives within 3 kilometres of one of our program locations is eligible to register for our program. We are excited to welcome 150 FAB participants into our program for 2025! Priority is given to returning FAB participants.

The FAB 5K Challenge Program is currently offered in the following locations: