Students Run Philly Style (SRPS) transforms lives through mentorship over miles of long-distance running and achievement. SRPS pairs Philadelphia youth, in grades 6-12, with adult, volunteer mentors to train for a tremendous challenge – running a long-distance race. Youth and mentors run together 3 times per week, for up to 9 months, to participate in either the Independence Blue Cross Broad Street 10-mile Run each spring or the Philadelphia Marathon in the fall. Through running and mentorship, youth build confidence, positive coping skills and meaningful connection to community. SRPS is a free program, including race entries, running shoes, gear and transportation to and from race events, to all enrolled.
SRPS began in 2004 and in 2017, established itself as a 501c3, strengthening its fiscal stability and supporting its growth as a leader within sports-based mentorship programming. SRPS offers programming in nearly 60 Philadelphia schools and/or community based sites throughout the city. SRPS is co-owner, along with two local businesses, of the Philadelphia Distance Run (PDR) a half marathon and 5K race held each September that is creating space for diversity and inclusion within the sport. In 2025, SRPS supported 1577 student runners and 434 mentors as they ran 105,182 miles together.
Students Run Philly Style has two seasons. The school year season runs from September – May. This is the season that youth and mentors train for the Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run, the largest 10-mile race in the United States. The second, the marathon season, runs from March until November when the youth and their mentors train to run the half or full Philadelphia Marathon.
Students Run Philly Style also has two special programs. MileUp, offered in partnership with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, serves youth, aged 11-17, involved with the justice system. Students and mentors train towards milestones that remove systemic barriers. Since inception, in January of 2020, 90% of youth have successfully completed MileUp. Also, 91% have had their record expunged and/or are eligible for expungement and have earned nearly $60,000 in paid restitutions to victims.
The other program, OUTPace is SRPS’ program for LGBTQIA+ youth and their allies which offers training with mentors specific to the needs of youth identifying as LGBTQIA+ and resources to support their health and wellbeing.
As SRPS gears up for its 22nd season, it is offering a new opportunity to run two world marathon majors (Berlin & NYC) and the Dublin Marathon through its charity runner program, Run for Philly’s Future. SRPS will continue to offer charity spots to the Independence Blue Cross Broad Street Run and the Philadelphia Marathon. To learn more visit here.
Check out recent highlights of SRPS in the media. In 2025, Good Morning America highlighted youth mentorship and the mission of the Philadelphia Distance Run Half Marathon and 5K with SRPS as co-owners. Watch here. In 2024, SRPS partnered with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to debut a mini-documentary honoring MileUp. The film helped to honor the 50th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act and was made in partnership with Philadelphia’s Big Picture Alliance. Watch it here.
Give your old running shoes new life! Through SRPS’s “Run It Back” Shoe Recycling Program, SRPS partners with Philadelphia Runner and Sneaker Impact to support the community while reducing waste. Drop off your used sneakers at any Philadelphia Runner location or contact Samantha Choy (schoy@studentsrunphilly.org) to set-up your own drive by visiting here.
If you would like to learn more about SRPS, visit www.studentsrunphilly.org, follow SRPS on Instagram @studentsrunphl or Facebook @StudentsRunPhilly.