SoleKIDs

An eight-week running program that gets runners Pre-K through 6th grade from their first stretch to their first 5K finish line — building confidence, community, and healthy habits, one training session at a time.

See the program FALL 2026 SEASON STARTS THE WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 21ST!!!
I am Brave. I am Strong. I am Smart. I am Kind.
2017 founded in Boise 30+ Treasure Valley schools 3 regions 8 weeks per season

Why running

Three things every
SoleKIDs Runner takes home

Confidence

Every training session plants a small win, so runners show up on race day already knowing they can finish.

Community

Coaches, classmates, and family cheer squads — SoleKIDs is a team sport built around a community.

Healthy habits

Stretching, hydration, nutrition, and moving twice a week — habits that outlast the season itself.

The program

Train twice a week.
Finish on race day.

What does a practice look and feel like for your runner?

The lesson

Each practice begins with a snack and a lesson. We talk about how starting is harder than finishing (Brave), overcoming adversity (Strong), how you can't win a race in the first mile but you can lose it in the first mile (Smart), and being a good community member (Kind).

The practice

Every practice starts like a Junior High XC practice — dynamic and static movements to get the blood flowing. Then we run and walk, sometimes in loops, sometimes not. Runners go from about 1.5 miles in the first week to over 4 miles by week seven. (If you can run four, you can race three.)

The adventure run

Instead of laps or focusing on speed, kids travel together through parks, neighborhoods, trails, or the Greenbelt, with coaches weaving in games, challenges, landmarks, teamwork, and service along the way. Why? Safety, safety, safety. We run a "hidden" curriculum that puts safety ahead of the perfect run — safe spaces to run, what to do if you get "lost," and, most importantly, living that adventurous life.

The games

About an hour in, kids can get tired of running — so we stop, and play games that just happen to include more running. With energy dipping, we bring the fun back up and add some friendly competition, where runners sprint, run, and walk through winning and losing environments, learning to do both with grace while supporting each other.

A SoleKIDs runner in a SoleKIDs hoodie standing on a mountain summit, looking out over the Idaho backcountry.

Confidence that outlasts the season — a SoleKIDs runner, still wearing the hoodie, still chasing summits.

  • WhoRunners Pre-K through 6th grade
  • Season length8 weeks
  • Training2x/week · ~90 min
  • SeasonsSpring & Fall
  • Season finaleTimed 5K
  • Status501(c)(3) public charity
  • FoundedMarch 2017 · Boise, ID

Where we run

Three regions,
one finish line

FOUNDING REGION Boise, Idaho

Home base since 2017. Now serving 30+ sites across the Boise, West Ada, and Nampa areas.

SINCE 2020 Seattle, Washington

Local volunteers brought the SoleKIDs model north, running the same eight-week season format.

SINCE 2022 La Grande, Oregon

A community-driven region, launched after local families reached out to bring SoleKIDs east.

Want to start a SoleKIDs region where you live? Email jamie@solekids.org.

Our races

The races that
fund the program

SoleKIDs organizes four races a year across the Treasure Valley. Entry fees and sponsorships from each one go straight back into coaching, gear, and scholarships for SoleKIDs seasons.

Oct 11, 2026

City of Trees Marathon

Marathon, half, 10K & 5K along the Greenbelt in peak fall color.

May 2, 2027

Boise River Marathon

A net-downhill point-to-point from Lucky Peak to Boise.

Jun 20, 2027

Boise Marathon

A 6:04 AM sunrise start and finish at Payette Brewing.

Boise, Idaho

Boise Half Marathon

The fourth race in the SoleKIDs series — details coming soon.

Registration

Sign your runner up
for the next season

Spring and fall SoleKIDs seasons open for registration throughout the year. Pick a season, pick a site, and we'll see your runner at the finish line.

Get involved

Coach it, fund it,
or bring it to your site

Coach or volunteer

Every training session just needs one coach. No experience required — just energy and a whistle (we provide the whistle).

Give

Donations fund gear, program materials, and season scholarships for runners who need them — every gift is tax-deductible.

Bring SoleKIDs to your site

Already have kiddos ready to run? Email jamie@solekids.org to get started today!

Questions

Before you sign up

Who can join SoleKIDs?

The program is built for runners Pre-K through 6th grade. Coaches meet runners where they are — a first-timer training toward a finish, or a returning runner chasing a personal-best time.

Does it cost anything?

Seasons run on a site-by-site basis, and scholarships are available so cost is never a reason a runner sits out. Reach out to your school's coordinator or jamie@solekids.org for specifics.

How do I start a SoleKIDs site?

Every site so far started the same way — a few runners and one committed coach. Email jamie@solekids.org and we'll walk you through what it takes.

Where does the money from the races go?

Entry fees and sponsorships from the City of Trees Marathon, Boise River Marathon, Boise Marathon, and Boise Half Marathon fund SoleKIDs coaching, gear, and scholarships across all three regions.