Students Off And Running, also known as SOAR, and the Santa Clarita Track Club will host the second Mardi Gras Madness 5K on March 3 at Bridgeport Marketplace.

The Mardi Gras Madness 5K and Mini Madness 1K will benefit SOAR, a program that provides a fully supported Los Angeles Marathon training experience to youth in need living in the Santa Clarita Valley at no cost to student participants or their families.

This year marks SOAR’s fifth year of success as the program continues to offer weekly challenges set in a non-competitive arena, stressing endurance, self-determination and perseverance rather than speed.

Student participants choosing to take on the 24-week, 380-mile training program gradually add miles to weekly distance goals until they are prepared to take on the grueling 26.2 mile Los Angeles Marathon in late March of each year.

Last year’s inaugural Mardi Gras Madness event brought together more than 300 participants, and organizers are hoping to boost the numbers this year.

For details, visit www.mgm5k.com or call event chairman Kevin Sarkissian at (661) 877-7024.