Pounding the pavement in their purple shirts is all good fun but this group entered in the Australian Running Festival are united by a passion to help Papua New Guinea tackle family and sexual violence.
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The pacific nation is one of the most dangerous places to be a woman in the world, with an estimated 70 per cent of women experiencing rape or assault in their lifetime.
A growing number of Canberrans are doing their bit to ensure newly formed organisations such as Femili PNG, a non-profit case management service for victims, has the resources to make change from within.
Femili PNG chair Professor Stephen Howes is training to run a half marathon on April 9 and has been thrilled by the influx or runners keen to get behind the cause.
"At the moment we have 17 on the team and we aim to run $20,000 dollars," he said. "It is actually the third time we have run in a Canberra running event to raise money but last year there was only three people so it is much bigger."
Professor Howes and three others have set their sights on the half-marathon with the rest opting for 5km and 10km distances on Saturday, April 8.
Canberra Girls Grammar year 10 student Madeleine Bessell-Koprek began volunteering with Femili PNG sister support association at the ANU after meeting frontline staff when they visited the capital in February.
"I didn't know what the situation was like in PNG for some women and girls, I guess I was just shocked at how brave these women were to be addressing this issue," she said. "I think their stories are really inspiring."
Alongside volunteering she has entered to run the 10km event.
Femili PNG development manager Lindy Kanan has downloaded the couch to 5km app to prepare.
"That is where I am at the moment," she laughed. "But opening it up to the 5km and 10km means anyone can get on board."
She said developing a contingent of local supporters to fundraise generated huge power to create change and she hoped year on year supporter numbers in Canberra would grow.
Money raised will be directed to renovating the Femili PNG office based in the country's second largest city, Lae, and to bolster the organisation's expanding operations.
"I was in PNG last week and the team in Lae are pretty modest and just chuffed there are almost 20 people running in Canberra to support the work they do," she said.
To donate or register and run with the team head to their website: www.femilipng.org
