Parkrun

Up early to take my Running Group to their first ever Parkrun.

Fast approaching Week 10, from getting them from walking, to jogging 

to fully fledged runner's(!) we need to ensure they continue running :-)

Parkrun is a wonderful timed run - every Saturday at 9:00am right across the UK 

(& Europe) thousands of people run together - people of all ages, sizes, ability, families, friends - its a wonderful atmosphere, very supportive & it's FREE!

& afterwards we are off to the pub for a well deserved breakfast!!

Here I am ready to go wearing my Gap Leggings which I am really impressed

 with and love the pattern! :-)

 Who else has a Parkrun nearby? Has anyone done a Parkrun?
Wishing all who drop by a wonderful weekend! :-)
XX

Beginner Running Group Week Three

Another cold rainy week and yet everyone turned up!!

36 in total - what can I say - it's just blowing me and Alex away that so many people want to run!!

We did our usual warm up games - we had asked one of the group to plan a game 

for the group which went down great!

I've said before if you want to run in this area you have to get used to the hills!

& we did a big one - but we crocodiled up!! :-)

This is having everyone in a straight line walking up the hill and the person at the back has to

 run to the front at their pace, everyone encouraging them as they go.

At the top time for a short rest then a leisurely run down. 

As you see the session I described is nothing like the one above!
We like variation, cater to our group and plan ahead, but for anyone following, 
this is Week 3 - my Mother in Law keeps asking me to start a group near her........

Thanks so much for dropping by

XX

Beginner Running Group Week Two

Week 2 of the Run England walk to jog to run group I lead.

Great week and all returned following Week One!

We introduced some new games to warm up - keeps the group on their toes! :-)

Ball games, fast paced group games, bonding games!

Moving on to the main session. We live in a very hilly part of East Lancashire - you can go nowhere without a hill. We need to introduce our group to this quickly and get them over it.

We set off at a walk - uphill - for two minutes, we then encouraged everyone to jog for 60 seconds at THEIR pace, like going upstairs, back to walk and so on.

At the top we then told everyone they could do what they wanted to get down, walk or jog - everyone jogged which is wonderful. Muscles are still working, you are still getting breathless, you are enjoying the wind in your face. Downhill but still it's running!! It still benefits!

Cool down again, check on how people were feeling - and then to tell them that they had actually done over a mile and see the response - wonderful! 

Towards the end of our ten week course we introduce the group to Park Run - 

great fun and this is four of the first group we ran completing their first!!!

What do you think of these Running Posts?

Be good to hear.

XX

*Check here for where in your area offers Beginner Run Groups.

Beginner Running Group Week One

Bit of a punt here but I thought I would share the ten week 

Walk to Jog to Run Group that I lead along with a guy called Alex.

We had training from UK Athletics via Run England. 

We are both keen runners and make a great team - Alex is an ultra runner taking part in events like THIS - mad as a box of frog's he is - I like mad people!! :-) 

& me - I like to do a bit of trail, a bit of road - with the emphasis on how I feel - 

NOT the mileage...which I hope to pass on to our runner's....

So, above is week 1 - always a variation in our group!

We did a warm up within a circle, walking around, bit of a jog, then call out a number and the group did the action relating to the number, for example "Number 4" was turn around, "Number 1" clap above your head.

We also played tig, yes really, shouting our name when tigged to get to know each other. It's fantastic to see a load of adults dodging and ducking, squealing and laughing - 

moving & being a little bit competitive without even realising it!!! 

At the end of the session we also cool down, really important and we encourage all our group to take part, stretching out and slowing down - breathing.

Yesterday I went on further Run Leader Training - and have been left buzzing 

to introduce some new ideas to the group.

You can join a Run England group & have fun :-) all over the Country

Run England Run Finder

Some more Beginner Running Programmes below;

Runner's World 8 Week Programme

NHS Couch to 5K Podcast (C25K) 

Bupa Beginner 5K Programme
Women on the Run

What do you think - yay or a nay?

XX

52 Weeks of Happy (16/52)

It's been a funny week, busy, in fact time has flown, but I have felt SO tired!

Amazing how one week you feel so full of energy and then *meh*....

So, four moments that have made me this week!

• Starting a new 10 week running course and 26 people turning up on the first night! Wow - bit frantic but definitely one to put a smile on my face :-)

• My friend managing to bag tickets before they sold out to the first ever Radio 6 Music Festival Line Up here, especially looking forward to seeing Haim! 

• Friday night perfection! Wine, popcorn and the Shoequeen Tamara Mellon, who incidentally liked one of my Instagram pic's - well it was of her book - but all the same - Tamara Mellon - eeeeeeekkkkkkk!!!

• More Run Leader Training - spending this morning with a fabulous group of inspirational people - and coming away buzzing with ideas :-D

So, it would be wonderful to hear what's made you smile this week?

XX

* This blog hop was started by Jen who writes the lovely Little Birdie Blog - drop by!