Were you 'Born to Run'? Don't worry - not as scary as it sounds

Save the Children are encouraging people to recognise that they were 'Born to Run'. And they are showing that everyone can run at their own level by supporting the Leadership in Running Fitness qualification that underpins the Run England project. The charity is recruiting volunteer leaders for its "Born to Run" fundraising programme, offering subsidies for Leadership in Running Fitness courses.
 
Inspired by the qualification which is underpinning much of the work done by Run England, the children's charity is looking for clubs to get involved in leading local running sessions, to raise money for vaccines and to train health workers to save children's lives. Born to Run is  a driving force behind  the charity's "No Child Born to Die" campaign .
 
The running groups will be part of the Run England programme.

80% subsidies on Leadership in Running Fitness courses

To help new leaders get started, Save the Children will pay 80% of your Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF) course fee. 'LiRF' gives you all of the skills you need to lead a group of adult beginner-level runners. In return, leaders are asked to raise money for the charity campaign.

The programme offers an excellent opportunity for clubs to recruit new volunteers as trained leaders and to develop more Run England groups that become a part of the Save the Children campaign and attract a new audience of runners.
 
Save the Children is publishing a Leaders' Guide, which you can request by emailing events@savethechildren.org.uk.

Jo Pavey, first British athlete home at the 2011 Virgin London Marathon, triple Olympian and Commonwealth silver medallist is supporting Save the Children. "My little boy Jacob needed a lot of medical treatment in his first months, so I realise how lucky we are. Runners raising money for Save the Children can really make a difference".
 
Haile Gebrselassie is another supporter with a life story to share.  "I lost my mother at a young age when she died in child birth. That’s why I’m running to support Save the Children’s campaign – to ensure that mothers and children in Ethiopia and across Africa survive and thrive."

Peta Bee is an existing Run England group leader and contributing editor of Women's Running magazine who knows firsthand of the benefits of the LIRF course. She is supporting the Save the Children campaign, and has used the experience gained on the course to shape her own running workout programme that she applies with her local group. Each 45 minute class incorporates a warm up and active stretching exercises to prepare participants for the 15-minute running drills and plyometric/strengthening moves that follow. "The classes are suitable for people of all ages and all abilities", says Peta, "from the total beginner to the experienced runner who just wants to add some variety to their weekly training regime".

You can see Peta in action leading her local 'Born to Run' Run England group at http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/en/14716.htm

For details of your local Leadership in Running and Fitness course please visit www.runengland.org/lirf

To learn more visit www.facebook.com/savethechildrenborntorun or email events@savethechildren.org.uk for details on course subsidies.