Running for just 1 minute to over 30 minutes at Race For Life!

On Sunday 12th June, 11 members of the newly formed Run England Group Lympne FIT 'Friends In Trainers' took on their first running event: the Folkestone Race For Life 5k.

The group, set up by qualified Run Leader Claire Yates, started running together on 1st May in preparation for the local Race For Life event.  There are currently 14 female members in the Group ranging from 11 upwards and one male member.

Claire stated, "Most of the group had not run before so we followed the Couch to 5k programme together, starting with 1 minute running and lots of walking. We gradually built up the amount of time we were running over the weeks leading up to the event and it's amazing what they all achieved today".

And the great British Summertime weather didn't put any of them off on the day! Claire commented, "It rained, before and during the Race For Life in Folkestone but we were all determined to finish it and enjoy the run!"

On the day, the group achieved some great results between them:
Audrey ran her quickest mile ever and ran for longer than she's ever done before; Liz managed to take a huge 6 minutes of her Folkestone parkrun time which some of the group completed for the first time a week before the event; Tanya finished in under 30 minutes; Mandy completed the race in 31 minutes and the younger members Phoebe, Alex, Olivia, Emily, Emma and Ema all smashed the 5k in times ranging between 24 and 32 minutes.  The Group had lots of support during the event from family and friends,  which helped to keep them going.

When talking about running with the group, Mandy said, "Running together helps me with what I was lacking – motivation! It's fun and great to have like-minded people to share it with."  Liz added, "I had never run before, so starting out with a group of friends has been really motivating. We celebrate each other's successes and achievements, however small, and we always have fun when we run. For me, it’s the perfect way to keep fit and I actually enjoy the challenge!"

Claire commented, "When I completed the Leadership In Running Fitness (LiRF) course 3 years ago, my hope was to one day have a running group in my village.  It has been amazing to see the Group go from running for just a minute to over 30! Everyone has worked really hard and I'm so proud of them. We're now looking to see what events we can do next!"

Lucy Tomlinson, Run Kent Activator added, "The success of Claire's group on Sunday at the Race For Life event is a perfect example of what can be achieved with the right support and encouragement from your local Running Group Leader.  To learn to run with like-minded people in a Group environment means you're more likely to stick with it. It also makes the whole running experience much more fun and enjoyable.  Congratulations to all the members of Lympne FIT Group. Fantastic achievements all round with lots of smiles at the end!"

If you'd like to join your local running group and learn to run with the support of a qualified Leader alongside like-minded people, please visit: www.runengland.org/groups or contact your local Run Activator.