Couch to 250k

In Spring 2014, Maggie Penny joined the Run England Couch to 5k group at Killerton (Devon). In September 2016, she ran her 50th parkrun at Killerton – that's 250k of parkrunning.

"A friend and I saw a poster for the Killerton Couch to 5k group", says Maggie. "We'd often talked about taking up running – this looked like the perfect opportunity. It was a really friendly and supportive group, and the week-by-week incremental approach of the Couch to 5k programme worked a treat."

She continued, "Mind you – when I started, I would never have dreamt I'd end up getting so involved in running, including all these parkruns. It's great!"

Killerton Couch to 5k was one of several beginners' groups set up by InStep Devon, the local running network, in support of the Run England initiative. Two and a bit years down the line, Maggie is now looking at training as a Leader in Running Fitness to support a new InStep Devon programme encouraging more people to take up exercise to improve physical and mental wellbeing.

“I've got such a lot out of this,” says Maggie, “It would be great to help others on the same journey.”