This course now underway. We have a limited number of places available for people who fit into Groups 3 & 4 below. Please contact us if you are interested

Aims

The group will run for 10 weeks and we aim to get you running continuously for at least 30 minutes – many people who join our beginners group are able to run 6 miles by the end of the course!

When & where:

The group will meet every Wednesday at 7.00 from 11^th January 2012 to 14^th March 2012 at the Rowing Club on Upperton Road,  Leicester, LE2 7AU - It’s between the bridge and The Watershed Youth Centre, near the Liberty statue.

There is parking, if you need to drive, however, it is very limited.

We meet inside the building, upstairs.

How Much:

The course costs £10 – you can signup online and pay by paypal or pay by cash or cheque (payable to West End Runners) on the nigh. See the Signup menu option bellow Beginners Course. 

What's Involved?

On the first night you will be welcomed in and greeted in by members of West End Runners – you will know who we are because we all be wearing blue ‘West End Runners’ tops.

We will assign you to a group according to your ability. The groups will look a little something like this:

Group 1 – those who have never run before and aren’t physically active at the moment

Group 2 – those who are physically active but haven’t run before

Group 3 – those who have dabbled with running maybe run in the race for life and feel they could run for 5 or 10 minutes non-stop

Group 4 – those who are already running a little and think they could run for 10 minutes or more

A little hint – if you have recently run a half marathon or complete the park run every Saturday you are not a beginner, so there is no need to wait until the start of the beginners group - come along to the club on any Wednesday and we will be very happy to see you.

Groups 1, 2 and 3 will go out for 30 minutes and do a mix of running and walking – the pace will be slow and you should come back feeling energised not exhausted (yes, really!). Over the weeks we will build up the ratio of run to walk until you can run for 30 minutes continuously – this takes between 4 to 6 weeks for the average beginner – you might not believe it now but it’s true!

Group 4 will be taken out on a steady run and depending on you feel there may be some walk breaks! Over the weeks we will increase the time and distance that you cover until you can comfortable run 6 miles (and yes, comfortable and 6 miles can go together!)

After the first night, details of your groups run will be on the board – there will be a few announcements at 7.15, details of the different runs will be read out and then we will go out and run! We ask that you try and remember which group you ran with and arrive ready to run.

We have changing rooms and showers that are free for you to use.  Club members tend to stay behind after the run for a chat, cup of tea and a biscuit (free of charge) or for a pint for those that fancy it (not free but cheap!).

To get the very best out of the course we advise you to run 2 or 3 times a week. It is worth the extra effort; one of the best things about running is how with a bit of effort, you can improve very quickly!

What happens when the course is over?

 Hopefully by the end of the 10 weeks you’ll be able to run distances of up to 6 miles and most importantly, be thoroughly hooked!

We would love it if you joined the club at the end of the 10 weeks however there is no pressure. There are runners of all standards, shapes and sizes, those who race and those who just run to be sociable. If you do decide to join, we will give you a discount of £10 so the membership fee is just £11. Of course if you don’t want to join, that’s ok too.

What shoul I wear?

You don’t need any special kit and we don’t recommend you go out and spend a fortune on new trainers. We suggest that you wait until you are sure that running is for you before investing in a good pair of trainers.

Dress appropriately for the weather. Try to avoid bulky clothing as this will weigh you down while running. If you have a high visibility vest we advise you wear this.

Things to Consider

If you are over 40, a heavy smoker or overweight we advise you to check with your doctor that it is ok for you to start to exercise.

Tell your group leader if you have any health problems. If you hurt yourself or start to feel unwell, stop and please ensure one of your group leaders is aware.

Exercise common sense while running!  Don’t run down dark alleyways and ideally wear a fluorescent vest so you can be seen. If running on your own stay to well-lit main roads and let someone know where you are going and what time you expect to be back. If you’re running in a group don’t leave anyone behind. Stay together.

After the run?

Please stay and join us for snacks, refreshments and chit chat in the bar. Showers available (bring a towel).

Useful contacts:

 More details about West End Runners can be found at

www.westendrunners.co.uk

Leicester Running Shop is based at 146a Clarendon Park Road. Tel: 0116 2708447. They will analyse your running gait and recommend trainers that suit your running style.

A printable PDF version of this information is available :  Beginners Group 2012