Runners next the Sea

1 week ago

🏃‍♀️ Vicki's C25K journey started with a basic goal: she wanted to get fitter and make meet new people. After trying out a few running apps with a friend, she realised she was craving something a bit more hands-on and social so signed up for our 10 week course last year. Now there's no stopping her! Follow in her footsteps by signing up at www.rnts.co.uk/c25k 👇

"I joined the course mainly to improve my fitness and general health. Also, I guess, to meet new people. I’d tried the app with a friend previously and didn’t really commit to it. I felt if I signed up to a real course with real coaches it would be much better and I wasn’t disappointed.

I thoroughly enjoyed the course, and the coaches and other club members were so supportive and helpful throughout. I still remember the time when we were told “tonight you’re going to run for 12 minutes” My first thought was that's impossible but with the encouragement I did it. Everyone was made to feel very welcome from the start.

After our graduation run at Holkham I joined the club and now regularly attend training sessions and social runs. I have since completed my first 10k event and have a few more booked up this year.

Most of the group I did the course with are now members of the club and great friends. If you want to get into running and meet new people, don’t hesitate in joining up."

💬 Vicki C25K 2023 Graduate

#FollowInTheirFootsteps #C25Kstories #runforfun ... See MoreSee Less

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Runners next the Sea

2 weeks ago

🌟 Meet Hannah, a 2023 graduate of our Couch to 5K course! 🏃‍♀️ After struggling with the Couch to 5K app, Hannah took a leap of faith and joined our 10 week programme in Fakenham. You can follow in her footsteps by signing up at www.rnts.co.uk/c25k Here's her inspiring journey 👇

"So, last year, after starting the Couch to 5K app and failing yet again to get past week 3, a post on Facebook caught my eye. 🌟 "Join Couch to 5K with the Runners-next-the-Sea," it said. After a lot of thought and deliberation as to whether I could actually join a group and run, I poured myself a large gin and tonic (as I do to make all of my best decisions), and told myself YES, I can do this! So, I signed up quickly before talking myself out of what would be one of the best decisions I've made to date. 🎉

Now, I need to add in here, I’m not a runner! Well, I wasn’t a runner at this time. I was much more of a "coucher". I’d tried the Couch to 5K app many times and failed miserably. I love my food, I’m a bit overweight, I can be anxious about starting new things to do with exercise, I have hereditary arthritis, had suffered terribly with long COVID, and most of all, I was very unfit!

The time came, it was a Friday night when I’d usually be skipping off home for an evening on the couch. I pulled up at the rugby club for the Fakenham C25K group and I didn’t know anyone. As people arrived, I could feel my anxiety rising, asking myself, 'What if I can’t do this? What if I’m too slow? What if I stop?'

The coaches Paul, Ant, and Paula greeted us, and I knew then I’d made the right choice to get out of the car, and thought, but what if I can do this! I cannot express highly enough how friendly, approachable, supportive, and kind these three people standing in front of us were, and all around me were other friendly club members who had come to help and welcome us all. These members came weekly to cheer us on and keep us going, and I now called these members my friends. 🤝

As the weeks went on, I saw my fitness improve with each homework and session we were set, and can honestly say I was enjoying it and never missed a session, never gave up, and always gave it my all even when I found it hard and doubted myself. 😊

I was also promised many times that after graduation there was an amazing café with coffee and cake, which was a great incentive to keep pushing forward and not to give up. ☕🍰

My mental health was improving, and I was laughing and smiling more and making new friends for life, all whilst running! I was actually doing it, and I was so proud of myself! 🌈

The graduation was an emotional day, where anxiety and self-doubt crept in once again, "What if I don’t make it!" But once again, the coaches had this covered, and we were all assigned a coach club buddy to run with so we weren’t alone. The day had come where all those homeworks and sessions came together, and we ran a full 5km. I actually did it! I managed to keep going, no walking, no stopping, and the support was incredible! Dressing in my rainbow TuTu, I crossed the finish line with pride and achievement and went straight to the café to celebrate with a scone and a glass of Prosecco as promised. 🏁🥂

Since the C25k, I’ve joined the Runners-next-the-Sea, which is more than just a running club; it’s more of a positive and supportive family. I have run more parkruns in different locations, joined Strava, which I call the positive side of social media, and this weekend ran my first 5km Easter Fun Run Race. I’m not going to lie; it’s not always been easy, and the winter months have been really hard, and I lost my mojo slightly. But every time I turn up for a session, I’m greeted with that same friendly, approachable, supportiveness, and kindness that I was the day I stepped out of my car for the first time. There is never any judgment. Just positive, supportive people with a passion for believing in yourself and achieving your goals. Now the clocks have sprung forward, and those nights become lighter, I cannot wait to see what the year holds for my new found love for running. 🌞

Thank you RntS; you are all very special people that I’m glad to call my running family. 🙌"

Hannah Harris
C25km 2023 Graduate
Still loves a GnT and slice of cake! 🍸🍰 ... See MoreSee Less

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