The New Couch to 5K Starts on Wednesday 29th March 2017
Runners are asked to meet outside the clubhouse at 6:15pm
All Runners need to register online in advance
Inspired to greatness!
Fantastic four go from running for a bus to running a marathon
By their own admission, they could barely run for a bus six months ago. But thanks to help from a local running club, Sally Fisher, Adele Robins-Glenton, Shelley Bell, and 71-year-old Ken Brown now have their sights set on September’s RB Hull Marathon.
All four were new to running when they met through Kingston upon Hull AC’s Couch to 5K programme (C25K) in August. Each has overcome their own personal challenges not only to find time to complete the programme, but to continue running after it ended and to now be flying the flag for C25K in Hull.
Retired Ken only began running at the age of 71 and is now training three times per week, gradually upping his distance in readiness for the Hull 10k in June, and showing that age is no barrier when it comes to getting fit and making friends. Shelley, who works full time, and Adele, a carer and mum to three young children, have already reached the magical 10k mark as they also prepare to join Ken on the starting line of the Jane Tomlinson event in June. Meanwhile, Sally, who broke her back in a riding accident 17 years ago and who has, more recently, lost almost 5 stone, continues to up her weekly distance by running with her teammates and other C25K graduates.
Now the group is looking to serve as inspiration “for anyone who thinks they can’t” when they run the RB Hull Marathon on 24th September as a 4-person relay team under the name of ‘Couch Fit ‘n’ Fab’. They will be joined by a further two 4-person teams made up of C25K graduates including Melissa Bone, Jayne Hampson-Suddaby, Elizabeth Dunn, Amanda Palmer-Hunt, Helen Martin, Katharine Wilson and Sarah Sasse.
Ken says:
“I started the C25K programme in August having never ran before in my life. The friendly people you meet and the encouragement you get are fantastic; there’s such a feel good factor and it costs nothing except for the effort you’re prepared to put in. I was 71 when I took up running so age is no barrier. It’s certainly giving me focus and a lot of pleasure, although I would never have believed it six months ago if I’d have been told I’d be taking part in a marathon this year! “
Adele says:
“I lost my precious dad to vascular dementia two years ago and I have been caring for my mum at home for the past year. I also have three children of my own and have suffered with anxiety and depression, but running has stopped me from being isolated as a carer. Thanks to my best mate, Shelley, for signing me to up the programme, running has given me strength, both mentally and physically, and I now feel like I’m achieving something in life.”
Shelley says:
“I used to hate exercise, felt tired most of the time, and was finding it hard to balance work life with my free time. Someone suggested Couch to 5K and I laughed; I couldn’t run a bath, and running for a bus was a joke!
“I lost my mum 2 years ago to cancer and I secretly thought it would be great to be able to do a 5K in her memory. Nine weeks after starting the Couch to 5K programme, and with a huge amount of support and encouragement, I managed to get to 5K. It’s a great programme to meet up with other ‘non runners’ and I still find it hard to believe that in that short space of time, I became a proper runner; miracles do happen!”
Sally says:
“This time last year, I was five stone heavier. I lost two stone by walking, but decided to join Couch to 5K to try and lose more weight without honestly thinking I would do it. Every week I thought I would have to stop but never actually did. Seeing the same faces, and having a chat every week with people who are finding it just as hard, stops you feeling alone.
“Completing the first park run was a great achievement and fortunately, because of the instructors and the other graduates, we didn’t stop there. I can’t imagine not running now or not seeing everyone who I’ve met along the way. I’ve got the marathon to look forward to and I’m sure a lot more laughs along the way.”
Kingston upon Hull Athletics Club’s Couch to 5K programme ran twice last year and was incredibly popular, with 145 people signing up, and more than one in every three people going on to complete the course in its entirety. The programme involves a combination of walking and running, steadily upping the time spent running as the weeks go by under the watchful eyes of qualified run leaders and volunteer guides from the club.
Ian Coopland, Run Leader with Kingston upon Hull AC says:
“All of our C25K graduates have been fantastic and shown that no matter who you are, what commitments you have, or whatever the reasons are that you think you can’t, you can!
“Not only will getting off the sofa and becoming more active help people physically, it will also help mentally and socially too; our C25K graduates have become a really tight knit group of friends since they completed the programme who support each other and continue to run together during the week and at the weekly local park runs.
“We’re so proud to have three relay teams emerging from our C25K programme for this year’s Hull Marathon, but we also know that not everyone will want to go on to run more than 5K; it’s all about finding a goal that’s achievable and our programme and our volunteer leaders and guides can certainly help with that.”
The next 10-week programme will begin again at Costello Stadium, West Hull on Wednesday 29th March. The programme is free to join but participants must be aged 18+ and register in advance. More information is available at www.facebook.com/C25KHull/ or to register, visit www.runtogether.co.uk and search for groups running in Hull.
