2024 Beginner’s Running Programme

The 2024 Beginner’s Running Programme will be a Couch-to-5k. There will be a free welcome session on Monday 29th April 2024 at 19:00 (7:00pm) in Hinchingbrooke Park in front of the café. This will be a chat on how and why the programme works and then an active taster session: a warm up (dynamic mobility), two short runs (one minute each, with a 3 minute walk between) and post run stretching.

The first proper running session will be Monday 13th May at 19:00 (7:00pm). This will also be free. If you wish to continue after this you will need to join the club, see “what it costs” below.

What we offer

  • Weekly coached training every Monday, except bank holidays, led by experienced running coaches and supported by experienced BRJ runners.
  • Concludes in late September.
  • The programme is aimed at:
    • People who want to take up running from scratch
    • People who have done a little running previously and want to run 5km
    • People who have run previously but had a break due to injury, illness or just life getting in the way.

What it costs

  • The programme is excellent value, 18 coached sessions for the cost of club annual membership and lots of help and advice.
  • Joining the programme gives you full membership to the BRJ Run & Tri Club through to 31st March 2025.
  • As a full club member, you may take part in all the other club activities, such as summer lake swimming and social events.
  • Support is available for people who find the fee a challenge, please email hidden; JavaScript is required.
  • BRJ members may join the programme providing they have paid-up membership for 2024/25. Please book the sessions you will attend on ClubPal as your coaches will be able to keep a register of attendance and in the unlikely event of accident or injury will be able to view your emergency contact information if required.

What we aim to achieve

  • To take you from scratch to 5k by the end of September so that you can participate in the free parkrun in Hinchingbrooke Park on a Saturday morning. By then you will be able to run continuously for 40 minutes.
  • After a few of weeks of running for 40 minutes we will help you integrate into regular club runs at this pace and distance on the final two Mondays of the programme.

How it works

  • We will coach you on a Monday evening session
  • You repeat the coached session twice yourself during the following week. Most people buddy-up with other people on the programme to run in small groups on days and times which suit them.
  • The programme builds duration week on week, a small increase on the previous week without being too tough and putting people off.
  • Making new friends and running with them is a great motivator to get outside and exercise, it becomes sociable and fun instead of a chore.
  • We take account of state school holidays and repeat some sessions so that if you miss one or more because of the holiday you will be on the same progression of stages as if you did attend them all.

Location

  • Most runs will be from outside the cafe in Hinchingbrooke Park, car parking is free at the park in the evenings.
  • Occasionally we may run from the same start location as the main Monday club run, for a change of scenery. This will be notified well in advance.
  • From 16th September runs will be from Riverside Car park in Huntingdon, on street-lit pavements, as it will be too dark to be able to run safely off-road.

Important

If you have any doubts about your physical health please consult your doctor before taking part. This is vital for people with:

  • Heart disease (or symptoms of heart disease)
  • Asthma
  • Diabetes
  • Epilepsy

 

Sign Up
New members are invited to attend the welcome session and the first proper coached run free of charge. If you like it and wish to continue please sign up and pay for annual club membership using ClubPal.

Once you have registered look at ClubPal’s calendar and book yourself on the Monday Beginner’s sessions that you’re able to attend. It is important to do this as your coaches will be able to keep a register of attendance and in the unlikely event of accident or injury will be able to view your emergency contact information if required.

This link will open ClubPal in a new window

 

The full weekly programme
You can download the full programme here (Version 2.11 updated 14/07/24):
Beginners Programme 2024 version 2.10 - all dates