2025 Beginner’s Running Programme

The 2025 Beginner’s Running Programme will be a Couch-to-5k, for adults aged 18 and over (for young people under the age of 18 please click here to see our Juniors section). There will be a free welcome session on Wednesday 3rd September 2025 at 19:00 (7:00pm) in Coneygear Park. 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 Wednesday 10th September at 19:00 (7:00pm). This will also be in Coneygear Park.

Sessions from 17th September onwards will move to the St Ivo Outdoor Centre where we can run on a well lit artificial surface, the start time at St Ivo will be 19:30 (7:30 PM). There are likely to be spare places in cars going to St Ives for people without their own transport. Cick here to view on the map in a new window.

 

What we offer

  • Weekly coached training every Wednesday, led by experienced running coaches and run leaders.
  • Programme concludes in December with support to get you integrated into one of the weekly club runs in January 2026.
  • 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, 14 coached sessions for £15 and lots of help and advice from coaches Simon, Chris and Gerry.
  • Joining the programme gives you full membership to the BRJ Run & Tri Club through to 31st March 2026. As a full club member, you may take part in all the other club activities and social events.
  • Support is available for people who find the fee a challenge, please email hidden; JavaScript is required.
  • Existing BRJ members may join the programme providing they have paid-up membership for 2025/26. 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 Christmas 2025 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.
  • In the new year we will help you integrate into regular club runs at this pace and distance on Monday or Thursday evening club runs.

 

How it works

  • We will coach you on a Wednesday 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. A Wednesday evening session should be a bit of a stretch, by the time you do the second repeat it should feel much more comfortable. The repeats are the key to making this programme work for you.
  • Making new friends and running with them is a great motivator to get outside and exercise, it becomes sociable and fun instead of being a chore.

 

Locations

  • The taster session and first proper session runs will in Coneygear Park behind the Coneygear Centre on Buttsgrove Way (click here to view on the map in a new window). Car parking is available in Sapley Square which is a 5 minute walk away click here to view on the map in a new window. Start time 19:00 (7:00pm)
  • From 17th September runs will be at the St Ivo Centre, California Road, St Ives on a floodlit artificial surface. Start time at the St Ivo centre will always be 19:30 (7:30pm). click here to view on the map in a new window
  • The final session on 17th December will start at a meeting point yet to be confirmed, we’ll probably do our 40 minutes on street-lit pavements and celebrate your achievement of completing the programme with mince pies and festive drinks.

 

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 beginners membership using ClubPal, see the link below.

Once you have registered look at ClubPal’s calendar and book yourself on the Wednesday 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 5 updated 01/10/25):
Beginners Programme 2025 version 4