YOU’VE demolished the last of the USA biscuits, there’s barely a Bounty left in the box of Celebrations and you don’t want to see another turkey and ham dinner for 12 months.
But despite the best of intentions to get back on the straight and narrow in January, it can be hard to know where to start when it comes to putting your best foot forward in fitness in 2019.
But fear not, as Born To Run Tralee Marathon Club is launching its free “Couch to 5k” programme for beginner runners on Tuesday 15 January.
With sessions taking place every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings at 6.30pm at the Aquadome carpark, participants will start their training with a gentle walk-jog and gradually work their way up to running 30 minutes without stopping with the help of a team of mentors, who have completed the programme themselves previously.
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By following this schedule, they will be on track to complete their first full 5k in March, and will also have the option to continue to train to 10k, half marathon, marathon and even ultra-marathon level if they wish with the support of the club.
They will also have the opportunity to take part in a number of other events that Born To Run will be supporting throughout the year, including a planned trip to the UK to take part in the Milton Keynes running festival in May, as well as the club’s own sell-out 40 Mile Ultra Marathon in July, with its popular team relay option.
In addition, members can benefit from subsidised fitness classes, such as strength and conditioning and interval training, which are run in collaboration with local gyms throughout the year.
As well as helping people to set new fitness goals, however, Born To Run Tralee Marathon Club is also known for its social side and sense of camaraderie, as is evident by its motto that “nobody gets left behind.”
“I think the fact that most of our members started out on the ‘Couch to 5k’ programme means that we understand what it’s like to be a beginner and how daunting it can be to even turn up to training on the first night,” acknowledges club PRO Maria Moynihan.
“However, it is definitely worth making the effort. It’s not just about running 5k; it’s about making new friends and getting the chance to achieve things you might never have thought possible. Most importantly, we don’t take ourselves too seriously; for instance, we always have tea, coffee and treats every Tuesday evening after our run at the now famous ‘Dashboard Diner’.
“So if you have always thought you might like to run a 5k one day, but did not have a clue where to start, we would love to welcome you to our club and do all that we can to help you achieve your goal.”
New runners are encouraged to come to the Aquadome car park before training commences at 6.30pm on Tuesday 15 January in order to fill in a registration form.
No previous running experience is required, though participants are encouraged to wear a comfortable pair of runners and a high-vis vest for safety.
For further information, you can follow “Born To Run Tralee Marathon Club” on Facebook or visit their website on https://borntorun.ie/