This Girl Can! Liverpool Waterfront Couch to 5K

 My name is Marianne and I am the Group Leader! I run with the Dockside Runners and I am a fully qualified and insured Coach in Running Fitness with England Athletics. I am also qualified Fitness Instructor, PT and Exercise Referral Specialist. 

This running group is a beginners couch to 5k that runs in cycles of 10 weeks. The programme has been funded by This Girl Can and is a women's only running group. 

It culminates in a  timed 'graduation' 5k along the waterfront where you will be awarded with a specially designed medal for completing the programme!

The week after this group run you will also be invited to run or volunteer at one of the local parkruns  (free weekly timed 5ks held up and down the country at a variety of locations).  We will be running at Princes parkrun and you will be invited to celebrate your accomplishments afterwards at a post-run breakfast! 

The first 10 week programme commences in January with the second starting in April.

Couch to 5k works because it starts with a mix of running and walking to gradually build up your fitness and stamina.  I know it works because it is what I used myself to start running in 2017 when I could barely run for a bus!

The first 9 weeks follows the NHS C25K training plan. You will complete 3 runs per week : 1 supervised run with me each week as well as the 2 independent runs included on the plan. 

You can view the format of the NHS  programme here. You might also want  to download it as an app to listen to on your independent runs: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/couch-to-5k-week-by-week/

Each session with me will last around 45 mins to 1 hour and will include a warm up and cool down. 

I will be running 2-3 sessions a week.  1 on a Wednesday night at 615pm and 2  on a Sunday morning at 10 or 11am.  If you find these sessions are fully booked then keep checking back as I will additional sessions on both days if demand requires it. 

Each session has a capacity for 20 Runners and the idea is that you commit to the same timeslot and day each week to ensure continuity of delivery. This will also help you to get to know other people within your group and perhaps buddy up others on your independent runs!

The default meet point for the runs is at the Museum of Liverpool facing Mann Island however there will be some weeks where we will need to use the area by the Echo Arena or the Malmaison to train.  I will let you know in advance where this is the case. 

Please click on the 'View Our Group Runs' button below to sign up. Once you have signed up you will receive an email from me 1 week before the programme is due to start with further info.

If you have any other questions about the programme in the meantime please get in touch by emailing me at athenasmelody@aol.com