For this week’s Friday Focus we take a look at Run Newport.
Our Hannah (me who’s writing this week!) went to visit Run Newport as part of the Clwb Run Wales group partnering initiative on a dark, frosty Thursday evening after months of rescheduling due to that C word!
On this particular Thursday the group were meeting at Usk Way (which is a path that runs for part of the river) at the Castle Bingo car park.
The group meet at different locations and always concentrate on a structured session which is suitable for an absolute beginner or more hardy, experienced runner. Paula, one of the organisers of the group told me they liked to ‘mix it up!’
New members of any ability are always welcome and this was made apparent immediately by the warm welcome the groups organisers and leaders gave anyone looking a bit nervous!
That weeks session, I was told by a coach, was to be an initial ‘chatty warm up’ run followed by a mile time trial, which initially sounded terrifying, but after I listened in to the brief that the newbies were given, I was slightly devastated I hadn’t brought my trainers!
After the chatty warm up the mile time trial began and it was so organised and simple it would actually put parkrun to shame… so you know that’s saying something!! (And obviously I say this with my tongue in cheek because parkrun is superbly brilliant!)
Paula told me that they like to organise a ‘as much pressure as you want’ time trial at the beginning of every new block of sessions so anyone trying to improve pace can keep an eye on their stats and anyone who just fancies plodding a mile can do so! Such a simple but effective session!
The group ended the session with an Indian file run and a cool down stretch.
There were lots of happy, breathless runners and a very inspired Participation Officer.
Run Newport meet on Mondays and Thursdays and if you’d like more information you can follow the Facebook page on https://m.facebook.com/RUNNewport-633639770066184/
Or search Run Newport on our group finder and drop them an email!