In November 2018 I completed the Leader in Running Fitness course. I had completed a couch to 5k course earlier in the year but felt pressured to run a 5k every time I went out, and I felt a failure if I didn’t do a pace others would say was good. I’d decide “I’ll go for a run later”... which would turn into “never mind I will go tomorrow”. Needless to say, I rarely got out and struggled with breathing when I did.
The course changed all that, it made me realise I wasn’t on my own! That we all have battles stopping us from running and from enjoying it. That weekend I announced taster runs for a new club I decided to set up “Llangollen Running Club”. I announced ladies only runs and thought if I could just get 5 people to turn up and run with me, I’d have an excuse to get out each week. I couldn’t let them down!
I announced a coffee meeting for anyone interested, and 25 ladies turned up! I couldn’t believe it. But turning up for a coffee is easier than turning up to run. The first taster… I was terrified. What if nobody came. I’d have to run on my own! But I was used to that so it wasn’t the end of the world. But, one by one, ladies arrived! There was just over 20 of us that first night, and when we started properly in January we had as many as 36 one evening. 12 months on, we have almost 80 paid members, everyone has fun, goals have been SMASHED! 3 of us are running the London Marathon 2020, and I’ve burned 8kg of FAT since going on the course.
Running never changed my life. But becoming a run leader did.
Jen Coppock
“Jen is an inspiration, she has built this club over the last year and it now has new Run Leaders to grow and develop even more. They are community orientated and also currently working on hosting their own race in April 2020. Well done”
Eva Brewer, Run Wales Activator, North Wales