Resilient Runners is a series of blogs about the brilliant ideas that our running community have been coming up with to keep each other going in these unprecedented times . . .
Just Run PenyBont are a successful social running group in Bridgend. Born in September 2018 when Emma Marshall, Jamie and Stephne Puddy decided to form the group, they’ve gone from strength to strength and 2020 has been a successful start to the year. In March they were awarded winners of the Bridgend CBC Making a Difference Inspire Category, as well as being featured on the S4C Heno programme.
They are very active on Facebook and Twitter and as with many Run Wales groups, social interaction is as much a focus as the running itself. This has never been so important as in the last few weeks, since group running has been curtailed due to social distancing.
Run Leader Emma got in touch with Sharon Leech to tell her what activities the Club have been doing.
“We’ve had lots going on at Just Run Penybont- some examples below
– #passthebaton – a virtual baton being passed around. Each day at the end of someone’s run they nominate another person to take it the next day.
“I must admit, I didn’t fancy it tonight but I was nominated by Jon & Emma to carry the baton, so it had to be done. I ran just over 5K and feel much better for it! I’m passing the baton on to Paul for tomorrow’s run!”
– uploading selfies and routes at the end of the run
– weekly mental health / how you doing posts
– sharing home exercise
– find pictures of rainbows and share on group page
– sharing podcasts
– sharing books
– daily picture quiz
– live Facebook quiz
-bingo session on zoom
Next month we have challenges set for our normal running days with a theme, such as go for a run and take a selfie…with a sheep, a Church or a red front door in the background. Also create a new junior parkrun route or find a good hill to run up, run as much as you can and then go back next month to try and beat it.”
Lots of great ideas here which I’m sure other groups will enjoy sharing too. Well done all, stay safe and keep training.
