Complete Beginners Group

The next course will be 2nd April 2024

The course is designed for people to attend two days a week. However, this isn’t always possible so you can do the course by attending the day that suits your life best.

         Tuesday Session 2nd April         Thursday Session 4th April

If you are returning to running after an injury you may still be able to join the current course. email me on info@staffordharriers.co.uk so we can decide if this is the best course of action for you.

If you have done no (or very little) running and don’t think you can run, but really want to get started, the Club holds two complete beginners courses a year (April and September). If you are returning to running you may be able to join the current course please contact us so we can talk about what is best for you.

You’ll be encouraged to jog/walk,  jog/walk for gradually increasing distances along with others in the same condition as yourself. You’ll soon be jogging continuously and ready to face longer distances.

 

YOU CAN START PREPARING FOR IT BY ENSURING YOU DO 2 or 3 BRISK WALKS OF 20 – 30 MINUTES EACH PER WEEK.
DO THEM BRISK ENOUGH TO FEEL A SLIGHT EFFORT IN BREATHING AND PULSE, BUT NOT TOO HARD!

During the first few sessions there will be advice on buying the right footwear, so please don’t rush out and buy new shoes for the first session.

However, if you have nothing then we would advise going to a sports shop that has trained staff and a treadmill. They can then check the movement of your feet and ankles when you run (the technical term is Gait Analysis).

A local shop that do this is:-

Osteopathy Stafford Mammoth Sports Injuries Clinic (You will need an appointment please check the current cost. Milford – 01785 664228) http://www.osteopathystafford.co.uk

Please ring them before you travel.

Other places include by appointment only :-

Alpha Sports (Lichfield) alpharunning.co.uk  01543 410662

Running Form Shop (Burton) Running-form.co.uk  01283 563331

Running Bear (Alderley Edge) Book on line runningbear.co.uk  01625 582130

Your first session will consist of introductions, talk about our club, some basic rules, talk about the kit and then the first session. We will start by running and walking within the Cricket Club grounds. After about 4 weeks we will ask you to become a member of the Harriers.

If you have any questions please send me an email info@staffordharriers.co.uk

 

 

 

The group is open to anyone, if you have any medical history or you are unsure then please talk to your doctor before coming along.

WHERE

The group meets at the Cricket and Hockey Club at 6:15 pm each Tuesday and Thursday.  If you can only make it one day a week you can still join but we will ask you to make up the missing session.

COST

There is no charge for your first 4 weeks, after that, we will ask you to become a member @£30. Membership will last until the end of December 2023

BOOKING

As with all our training sessions, you must book a place for each session you want to attend.

 

 

 

 

 

The training plan

The group meets at the Cricket and Hockey Club at 6:15 pm each Tuesday and Thursday.  If you can only make one day a week you can still join but we will ask you to make up the missing session.

 

 

Week 1 Tuesday 2nd April
Thursday 4th April
Week 2 Tuesday 9th April
Thursday 11th April
Week 3 Tuesday 16th April
Thursday 18th April
Week 4 Tuesday 23rd April
Thursday 25th April
Week 5 Tuesday  30th April
Thursday 2nd May
Week 6 Tuesday 7th May
Thursday 9th May
Week 7 Tuesday 14th May
Thursday 16th May
Week 8 Tuesday 21st May
Thursday 23rd May
Week 9 Tuesday 28th May
Thursday 30th May
Week 10 Tuesday 4th June
Thursday 6th June
Week 11 Tuesday 11th June
Thursday 13th June
Week 12 Tuesday 18th June
Thursday 2oth June
Week 13 Tuesday 25th June
Thursday 27th June
Week 14 Tuesday 2nd July
Thursday 4th July

 

The last groups

 

Sept 2023 group started with 22 people
April 2023 group started with 17 people
Sept 2022 group started with 10 people
April 2022 group started with 8 people
No Sept due to Covid
May 2021 group started with 10 people
Sept 2020 group started with 25 people
April 2020 the event was cancelled due to Covid lockdown
The Sept 2019 group started with 9 people
The April 2019 group started with 11 people
The Sept 2018 group started with 23 people
The April 2018 group started with 15 people
The Sept 2017 group started with 16 people
The April 2017 group started with 21 people
The Sept 2016 group started with 18 people
The April 2016 group started with 24 people
The Sept 2015 group started with 37 people
The March 2015 group started with 18 people.
The Sept 2014 group started with 14 people.
The April 2014 group started with 38 people.

 

The training plan

To check the schedule or start it if you can’t make the beginning of the sessions open this document.

Downloadcomplete-beginners-training-plan

Sept 2023 Course

Some of the runners

April 2023 Course

September 2022 Course

April 2022 Course

Sept 2020 Course

April 2019 Course

 

The complete beginners group started 14th September 2015

 

 

 

Messages from previous people that have done the beginners course:-

“Back in September 2013 I saw that Stafford Harriers were starting a beginners session – I hadn’t run since I was a teenager and now at 34 weigh more than I used to. A friend who is a runner convinced me to try the beginners session. That was 18 weeks ago – I only knew 1 person and couldn’t run half a mile. I can now run 4.5 miles in 1 go and have many friends and the support of fellow beginners. I have lost about a stone since I started running and my health is great. I would recommend the beginners course to anyone who wants to start running but doesn’t think it is possible. Myself and many others are now running 3 times a week and can run between 4 and 5 miles – something we never thought possible. The support of the coaches, other runners and beginners has been amazing and continues to be the main thing helping drive me on – it is not to be underestimated. No matter how poor you think you may be at running everyone is always there to help you get to the finish of whatever run you may be doing. They will never leave you to run alone.”

 

 

Here are a group of past members of Complete Beginners – who ran the Race For Life at the County Showground BEFORE they finished our course:

 
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