Filming the warm-up demo

I became a runner more through trial and error than through a sensible approach to the sport. It’s no surprise, then, that I picked up a few injuries in those first few months.

A few years down the line, now a qualified running coach and personal trainer, I help beginner runners take their first running steps and avoid making the same mistakes that I did. Through my running groups I’ve helped more that 200 women start or return to running.

I tell my runners in the first week of my beginners’ groups that, although they’ve come with the goal of running 5k, my goal for them is a bit different. I want them to love running and to carry on doing it long after they stop running with me. And nothing makes me happier than going for a run on Hampstead Heath and bumping into people who’ve graduated from the group and carried on running.

0-5k training pack

Earlier this year I set about making the programme I developed for my running groups available to a wider group of people. I know that not everyone can make it to North London once a week to run with me, and I wanted to make something that would give those people some of the benefits of the group, wherever they are.

My 0-5k pack is now available. As well as a training plan and 24 pages of information, tips and tactics and motivation for starting and keeping running, it also contains three videos to guide the user through a warm-up, cool down and a simple strength workout.

I tested it on my sister, who used the plan back at the start of the year to train for her first 5k. She’s gone on to do a 10k and a half marathon since. Mission accomplished.

If you’ve tried starting running in the past and not got on with it, or you’ve wanted to start for a while now, give it a go. And if you know someone who needs a helping hand with starting out as a runner, send them my way.

More details on the 0-5k pack.