The Harwell Harriers' annual Beginners/Returning Runners Course wraps up in March, and what a fantastic twelve weeks it’s been!
Capped at just 30 places to ensure a welcoming and supportive environment, this year’s course saw an impressive 80% attendance rate. Life and injuries occasionally got in the way, as they do, but the commitment and enthusiasm from everyone involved never wavered.
Starting in the dark, chilly Wednesday evenings of January with just one-minute run intervals, our beginner runners laced up in wind, rain, and cold evenings. Fast forward to 8th March, and we had a fantastic turn out for our runners to complete Didcot parkrun – a full 5km! A huge milestone for anyone new to running and a moment of pride for both runners and our course leaders and volunteers alike.
The course didn't stop there. For those keen to keep going, we offered an extra three weeks of optional sessions, gradually building up to a club run of around four miles. Our final four mile run is next week.
We’re excited to welcome some of these brilliant new runners into the Harwell Harriers club as full members. More importantly, we hope everyone who took part has discovered the joy of running – for health, headspace, and the simple pleasure of putting one foot in front of the other.
To all our beginner runners: you've done something amazing. Wherever your running journey takes you next, we’ll be cheering you on.