The #MileShyClub Return Date is...

Here it is... the announcement you've all been waiting for...

After consulting with our coaches we have decided that we will be making a return to sessions week commencing MONDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER (pop it in your diaries!).

We will be conducting a phased return, with sessions on Mon (Urmston), Tues/Thu (Sale) and Weds (Old Trafford).

This means we are holding back our sessions on Weds (Urmston) and Sunday (Sale) until we are confident everyone is COVID safe. There will be additional guidelines provided nearer the time for our runners to be aware of (which sounds rather ominous but we promise it won't be and we'll still have fun!)

To join a session, you will be required to pre-book online. Details of how to do this will be firstly emailed to our members, and then posted on our Facebook page and our website. To ensure you get onto the mailing list, complete our medical form here: www.mileshyclub.com/par-q

We appreciate this return might be a little later than you would have liked, however, we want to ensure that all the necessary precautions are in place and a solid coaching rota is up and running in time for September.

If you have any questions, as always drop us a line here or to our email hello@mileshyclub.com

Stay safe and keep running everyone, and fingers crossed* we see you all in September!

*our plans assume Government guidance doesn't change before then!

Superheroes of Sale

Hey it's Monday but that's no reason to be sad! Here's a feel good video to brighten your day! The #SuperheroesofSale movement was partly formed on the back of our fancy dress virtual relay runs, and has brought together lots of runners across the community who bring smiles and laughs to people within Trafford! There have been been so many memorable moments, and yesterday was definitely one of the best. Shout out to our #MileShy superheroes Gordy, Kath, Richard, David, Trish, Jane, Jill and Bronagh! Check out the video... and see if you can't smile! Have a great week! 

Our latest COVID update!

We know that lockdown is really hard for lots of us.

We have received lots of messages this week from people wanting to know when our sessions are going to be starting again.

We would love so much to say “we’re starting next week” but realistically, this would be an irresponsible decision because we can sometimes get over 70 people turning up to just one session. Imagine the impact if just one of those people were infected with COVID-19.

Presently, we are looking at possibly restarting our sessions in September when the schools go back. We think this is a realistic date when hopefully life will be getting back to normal for lots of us, assuming there is no second wave before then.

In the meantime, we are working on ways you can still run with us. Our virtual ‘Learn to Run’ live sessions have been popular and we would encourage you to check them out in the video section if you want to start running for the first time. https://www.facebook.com/pg/MileShyClub/videos/

For existing runners, we have been hosting a weekly virtual relay race which has been a lot of fun and a great way to stay motivated during lockdown. To get involved, check out the events page every Tuesday evening to join the latest relay run. https://www.facebook.com/pg/MileShyClub/events/

We are exploring other options - using a booking system for our sessions and/or no-contact warm ups and/or reduced numbers. After the Learn to Run sessions end this month, we are looking at Zoom sessions tailored for those who have just completed the Couch to 5k programme and other sessions to motivate, inspire and get our existing members of all abilities out running in a variety of ways!

We will continue to innovate and keep the #MileShy spirit alive – stay safe everyone and fingers crossed for September. 🤞

With love from the #MileShyClub

#MileShyClub HQ

Club Founder Jane Dennison talks to BBC Radio 5 Live

Tune in to BBC Radio 5 Live this evening at 17.20 when Coach Jane will be discussing the increased numbers of people starting Couch to 5k during lockdown and what to do after you've finished the programme! 

Learn to Run with the #MileShyClub - Online!

At a time when running clubs are not allowed to meet, some innovative ways to keep runners connected have emerged, from virtual relay races to Sale Superheroes pounding the streets!

Now you can get in on the action with the great news that the #MileShyClub are taking their “Couch to 5k” sessions online. The sessions start next week on the 1st June and are due to run for 8 weeks, taking place on Monday and Wednesday evenings at 6.30pm and Saturday’s at 9am. You can learn to run from the comfort of your own home, being taught appropriate warm ups, tips on technique and cool down stretches.

All sessions will be brought to you by #MileShyClub’s award-winning coach and Personal Trainer, Jane Dennison, and will take place via Facebook Live.

“It’s quite daunting to be delivering the sessions via Facebook Live,” says Jane, “But I am looking forward to the new challenge!”

Following the live broadcast, the sessions will be available to view at any time on the main Facebook page for the #MileShyClub found here.

There is a Q&A session this Saturday morning at 9am.

Sessions are free, but the #MileShyClub are kindly requesting that donations are made the Trafford Crisis Fund via the PayPal link set up by the club.

To contact the club, you can email them at hello@mileshyclub.com.

Coronavirus won't stop us!

So perhaps we’re being a little optimistic! Clearly, whilst we are in lockdown, we are not running together in groups and all our group sessions have been cancelled until further notice.

But all is not lost! Thanks to a few key members (Gordy, Jane and Bronagh in particular), we have been organising online virtual relay races! Individuals in their teams have been running or walking around their local area for 30 minutes, posting the proof online, then ‘tagging’ in the next person in their team to take over the imaginary baton!

Okay, so we know it sounds rather weird, but actually, it’s been a lot of fun and has oddly brought us all together more - we’ve even met new people! We have been asking participants to contribute a mere £2 (minimum) to take part and so far we’ve raised over £1,000 which has gone to directly benefit charities - the first week funds went to the NHS, the second week Wythenshawe Hospital, the third week The Trussell Trust (foodbank) and this week sees Cyril Flint benefit.

Furthermore, a few of our runners have become caped crusaders and have been running through their neighbourhoods in fancy dress, delighting children and adults alike with their wackiness. It’s pretty warm out there so hats off to those who are wearing the heavier costumes. We’ve been putting up a £20 prize for the person who has the best fancy dress and there have been some great entries!

To take part, just check out the events page on our Facebook page. A direct link to it is here.

One last thing to mention… whilst we might be apart physically, we are still together. Every day there is an online Zoom chat at 6.30pm which keeps us all connected, especially those of us who might live alone. Want to join in? Simply click on this link at 6.30pm to be connected - https://zoom.us/j/2267995896.

#MileShyClub launches 10k training sessions specifically for the Manchester 10k in May!

We are super excited to announce the launch of our 10k training sessions for the Manchester 10k on the 24 May 2020! Our sessions start on the 30th March 2020 and include a free training programme for all runners, as well as drop in training sessions - still just £2 pay as you go! To sign up, please complete the form here.

#MileShyClub Urmston expands session offering with additional two sessions!

We are excited to announce new changes to our fabulous Urmston group!

***Monday*** night session - as well as the beginner group and 5k improvers, we now have a 5-10k group! This group is being looked after separately by the lovely Dennis and Ian who are keen to support those runners (and we know there will be more!) who want to challenge themselves that bit further. Perfect for those wanting to run a 10k.

A new ***Wednesday*** night session!!! - it's true! Starting in March (4th), there will now be a new Wednesday evening session at 6.30pm, outside the Bird I'th Hand pub! Same place, same time, different day! This is an additional beginner and 5k improver session for those of you wanting to start running for the first time, or wanting to work to beat that 5k time.

All sessions are £2 pay-as-you-go, with qualified coaches teaching you the safest warm ups, correct technique, a variety of training plans and correct cool down stretches - all leading to = success.

All of this WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE without the support of our WONDERFUL volunteer coaches who are working together to make the Urmston group a very special place to be. Big shout out to Janette, Ian, Natalie, Pam, Dennis, Jane and Clare who are all committed to making you the best runner you can be. (And Ann who brings cake every so often!) Kudos!

Learning how to Be Mindful with the #MileShyClub

BE MINDFUL

Our first mental health event for 2020 falls under the theme of mindfulness. Do you get caught up by memories of the past and what happened, or do you fret about the future and where life is leading?

Mindfulness is a practice of appreciating the present moment. Many runners notice the finer detail of the every day - whether it's blossoming buds on a tree after a freezing winter, or the delight of spotting a heron in a local park, taking time out for yourself to reflect is crucial whether you're a runner or not.

As part of trying to be more mindful, the lovely Sophie from Red Sky Yoga will be leading a mindful and meditation session for us on the 21st April at 7.30pm at a venue in Sale (to be confirmed). We will be charging an optional donation of £3 to attend - all donations will go to MIND.

To find out more, check out our Facebook group page here https://www.facebook.com/groups/mileshyclub/ where details of the event will be posted.

The #MileShyClub receives funding from the Postcode Community Trust

Thanks to players from the People’s Postcode Lottery, we are delighted to announce that we have received funding from the Trust to further the work of our mental health team. The much needed funds will enable us to train our coaches and interested #MileShy members in the MHFA Mental First Aid course. This is a very important qualification for us as it provides us with the skills and experience to help as many people as possible. We will soon be announcing dates for the MHFA 2-day training… watch this space for all the details!