We have a fantastic group of run leaders within the club who support members to complete fun, safe and sometimes challenging routes. Run leaders each come from different running backgrounds, but each has completed a specialist training course to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to lead groups with confidence. Meet our run leaders in this blog series. Reason for joining Potters Trotters? I joined the club to meet new people.. I was new to Stoke-on-Trent and saw the club members running along the canal by my house. They looked like they were having fun, so I decided to get in touch and give it a go! Level of running when you joined? I had just completed a Couch to 5k course running on my own whilst listening to an app before I joined, so 3 miles was about my limit when I first started. Best thing about being a leader? Seeing the smiles on club member's faces when they achieve what previously seemed impossible - it might be running for 10 minutes without stopping, completing their first parkrun, achieving a personal best or crossing the finish line of the London Marathon. Potters Trotters Running Club in three words… Brave, inspirational, friends... Your best memory from Potter Trotters? As Club Chair, I was incredibly proud when we were named as England Athletic's Running Club of the Year for the West Midlands in 2017 - it was a fantastic recognition of everyone's hard work in creating an accessible, supportive and welcoming running club. As a runner, winning my group at the North Staffs Road Runners in 2013 and being named as Potters Trotter of the Year in 2016 for completing my first ultra marathon. Advice for ladies thinking about starting to run and join a club... You won't regret it... running has taken me to so many places and challenged me in so many different ways - I've run in the Olympic Stadium, completed over 200 parkruns, taken part in 3 ultramarathons and also run the London Marathon - if I've never joined those ladies on the canal, that might never have happened! Liz is also a qualified Coach in Running Fitness - she completed the course after being awarded a bursary by England Athletics to support women in coaching. A couple of weeks ago the opportunity of a ‘taster’ head torch run was made available to all members. Having not ran in the dark before I decided to give it a go – even if I was a little bit worried about 1. running in the pitch black 2. looking silly in a head torch. As the name suggests a head torch is essential. I didn’t have one so decided to borrow one from a friend (my Mum!) but they are relatively inexpensive and easy to find online or in outdoors shops. I’d also recommend a decent pair of supportive trainers as the ground can be uneven underfoot. We set off in a small group running in the nature reserve behind Staffs Uni. The route offered variety as we ran on grass, through woodland and on uneven ground. I noticed quite quickly that I had adapted my running style to get the most out of the run. I slowed down my pace and was looking down a lot more frequently to make sure I didn’t trip or fall. A decent head torch should give off enough light to see just ahead of your feet. Overall, I really enjoyed the run. I felt like it made running more of a team effort. We were communicating with each other much more to ensure everyone was safe and comfortable. It was also surprising to see how I and others were approaching hills when we couldn’t see them in the distance. Personally, I found the run much more of a challenging workout than my normal road running route. I would definitely recommend the session to anyone who fancied a change and a challenge. Things to remember -
We have a fantastic group of run leaders within the club who support members to complete fun, safe and sometimes challenging routes. Run leaders each come from different running backgrounds, but each has completed a specialist training course to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to lead groups with confidence. Meet our run leaders in this blog series. Reason for joining Potters Trotters? I joined the club because I did want to run by myself and because it Potters Trotter is a ladies only club. Level of running when you joined? Before joining the club I ran occasionally. Best thing about being a leader? The best thing about being a leader is watching how far our ladies have come. I feel proud to be part of a group who have helped so many ladies get where they want to be. Potters Trotters Running Club in three words… Motivational Proud Friendly Your best memory from Potter Trotters? When I was recognised by my fellow Trotters to win an award for completing my first half marathon when I had turned 60! We have a fantastic group of run leaders within the club who support members to complete fun, safe and sometimes challenging routes. Run leaders come from different running backgrounds, but each has completed a specialist training course to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to lead groups with confidence. Meet our run leaders in this blog series. Reason for joining Potters Trotters? I first became interested in running about seven years ago and fell in love with the Potters ‘Arf (yes really!), which led me to complete long distance runs and entering races. I decided to join Potters Trotters to meet others who enjoyed running like I did, to make new friends and to improve my running. Level of running when you joined? Before joining the club I had ran 5k and 10k races, as well as the Potters ‘Arf. Best thing about being a leader? To hopefully inspire others and encourage. It is so rewarding when you see members complete their first race or run their furthest distance without stopping. This makes me immensely proud! Potters Trotters Running Club in three words… Positive, encouraging, inspiring! Your best memory from Potter Trotters? Running the London Marathon for the club in 2016 and seeing the lovely ladies cheering and supporting at mile 24! I rarely cry, but that made me feel SO emotional! I have been lucky enough to have been allocated a place for 2019 through the ballot! Also the Lyme Park night run! One of my favourite and most hilarious memories! Darkness + headtorches + falling in the mud = hilarity!! Advice for ladies thinking about starting to run and join a club... Running with a club has definitely improved my running and encouraged me to run a wide range of races, which is great. The main reason why I would advise anyone to join a club however, is because of the amazing people that you can meet in the process! I have honestly met some of the loveliest people through running and am blessed to call the Potters Trotters my dear friends. As the temperate will soon start to drop and the dark nights become more apparent, we need to ensure that steps are followed to ensure great running, but most importantly, SAFE running: What to wear Dressing appropriately for the weather conditions will help ensure you enjoy your run. Consider wearing lightweight layers of breathable clothing, known as the layer system. The layer system works well for keeping you warm and any layer can be removed as conditions change during your run. When choosing your layers, remember your body heats up during exercise. You should be slightly cool when you start your run. For example, depending on the weather, a layer system could consist of: 1. A base layer: the first layer, such as a breathable synthetic fabric to draw the sweat away from your skin. 2. A mid layer: such as a fleece to keep the warmth in and remove any moisture from the base layer. 3. An outer layer: such as a light water-resistant jacket: to expel moisture and protect you from the wind and rain. Use any zips and air vents to help regulate your body temperature to stay comfortable during your run. Avoid running in cotton tops. Cotton soaks up moisture and takes time to dry and may make you feel cold. A pair of leggings or running tights underneath a pair of shorts, or some tracksuit bottoms will keep your legs warm. A pair of gloves and a hat or fleece headband are a good idea to stop you losing heat from your head and hands. Stay safe – be seen When running after dark, it's essential that you're visible to other people, particularly motorists. Your clothes should be reflective or a bright, light colour, such as white or fluorescent yellow. Don't wear dark clothes as drivers may not see you. Most good running brands make clothes that feature reflective strips (as do Aldi!). A fluorescent bib that can be worn over your running clothes is also perfect for running after dark. Remember to stick to well-lit areas and avoid running anywhere you don't feel completely safe. Warm up and cool down Easing into your run is a good way to warm-up, especially in cold weather. Start slowly with some very gentle running or even walking to ready the muscles for exercise. Then gradually increase your pace until, after around 10 minutes, you get to the pace you're going to maintain for most of the run. Don't stop after your warm-up to stretch. That will cool your muscles down again. To cool down, reduce your pace or walk for five to ten minutes. This will help your body recover after your run. Don't stop and stretch outside or you could get too cold. Do some stretches indoors instead. Running with a cold or asthma Colds are more common in winter, but you don't necessarily have to stop running if you're feeling under the weather. According to Dr Keith Hopcroft, a GP from Basildon in Essex, use common sense and listen to your body. "If your symptoms are not severe and you generally feel OK, then you can go running. If you feel absolutely rotten, then it's best not to go." However, it's important not to run if you have a fever. A fever is when your body's temperature is 38C (100.4F) or above and is rarely a symptom of a cold. "If you run with a fever," says Dr Hopcroft, "It'll make you feel worse. In very rare cases, running with a fever can lead to the virus affecting your heart, which can be dangerous." If you have asthma, take extra care when running in winter as cold air can trigger symptoms. Dr Hopcroft recommends using your inhaler before you go running and taking it with you when you run. Staying motivated Continue to run in groups and arrange meet-ups / weekend runs. Please share on Facebook. (Information from https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/safe-running-in-winter/ ) By Charlotte Rowley.
What do you get if you combine a lot of laughter, a sprinkle of encouragement and a frosting of lots and lots of pink? … The Potters Trotters Parkrun take-over of course! On Saturday 15th September a group of our lovely ladies met at Hanley Park to ensure that the morning was full of support and energy for the runners taking part. Several members of the Potters Trotters took their positions – whether it be marshalling, scanning barcodes at the finish, assisting in the café or simply just adding lots of cheers and whoopings of encouragement, our club members were raring to go! Their energy highlighted the special nature of Parkrun and exemplified how events like this are fuelled by volunteers. Giving up time at a weekend is invaluable and means such a lot to people running. Without the positivity, energy and the efforts of the volunteers at Parkrun it simply would not be able to go ahead. The best thing is that the volunteers are passionate about helping. Our Potters Trotters ladies had the following to say: Jen Henshall: I really enjoyed volunteering today. It’s the first time I’ve volunteered at a Parkrun and it felt amazing. Seeing people suddenly smile when they come across you because they were struggling and just needed a pick me up is something I can really relate to! My partner (and dog) completed their first park run today too so it was extra special! Linda Shefford: I would say that the main advantage of volunteering at Parkrun is that it allows us to see how everyone has to work hard, whether they complete the run in fifteen minutes or over an hour, it is still an achievement. Also, iIlove to see the children's little faces, some of them are fantastic. To add to that, it is a brilliant social event where everyone is welcome, all runners are grateful to volunteers and the post run cafe in the church is where we can meet people and chat (and of course eat cake!). Everyone should have the opportunity to volunteer at park run, we just love it. Laura Sea: I loved volunteering today and it was great to get to know members of the club and have a giggle! I really love our Potters Trotters group – I am so glad that me and my sister joined when we did and having the chance to volunteer is like I was giving something back to the group. I loved seeing people running – all different abilities, ages and styles of running and it gave some perspective that not everybody is a natural runner or finds it easy, but we all keep going doing our best which is definitely good enough. Melody Morris: I just love Parkrun – both running and volunteering because of all the amazing people that make it happen every week and the runners that turn up to be part of this great free community run every Saturday morning. Michelle Bourne: I love running at Hanley Parkrun because it’s tough and makes me feel like I’ve worked really hard and it gets those little endorphins going! I like to get involved with Potters Trotters take overs at Parkrun because it brings us all together as a group and I love the camaraderie. Also it makes you realise how many people get out of bed early on a Saturday morning. It’s so popular! Sue Rushton: I love volunteering at Parkrun (and it’s much easier than running it!). You're giving your time which is so important in this busy life that we all lead. I think the biggest thank you should go to Liz and her team who week after week deliver this great event. That is one big commitment and should be applauded. Another successful Parkrun and another successful take-over! The commitment and from the helpers is always massively appreciated. I am of course a little biased, but well done and thanks to our amazing Potters Trotters! |
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