Beginners Groups

Redway Runners hold regular beginners groups for new runners and those starting the running journey, or for those that are returning after a long break from running.

We have two types of course:

  • Physically meeting groups, with this group you meet each week with a Redway Runners run lead and complete the nine or ten week course graduating with a 5K. We usually start these courses in the New Year (January), Spring (after Easter) and Autumn (September).

 

  • Virtual course, with this course you work through the ten week course using the course delivered by You Tube and Podcasts plus the support of a special Facebook group, you can join this group at any time, once you have joined the club, sign into your Redway Runners Love Admin account, select ‘Events’ and find ‘Beginners Course – Virtual Course’ and sign up, all the details will be in the confirmation mail of booking.

We are starting seven new beginners groups from the 13 January 2024.

To ensure you get the latest information about our beginners’ courses, please sign up to our club newsletter

We do have gentle step up runs that could be ideal for new runners, details of this run click here

To sign up for a free course you need to join (membership for the year to 31 March 2025 is just £5), click here to join, then go to ‘Events’ tab on the on-line account you will create, if you are a member already, just sign in to your Redway Runners Love Admin account and go to ‘Events’ and find ‘Beginners Courses January 2024‘ then sign up to the course you want to start join.

NEXT COURSES START JANUARY 2024 – VIRTUAL COURSE IS ALSO AVAILABLE

The January 2024 courses will work to ‘Graduating’ at the free Milton Keynes 5K parkrun at 9am on Saturday 23 March 2024 (so keep this morning free when you book).

On Tuesday 13 February we will be holding an exclusive for Redway Runners members (& family) Open Evening at the Decathlon store in Milton Keynes from 8pm to 9pm, there will be a special beginners session at 7.30pm from the store entrance and during the open evening a chance to chat and ask any questions you have and shop with 10% discount, plus a chance to win raffle prizes, plus try on club kit for size before buying on-line, for more info click here

Latest date for ordering club standard kit for this graduation will be 25 February 2024.

 

About the beginner’s courses

These courses are for those who have not run before and want to start running. Our courses start at a very easy pace and build slowly each week culminating with a graduation parkrun at Milton Keynes parkrun.

If you are an existing runner and have previously completed a 5K run, choosing from our club run schedule would be a better option for you. Why not try out some runs in our Run Schedule.

You will need to be a member of Redway Runners to participate in our beginners’ course, annual membership is just £5 and can be completed online. Check out our Join page for all the details.

Feedback

We asked the beginners who started in with the September 2023 courses that Graduated in December 2023 what they thought about the course

  • Was great
  • I thought it was fantastic.
  • Hard to see how it could be better
  • I cannot think of anything that could improve this, it has been excellent throughout!
  • It was great as it was thank you
  • I thought it was great
  • Happy with the way it is
  • I can’t think of anything. Both Simon and Ana were so supportive and knowledgeable, the sessions were varied. I wasn’t able to attend them all but they were very clear with what to do if we couldn’t make a session and never made you feel bad. It was great. It has got me back into running after my confidence and motivation was at 0. So thank you.
  • No! Chrissie, Jane, Simon and Anna (I joined in with them too) were excellent and the club is so much better than my previous one! Inclusive, informative and well-run
  • The course was great
  • No improvements needed
  • Loved all of the course
  • The course was everything I needed to get started
  • Gareth and Simon are awesome
  • I thoroughly enjoyed my time and the run leaders were so supportive. I hope to start with a Step Up group once I am well. Thank you!

FAQs

The course runs for 10-weeks, and you’ll need to commit to attending each week and doing ‘extra’ sessions as homework. You’ll also commit to undertaking the free Milton Keynes parkrun for the final graduation run.

The club has an under 18s group with an experienced coach who will use age appropriate distances for under 16s wanting to run. If you do decide you would like to bring your under 16 to a beginners or run with the club please check that the run lead is happy to take them before the run.

Both people need to join and register in their own name, so we know who we have on our courses

Just register for the course that you will attend on for the first time, then we usually suggest that the other courses are available for homework sessions so you can get more than one run a week

It is always best to attend the first week as we cover a lot of general information about the course, but if you really cannot attend the first session still register for the first session, then come along week two and make sure you introduce yourself to the run leader before the start of the run

The first beginners course hosted by Redway Runners began on 21 Feb 2012. There have been many courses since then, hosted by a number of our run leads and on a range of different days, both during the daytime, weekends and in the evenings.

The course is aimed for those who haven’t run before or haven’t run for a while. If you are an existing runner and have previously completed a 5K run, our current runs would be better, have a look at our weekly runs.

You don’t need to be able to run at all before the course and it is suitable for almost anyone. You will work at your own pace and build up very gradually. Please note that there should be no medical reason which would make running dangerous for you and if in doubt please ask your GP before attending.

Everyone can run at their own pace, starting off with a warm up and then moving into a mixture of running and walking that will build up over the course

The sessions are usually measured over time rather than distance and the run/walk intervals build up following a plan to prepare you for the 5km parkrun at the end!

The course are 10 weeks, and about an hour each week. To get the most out of this course, you need to be able to set aside a couple more 1-hour sessions per week, but hopefully the running bug will last a lifetime!!

The course is free, but to take part you need to be a Redway Runners member, membership is just £5 and lasts to the 31 March

A pair of running trainers, some comfortable trousers, a drink and a stopwatch if you have one. If the weather is bad you will need appropriate clothing to keep you warm/dry.

For courses taking place in the evenings during October to February, you are strongly advised to have small torch or head torch.

Hopefully you will be able to complete the free Milton Keynes 5km parkrun that is held on a Saturday morning (at 9am by Willen Lake).

Find out more details on parkrun and how to register.  Remember to put your club as ‘Redway Runners’.

If you are not a member, you’ll first need to join Redway Runners, which you can do easily online.  Once you have an account, you’ll be able to access events in your online profile and book on to the beginners course you wish to book.

If you are already a member, login to your Redway Runners profile, select ‘Events’ and then book on the course you want.

If you would like any other information about the club, check out our About section or get in touch through the Contact page.

It is likely that your account is Non-active, if you drop us an email to rr@redwayrunners.com we can re-active it for you

At Redway Runners we like to share details of runs and progress being made so we will often take pictures, sometime videos, to share on our social media and newsletters.  If you do not want this then this course might not be right for you.

Still unsure you are ready?

It is natural to feel nervous, but why not read through the feedback from our autumn 2019 graduates, and the press release for the graduation group on March 2019.

Also, this video created by Steve Ashman showing our January 2019 beginners groups graduating at Milton Keynes parkrun, Saturday 30 March 2019!

This could be you!

Beginners Graduation in December 2023