We cannot wait to see you all!
A massive warm welcome awaits all our new participants for our next Couch to 5K, Sport Walking, Social and Progression Run Groups!
We will be meeting on the main car park which is accessed from the traffic lights on Preston Old Road. Car parking on this car park is charged at 60p per visit. The machines accept cards but be early as the car park fills quickly.
The postcode for sat nav is BB2 2TP
Once you arrive on the car park it will be very obvious where we are located.
Register
If you haven’t registered yet, you can complete your registration here.
Teams
You can view all our teams at the foot of this page.
Allocating you to your Group
In relation to teams and participants, we will allocate you to your group on Monday evening down at the park.
If you’re not going to be there for the first session, just come and see John or Rick when you do come down and we’ll allocate you to your group.
This programme is very different from others and we’re going to try and ensure that the splits are even across the groups.
To achieve this, the order of the groups leaving the park for all sessions is as follows: –
- Sport Walking
- 5k Social Runners
- 5k to 10k Progression Group
- C25K groups 1-6
NOTE: We will try and place you with your preferred Run Leader. However, we need to ensure that there is an equal balance of numbers across all our groups, so we ask that you work with us on this and respect where you are allocated.
Please remember, that although you may have an affiliation with a particular leader, you will soon build a similar, if not better one, with another – they’re all pretty amazing 😊
Each Session
If you can all try and be in the compound where we meet by 6:45pm it would be a huge help, Groups will start leaving the park at 7PM prompt each evening. Remember, it’s going to be busy, the car parks will be full and there will be queues for the parking meters (60p)
Sport Walking, C25K and Progression Run Plans
The sessions for each week are at https://mycouchto5k.co.uk/
Couch to 5K
If you feel that you will need additional support you should come forward to be placed in Group 6. There are extra Run Leaders and Volunteers in this team to ensure that you’re fully supported.
Groups 1-5 will then be made up of people with mixed ability. We find these groups work best and an incredible bond will be formed between you all – lifelong friendships will be made! In summary we don’t have fast and slow groups on this programme, we have an additional support group and five other groups of mixed ability.
We are also asking you to supplement your two runs on this program with a 60 minute brisk walk each week, in your own time. You must ensure that you do this to increase your chances of successfully completing the plan.
Hi Visibility Clothing
It’s that time of year when we must now insist that all our participants at Blackburn Couch to 5K wear some high visibility clothing for every session. It is with massive regret, but we will have to turn people away that don’t have any.
High-visibility clothing, or hi-vis as its better known, is a form of protective clothing that’s made from fluorescent material with reflective tape or shapes added for extra visibility. It’s used to make the wearer more visible to those around them.
The reason we must insist now, is because it will be dark by 7pm on the latter weeks of the program. It’s good practice to start plans such as this one with everybody wearing the correct clothing.
Why we must insist on hi-vis clothing..
The benefits of reflective running vests may be blindingly obvious; the main prerogative of hi vis clothing is, of course, safety. By making yourself more visible to motorists and cyclists, the possibility of incidents can be minimised.
Regardless of the environment you are running or walking in, whether it be next to a main road, a country lane or a quiet neighbourhood, high visibility should still be a priority. When running in a more rural environment, you may be more exposed to dark roads with tight bends and unlit tracks, but the same risks apply when running in busier urban areas, as they often consist of low-lit streets and shadowed pavements.
At Blackburn Couch to 5K, our passion for getting out there doesn’t have to stop just because the nights are drawing in and the temperature is getting lower – and that is where reflective running vests come in.
You can buy hi-vis from bargain stores and pound shops. If you want a branded one with your name on, we can supply you with one from our shop.
Extra Info
Bring your own drinks bottle, wear appropriate clothing and footwear, never train on an injury and remember that everybody involved with Blackburn Couch to 5K gives their time for free, so you can enjoy it for free. Please be respectful to your Leaders and Volunteers at all times.
Finally
There’s loads more information on our website, have a really good look around 😊
The Teams
Event Coordinators
- Rick Wilson (Mondays)
- John Clucas (Thursdays)
Couch to 5K (C25K)
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Run/walk leaders are solely responsible for ensuring that cover is provided in their absence. You will liaise with your co-run leaders and volunteers to ensure that the group runs each session. This is the responsibility of the role. In the event that you can’t organise cover, after you have exhausted all avenues, then the group coordinators should be notified.
Group 1 – C25K
- Craig Greenhalgh
- Hayley Duckworth
- Emma Frith
- Diane Bonnick
- VOLUNTEER VACANCY
- VOLUNTEER VACANCY
Group 2 – C25K
- Debbie Schofield
- Michaela Douglas
- Jo Burtonwood
- Katie Hindle
- Lynda Barker (to mid Oct)
- Judith Barnes (from 4th session)
- Sharon Whalley (from 4th session)
- Lorraine Almond
Group 3 – C25K
- Nigel Dixon
- Kerrie Hession
- Terence Kennedy
- Tom Steele
- Tracy Griffin
- Michael Chambers
Group 4 – C25K
- Lindsay Walsh
- Lea Mellody
- James Lucas
- Denise Sykes
- Ruth Brough
- Nicola Murphy
Group 5 – C25K
- Russell Taylor
- Ashley King
- Damian Wickham
- Nicola Mccumskay
- Carol Kirby
Group 6 – C25K
- Deborah Clucas
- Natalie Chatterton
- Mandy Long
- Anne Murphy
- Sarah Cullen
- Alison Hartland
Social Running
Social Run Group – 3 miles each session with stops.
This is a no pressure fun and very friendly group. It doesn’t matter what pace you run at in this group, you will be very well looked after by our incredible and very experienced run leaders and volunteers.
- Nicola Preston
- Stuart Clark
- Suzanne Ferrandino
- Diane Harrison- Leeming
- VOLUNTEER VACANCY
5K to 10K Progression
5K to 10K Progression – Build yourself up from running 5km to 10km.
This group will be of very mixed ability (nobody whatsoever will be too fast or too slow) and it caters for everybody. The only pre-requisite is that your starting point is that you are able to run for a 3 mile distance. It honestly doesn’t matter how fast or slow you can cover it. The leaders and volunteers have a similar mixed ability and are very experienced in not only progressing you to the 10K distance, but also in making sure that every session is fun, enjoyable and extremely rewarding!
- Jason Brown
- Joanne Brown
- Linzi Moorcroft
- Julie Marsden
- Kate Pomfret
- Amanda Orr (every other week)
Sportwalking
All-inclusive Sport Walking group
- Lee Kiernan
- Emma Allan
Do you have time to help lead or volunteer at Blackburn Couch to 5K?
Apply now
If you can help please complete the quick application form at this link.