BBC East Power of Sport Award - winner's profile: Running Sisters
Running Sisters has won the
2009 BBC Power of Sport Award, supported by Sport England, for
the East.
Running Sisters, based in Southend-on-Sea,
started in February 2008 and is a six week progressive running
course for beginners who would like to run in a safe and friendly
environment. The course is open to 16+ year old women and is
led by female, qualified and encouraging instructors.
The course is designed to help participants
week by week with longer running times so that they can run
continually for 20 minutes by the end of the programme. The
sessions take place in two of the local parks in Southend-on-Sea.
It’s somewhere where women can keep fit and socialise without the
worry of being a beginner. Running Sisters strives to get people
into running that have never participated before or who have not
run for several years. 12 Running Sisters courses have taken place
in the last year - involving 230 participants. Out of the 230
participants, 205 were complete beginners or had not run for some
time.
The project, which is run by Southend-on-Sea
Borough Council, has proven to be a very sociable environment for
the women, highlighted by the fact that participants regularly meet
up together to run between sessions and have also continued after
the six weeks.
Due to the success of the beginners courses
and the drive to continue running, intermediate courses have been
introduced as a progression and a way to keep people taking part
regularly. Many of the participants of the beginner’s courses have
now progressed to an intermediate course, have joined a club or
regularly run with others.
There are a number of great examples of
Running Sisters having a positive impact locally. In 2008, a women
who had never run before joined the beginners course. She quickly
progressed on to the intermediate course and became an inspiration
to other. She ran three or more times a week, progressing her
fitness and the distance she was running each time. She now runs
10k at least once a week and took part in the Brighton 10k this
year – completing it in under an hour.
The Running Sisters organisers plan to
continue with the six week course. In addition, they are now
working in partnership with Run in England to start up a number of
Run in England groups in Southend. These groups will provide
participants with the opportunity to take part after they have
completed a Running Sisters course.
For more information on the project, visit
Southend-on-Sea Borough
Council’s website and search for ‘running sisters’.
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