There’s a phenomenon sweeping Kent as thousands of people are getting out running.

Run Kent, is part of the National Run England programme which aims to get more people running, and running more often in the County.

We recently caught up with the local Run Kent Activator, Lucy Tomlinson, to find out more.

So Lucy, why Running?

Well there are many reasons why everyone should give running a go.  Ask any runner why they run and they’ll probably say one of the following: it’s convenient, it keeps me fit, it helps me lose/maintain weight, it makes me feel great, it’s my ‘me-time’, it’s fun, it’s friendly, it’s social, it works!  Running is a sport that can be done anywhere at any time. It welcomes all ages, shapes, sizes and abilities.  It’s cheap compared to many other activities out there but it also compliments other team sports keeping you fit for the season ahead.  Running is great for overall fitness, for losing weight, for maintaining a healthy heart, for stress relief and for improving your general health and wellbeing.  Running is also very social and can bring whole communities together.

So where should we start?

Well this may sound strange but don’t start with running!  If you’re new to this form of exercise, you should start with a walk-jog programme. By increasing the time spent jogging and decreasing the time spent walking over a number of weeks, you’ll soon discover you’ve become a runner.  The problem many people have with running is that they go off too fast too soon and their body and mind, go into shock!  The erratic breathing and the pain that people feel when they do this at the start can put them off forever.  The answer is to slow down and take your time.  Just let your body and your mind adjust to what you’re doing, the ‘I-hate-this’ feeling will eventually pass (I promise!) and you’ll soon start to love it.

But running on your own can be quite boring?

I agree!  Research has shown that we’re more likely to stick with a new exercise regime if we do it with other people and this is never more true than with running.  When you take up running, it really helps if you can do it with someone else.  Here in Kent, we’re really lucky to have lots of beginner friendly running groups that welcome all abilities and all ages.  Set up with the help of the Run Kent programme, all the Group sessions are led by qualified Run Leaders and since 2012, they’ve helped over 5,000 people take up running in the county.   All these new runners, including the Run Leaders themselves, have a story to tell and I know they’d all say ‘If I can do it, then anyone can!’.

So where do we find these groups?

Any running group in Kent that is led by a qualified and fully insured leader will be listed on the Run England website: www.runengland.org  but anyone who’s interested in joining their local group, can also just get in touch with me at [email protected] and I’ll link them up with their local Run Leader.

Once we’ve started running, what then?

To keep you motivated and to keep you coming back for more, I’d recommend that you set yourself a realistic goal to aim for. That goal can be anything from a 5k parkrun, a Race4Life event, a 10k race through to half marathon or even full marathon.  Many of our local running groups offer Couch to 5k courses for beginners and they usually finish off with the whole group completing a local parkrun event.  It really brings the whole group together and gives them a common goal to aim for, whilst allowing people to run at their own pace.  For those runners that want to push themselves that bit further, many Groups  in Kent also cater for the more experienced runners and offer 10k, half marathon and marathon sessions.   We’re really spoilt for choice when it comes to running events and races in Kent so once you’ve achieved that first event/goal, there’s always another one to keep you coming back for more!

You mentioned parkrun, what is that?

parkrun is a community led event which takes place every Saturday morning at 9am at various locations across the county.  We currently have 13 of these free timed events in Kent with 3 more in the pipeline.  The great thing about parkrun is that anyone can just turn up to walk/jog/run the 5k distance.  All you have to do is register for free online at www.parkrun.org.uk/register and then bring your personal barcode to the event.  At the end, your barcode is scanned and you get a personal 5k time.  The other great thing about parkrun is that it’s not a race.  It’s just you against the clock and it’s an opportunity for anyone to have a go, however old or young, whatever their size, shape, running ability.  Every event has a fantastic friendly atmosphere and they really do bring a whole community together.  And parkrun isn’t just for runners!  If you really don’t want to walk/jog/run your local parkrun, then you can always volunteer at the event to find out what it’s all about.  Be warned though, many volunteers soon feel the pull of parkrun and you’ll be walking/jogging/running the event before you know it!

So is running really the way forward?

Absolutely! Running really does change people’s lives.  If you can walk, then you can run.  With the right frame of mind and some help from your local running group, anyone can give running a go.  So grab those trainers, join your local group or go along to your local parkrun and find out for yourself why so many people are taking up running in Kent.

To learn more about running in Kent, watch the following video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dT0FakgxSwc