Ellie
I started running at school and from an early age remember how good it felt to be outside with just yourself and the elements.
My first athletics club at the age of 11 was with Winchester and I am now a member of Kent AC as well as being founder of Greenwich Runners in April 2006, the running group of Greenwich Park.
My love for running came from my Father who was a great advocate of sport and all that it entailed; feelings of achievement, feeling strong and invincible, being part of a group/team, camaraderie, support but ultimately the wonderful feeling you get when you have accomplished a new challenge, reached a once unobtainable PB or your first run after having a baby!
I became a running coach as I wanted others to experience all those feelings above. With coaching you come across runners with different goals and my philosophy is to help each individual reach their ambitions. It may be to run a 5K or to run a marathon in under 3 hours. All our goals are different and we can achieve the once thought unachievable with hard work, determination and believe. I love running, be it on road or mud, 400m or a marathon and wish to continue running and achieving the unachievable for as long as my body will allow. I believe in finding your own pace and reaching your own goals.
Happy Running!
Carly
5kms, 10kms, half marathons and marathons- I love them all. Running on the road, a muddy trail, with friends or just my own thoughts, I simply can’t get enough of it.
What started as a race entry on a whim at the end of 2008 has resulted in me diving head first in the world of running and opening up a can of running worms. There is something quite special about the running community and through my pursuit of PBs and new adventures, I have met an incredible array of individuals who never fail to make me smile, challenge and inspire me.
As the miles have clocked up and trainer addiction intensified, I have become more and more interested in what is the best way to run. Having gained my qualification as an England Athletics Assistant Coach and Barefoot Instructor, I have been fortunate enough to train and work with numerous athletes are various stages in their running careers that has enabled me to explore this.
Laura
As a coach I always aim to look at how we can refine our technique to make us stronger, faster and injury free runners. To be able to pass on what I have learnt to other runners, who in turn can then improve their performance and surpass their own expectations is an achievement that I love to share with them. There is no better feeling than crossing that finish line and reaching your goal.
?I ran my first 10K over 10 years ago and loved the race atmosphere, sense of achievement and camaraderie but thought any longer a distance was beyond me. However, I caught the running bug and since then have had the privilege of running the London Marathon twice for charity, a fantastic experience I would recommend to anyone, at whatever stage. I’ve really appreciated the huge variety of benefits running gives you physically, mentally and socially and now wouldn’t be without it!
I love that running is so inclusive, something almost everyone can do, whatever age, ability or life stage, and can be done wherever, whenever, all year round. I enjoy being outside, exploring new places on runs, or just catching up with friends whilst running.
I trained as a coach as I love encouraging others to run and want to share the benefits it’s given me. It’s brilliant to see people achieve things they never thought they could and encourage each other along the way. Although I do enjoy running alone, I think there is so much to be gained by being part of a group, understanding running technique, strategy and having others challenge you. Keep on running everyone!
Yasia
If someone had told me 10 years ago that in the future i would run a marathon, i would have laughed out loud and quite simply said that it was not possible, but here I am, with that marathon and a few others under my belt, part of this wonderful team of coaches helping other people believe that anything is possible. I joined the Greenwich Runners after my second child with a plan to get fit and meet new people and not only did i achieve both of these things but i caught the running bug in the process. I’ve always been sporty but long distance running was something rather alien to me as an adult. When i started i could barely run for longer than a few minutes but with determination and support I ran my first 5k in that first year and I’ve never looked back. I’ve now run all kinds of distances, in different terrains in a few different countries, often with wonderful people but I’m also happy to plug myself into some happy tunes and hit the streets to blow off the cobwebs and give myself some time to think. Running for me isn’t about times or speed, its about the challenge, and the enjoyment, the freedom it brings, and the achievements it gives. Im so proud and happy to now have trained as a Leader in Running Fitness so i can help and support new runners achieve their own goals going forward.