Beyond Couch to 5K

We are down to our last room now on our Trails and Vines holiday in Bergerac 7-14th May. It can be set up as a twin or double for 1 or 2 people.

What’s covered? In a nutshell…almost EVERYTHING!
For 7 nights nearly all-inclusive, this running holiday is £850 per person.
Included in this holiday are:
🚕 Internal Transfers (we are doing a 2:30/3pm pick up from Bordeaux on the 7th, 11am drop off on the 14th. Flexible with Bergerac transfers)
🏡 Fantastic accommodation based on 2 sharing (single occupancy supplement available)
🏃‍♂️ Guided runs and training sessions with professional coaches
🧘‍♀️ Optional Yoga, Pilates and Strength and Conditioning sessions
🍷 In-house wine tasting
🥂 At least 2 local winery visits with tastings
🥗 Homemade breakfast, lunch & dinners (apart from 2 dinners at local restaurants)
🍾 Quality local wine with dinner
Full details - https://trailsandvines.co.uk/project/bergerac-may-2022/

3 great sessions for you this week!

Fitness Pilates - continuing our focus on Abs, Back and Glutes tomorrow to improve core strength and stability, helping reduce injuries and back pain.

Strength & Conditioning - full body interval session tomorrow to help make you a stronger, faster and more efficient runner! Great session for non runners too!

HIIT - Get those endorphins pumping! 20 seconds bursts of work with 10 seconds rest. Mix of cardio and strength, full body workout 💪

Hope to see you this week :)

https://beyondcouchto5k.com/exercise-classes/

***Online Classes Update***
March will be the last month of weekly live classes!

I started Beyond Couch to 5K during the first lockdown when my running holiday company came to a standstill. The aim was to create something which helped runners (and myself!) stay motivated and connected when we couldn’t run together. I didn’t imagine that in the space of 2 years dozens of runners would have completed the programmes and I would be offering a timetable of online classes! Seeing the improvement of so many runners and class attendees has been amazing, I love teaching and have got to know so many great people.

As life moves to the “new normal”, I am having to make difficult decisions on what to prioritise. My Trails and Vines running holidays are starting up again in Europe (wooo!!) and other work demands have increased, making it increasingly difficult to offer a regular timetable of classes to you.

I am still figuring out exactly how Beyond Couch to 5K is going to look going forward. I will still offer great online content including self-guided running programmes, more on-demand classes, and some live online workshops/classes when I can.

March will be the last month with a weekly timetable, after that there will be a handful of live classes/workshops each month. So make sure you get booked onto classes this month, use up those credits! If you have credits left over at the end of the month you can use them on the one off sessions or drop me an email as we can arrange a refund for those you don't use up.

Thanks for your support and joining these classes! Hope to see you on zoom soon.

Norfolk based people - watch this space I am hoping to offer some face-face classes and events over the summer!

https://beyondcouchto5k.com/exercise-classes/ #/events

Having the most amazing time back in France, prepping for future Trails and Vines holidays! ⁣
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Tomorrow's classes are on as normal (as long as the rural French WiFi keeps behaving!)⁣
Fitness Pilates 7:30-8:15⁣
Strength & Stretch 18:15-19:00⁣

As I had to postpone yesterday's classes, we have 3 classes over the next few days!

Stay safe from the storm tomorrow and join me for Fitness Pilates, HIIT or maybe even both!!

beyondcouchto5k.com/exercise-classes

Doing your stretches but still feeling tight and sore between runs?

Holding a stretch for less than 90 seconds means we aren't stretching into our ligaments, tendons or fascia (deep connective tissue).

Tomorrow I will be taking you through Yin Yoga postures which we will hold for 2-3 minutes to target these areas. Additionally, by holding the poses for longer we will stimulate Hyaluronic acid which attracts water, helping the body tissues stay hydrated, lubricated, and spring-like, enabling your body to endure tension, pressure, and stress more efficiently.

Yin Poses can greatly improve your running, helping your body handle the impact of running, aid recovery and improve flexibility and mobility.

I know it is really hard for us runners to slow down enough to hold a pose for up to 3 minutes, but your body and mind will feel great for it afterwards. Really excited to share it with you!

https://beyondcouchto5k.com/exercise-classes/ #/events/2123818

Such a great way to start the morning!

Fitness Pilates every Monday and Friday 7:30-8:15am. It always sets us up for the day and personally I've seen a HUGE difference in my core strength and hip stability.

Tomorrow is a full body session with a focus on hips! We've got great glute, ab and lower back strengthening exercises plus lots of hip opening stretches. Stronger and more mobile hips improves our overall posture and mobility!

Hope to see some of you in the morning, I'm looking forward to doing the session from a different location!!

Book here: https://beyondcouchto5k.com/exercise-classes/ #/events/1891898

Great Cross Country race this afternoon with Aylsham Runners! ⁣
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Joining a running club was not what I expected it to be. I thought it was only for "fast" runners, that I would be at the back on my own and everyone took it super serious. I was so wrong! ⁣
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Running with a club is so much fun, I've met so many great people, it has helped me improve my running and pushed me out of my comfort zone to do new things (I swore I would never run another cross country when I left school!!)⁣
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If you're debating joining a club, go give it a try! What is the worst that can happen vs what could you gain??⁣

I can't believe it is almost February!!

With a new month comes a new Class Schedule which includes 4 classes a week PLUS recordings PLUS 3 workshops this month!

Members can access EVERYTHING for just £25, that is less than £1.50 per class!! Or you can PAYG from £4 per session.

Resistance band workshop Wednesday 2nd February
This Wednesday at 18:15-19:00 I will be holding a resistance band workshop to introduce you to the benefits of training with bands. You can join live and/or receive the recording for just £4.50!

If you would like to sign up for membership you can transfer £25 via PayPal (PayPal.Me/BeyondC25K) or message me to pay via card/bank transfer.

Strengthening exercises are vital for all runners as they help us stay injury free, as well as run more efficiently and therefore faster! When we run, we land with 2-3 times our bodyweight through each leg, so we need strong muscles which are functioning properly to handle that impact.

You don’t need any equipment to get started, and you don’t have to spend loads of time either. For those of you short on time, I have created a 10 minute routine to help get you started!

Check it out and see if you can do it twice over the next week, let me know how it goes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3dl8SIV7EM&ab_channel=BeyondCouchto5K

First race without a watch/run tracker!!⁣
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I ditched training with a watch/strava 10 days ago and have been running entirely on feel for every session since - speed, tempo, easy, long - and have been loving it! But today when I realised I had to do a cross country race watchless I was so nervous!⁣
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I was worried that I would go too fast and crash, that I would run slower than normal, that I wouldn't know what to do basically 😅 but guess what none of that happened! In fact I ran faster and enjoyed far more than the last 2 cross country races!! No clock watching, just listening to my body and adjusting the pace accordingly and taking in the beautiful scenery! ⁣
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I think I could get used to this watchless running...⁣

Finished Week 1 of my 6-Week Faster 5K programme yesterday with a tempo run in Seville! ⁣
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So great to be back in Spain and practice our Spanish again (we thought we had totally lost it, but after a few hours it started to come back!) The food and wine in Seville is INSANE, the city is beautiful, and running through the streets and along the river in the winter sunshine was so lovely 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️⁣
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Now back to Inglaterra and on to week 2!⁣
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Well done to all the runners on the programme, you're doing awesome 💪⁣

Traded my tempo run for a cuppa!⁣
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I had planned to do a tempo run after my morning pilates class but I've scrapped it and decided to have a cuppa instead.⁣
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Why? Because I can feel my body and muscles are too fatigued after a lot of training this week for a tempo run to be beneficial today. I won't be able to hit the pace I want to in order to get the most out of the session, I will only make myself more tired for future sessions, and I may risk injury (feeling a lot of tightness in my ankle at the mo due to ankle roll a few weeks ago).⁣
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As I am trying to run and exercise more intuitively (working with my body, not against it) I am not going to drag myself onto the trails just because it was in my plan for today, I will rest today and save the tempo for a day when I can give it my best! ⁣
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I hope this is a reminder for you to listen to you body when it is clearly telling you to rest. Overtraining does not deliver results, it only sets you back!⁣

Any of you runners out there incorporate Yoga into your schedule?⁣⁣
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If not, I strongly recommend giving it a try! ⁣⁣
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Last year I completed my training to be a Freestyle Fitness Yoga instructor as I knew it would be hugely beneficial to me and the runners I coach. ⁣⁣I was not wrong! My glutes, thighs and core are so much stronger PLUS my flexibility and hip mobility is hugely improved (plenty of room for improvement!).
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FFY mixes traditional yoga postures with fitness principles in order to endorse strength, stability and improve flexibility and mobility. It is such a fantastic all round class! If you think it is just stretching, you need to think again, I can assure you that you will be challenged in the best way.
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I've added a 45 minute class to my timetable - Wednesday @ 6:15-7pm. If you want to see how it can benefit you, come give it a try for free, that includes those of you who do my other classes but haven't tried Freestyle Fitness Yoga yet! ⁣⁣
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Just drop me a message/comment if you want to give it a try this evening at 6:15pm 🧘‍♀️⁣⁣

Excited and nervous to start the 6-Week Improver's Programme tomorrow!!⁣
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This one is a little different for me as not only am I coaching the programme I will also be following it alongside the runners.⁣
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I haven't followed a structured plan for about 10 months so I am really looking forward to it as I find the structure of a plan helps me enjoy my running more at this time of year. Plus I'm hoping to get back towards my 5K PB! I set a benchmark 5K yesterday and am aiming to take ~30 seconds off it in 6 weeks 😬⁣
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The reason I'm nervous is because I am ditching my Garmen and Strava for the whole 6 weeks! I want to tune into to my body and run intuitively, not fixate on what the watch says as I think this can hold us back at times and can take the joy of of running for me. I will be listening to my body and running 'hard' when I need to and really keeping it 'easy' when the plan says to run easy! ⁣
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I'm really intrigued to see how intuitive running works for me and I can't wait to see how all the other runners progress over the next 6 weeks. We've got this team 💪 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️⁣

After 20 miles on the bike plus lunchtime HIIT, I can't wait for Freestyle Fitness Yoga tonight!!

This is the most amazing session for body and mind. We will start with Sun Salutations, then flow through yoga postures to improve glute and thigh strength as well as hip mobility, before finishing with some deep stretches to improve flexibilty.

If you haven't tried my classes before you are welcome to come and try for FREE!

https://beyondcouchto5k.com/exercise-classes/ #/events/1892035

Merry Christmas from Mr and Mrs Clause, plus Rudolph!! ⁣
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Hope you have a day of making memories and creating new traditions. I think we've found our new tradition!! ⁣

We kicked off the morning (post-pilates) with our weekly team run!⁣
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Mondays are the only days Chris and I (oh and Nigel) get to run together as he is just too quick for me!! Chris uses it as his recovery run, I use it as my tempo run, and Nigel just has the best time!⁣
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Today we headed to so I could include hills in my tempo session, something I'm trying to do more of. ⁣
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Hands up, who maps out routes to avoid as many hills as possible?!⁣
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🤚I usually avoid hills unless I am doing a specific hill session, BUT I'm changing that!⁣
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Yes hills are hard and they slow us down so it is harder/sometimes impossible to hit our tempo pace but it doesn't matter what the watch says!! ⁣
Hills are so great for technique, strength and improving fitness, so as long as the effort feels like tempo (only being able to talk in short sentences/comfortably uncomfortable!!) it doesn't matter what your watch says! When you head back to the flat terrain it will feel so much easier, you will be able to run faster with less effort!!⁣
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I challenge you to push yourself out of your comfort zone and stop avoiding all the hills! Your running will really benefit from it, plus the views are worth the extra effort! ⛰ 🏃‍♀️⁣

Final 3 classes of 2021 coming up this week!!

Monday 7:30-8:15am Fitness Pilates
Monday 18:30-19:15 Strength & Conditioning

Wednesday 12:30-13:00 HIIT

Yes, you can expect some festive tunes!!

Book your class on the website or drop me a message if you want to try your first class for free!

beyondcouchto5k.com/exercise-classes/