Hi, my name’s Emma and I would like to take this opportunity to urge anyone to pick themselves up and head along to jogscotland … obviously the Airdrie group is the best but then I’m biased!
For me, running was my New Year Resolution in January 2007. I’d heard about jogscotland and after enquiring when and where the group met I went along to my first session in the third week of January. Having done very little exercise for about 5 years I was very much a ‘Beginners 1’ candidate! That night we walked for a minute, and then jogged for a minute, for a total of 10 minutes. That was all it took….I was hooked! The leaders were all so friendly and encouraging and I enjoyed the blether with all the other girls.
Over the next few months I moved up through the groups and by July I was ready for the challenge of Intermediate 2. By this time I was running for 30-45 minutes and had been persuaded to enter the 10k Great Scottish Run in Glasgow in September. I’ll never forget meeting up with 4 of the other members at what seemed like the crack of dawn that Sunday morning in George Square and wondering ‘What on earth am I doing here?’ However with the encouragement of the other members, (special thanks to Debra for coaching me round the route!) I crossed the finishing line in 59mins 54secs and proudly wore my medal for the rest of the day! I was so chuffed with myself that very evening I entered the Loch Ness 10k and completed that one in October, this time finishing in 58 minutes.
By January 2008 I was in the advanced group and comfortably running continuously for an hour. A year ago I would never have thought that possible.
The results speak for themselves. jogscotland got me where I am today. I have no doubt that without the support of the leaders and the other members my New Year Resolution would have lasted until March at the latest! I have never been fitter or healthier in my life and I really do look forward to a Tuesday and Thursday night when I head along to the group and forget all the hassles of the day. However there’s no greater feeling in the world than coming home from a long run, having a hot shower and sitting down with a cool Gin and Tonic knowing I really do deserve it!
Emma MacKay
Hi, my name is Lorraine and I would like to tell you about how I joined jogscotland in January 2007, convinced I could never learn to jog and one year later have moved through the groups, now in the advanced class and can’t believe I can run for 60 minutes.
Before I started jogging, I went to all the usual keep fit classes and yoga every week. I was looking for another keep-fit class when someone told me how good jogscotland was. So encouraged by this (and in the mood for a challenge) along with my friend Karen we joined the Airdrie group on the 18th January 2007.
Starting in Beginners 1 (and not believing a minute could last for so long) we worked through the schedule week on week increasing the jogging time.
By week 4, I still wasn’t convinced that this schedule would have me jogging constantly for 10 minutes – I was wrong!
I still don’t know how they do it – but it works!
I have worked through every level taking advice from the jog leaders, listened to all their helpful tips and believed what they told me. I repeated Intermediate Level 2 twice, before I had the confidence to move onto Advanced.
The good thing about each group is each person is aiming for the same thing and we encourage one another – usually at the bottom of every hill to help us complete our run.
As well as making friends, I have got to know the hills of Airdrie very well!!
Donna (one of the coaches) knows everything there is to know about sports bras, so forget about Gok Wan and How To Look Good Naked, Donna knows how to look good running!
It’s amazing the things you find to talk about when you’re out with a group!
I don’t intend to take part in any races – but admire the commitment of people who do. I chose to do this to increase my level of fitness and it has, more so than any keep fit class.
The best part is you can go to the club every week, get the support to improve your running and enjoy the chatter and socialising – there have been a few parties.
jogscotland has also given me the confidence to go out on my own – outwith the club times – which I can easily fit around work and family commitments – even going at lunchtime – for a wee energy boost to set you up for the afternoon.
Three girls from my workplace have joined this year, after I convinced them they would love it – Vicky says she’s glad I ‘bossed’ her into it!! But she is also hooked now and it’s great hearing them all discuss how far they run and how amazed they are at their achievements.
So, I’m really glad jogscotland taught me how to ‘run’, helped me find all the hills in Airdrie and I just want to say to the three new girls from my workplace – I told you so!
Lorraine Goldie
Hi my name is Kate. I started jogscotland on the 8th of January 2008.
I started in Beginners 1 doing 30 secs jog/ 30 secs walk for 10 times. Then in week 3 I moved up to beginners 2 where i was jogging continuously for 10 minutes.
My challenge was to do the 6km Ladies race at Strathclyde Park on the 18th of March. Well my challenge was yesterday and the sun was shining for a change and i ran the race in 41 minutes.
Who would have believed 9 weeks ago i would be doing this well.
Thanks to all the jog leaders for their support in helping me achieve this.
We are now at week 10 and i am enjoying it more than ever and i will be back for more in the next block.
Kate McKennan