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A The
Running Sisters began about 19 years ago and
there are now Sisters’ running groups
scattered all over the country. The aim is
to provide a safe friendly, sociable
environment for women to run together to
keep fit.
A We meet
at the Mill End Community Centre in
Rickmansworth on Tuesday evenings at 7.30
p.m.
A Then
join our six week Beginners course which
starts on Day and Date(tba). It is
designed for women who can’t run for a bus
or even 25 yards to the
end of their
garden at the moment. But at the end of the
six week course you should be able to run
three miles …. really!
A If
you’ve enjoyed running you can keep running
with us on a regular basis on a Tuesday
evening throughout the year. Or join
another running club, or just run on
your own – whatever suits you.
A The
course costs £15 including tuition, a
training schedule and a Running Sisters
T-shirt when you complete the course.
A For
information on next Beginners’ Course or if
you can run over 3 miles regularly and wish
to join as a member, please e-mail
beginners@rickyrunningsisters.org.uk
for full details.
A We’ll
accept beginners to start in the second week
of a Beginners’ Course but not after that,
provided you have pre-registered and paid
for the Course.
A Of
course! This is a great group to join since
it is so friendly. You will find yourself
running alongside a wide variety of women
and chatting away as you go. It is very
sociable.
A
Absolutely not!!! We accept members from 16
upwards and we have a wide range of ages –
perhaps the majority of members are between
30 and 50 but there are many older and
younger ones. There are also a few who
started running at over 60 and our oldest
member is 81.
A Yes, In
fact you’ll probably find that you will lost
some weight when you start running, or
certainly that you will feel and look
trimmer. Running combined with dieting is
an excellent way to lose weight but, if in
doubt, or if you are very overweight, you
should check with your
doctor first.
A Some of
our members have asthma. They simply carry
an inhaler to be on the safe side, but it
doesn’t stop them
running. If in
doubt check with your doctor.
A A
sweatshirt or T-shirt and leggings, or track
suit bottoms, are fine. You'll also find
you probably need a sports
bra. In the
summer many women wear shorts and a cool
running vest but it is up to you. You’ll
want to buy some good running shoes
eventually but just wear trainers or similar
suitable shoes until you have decided
whether running is for you or not. In
winter or at night, also wear reflective
clothing for your own safety.
13 What if I can’t keep up with the others?
A We build
up so gradually that you’ll be fine. On the
first night we show you the “Sisters
Shuffle” in which you jog so slowly that you
could walk faster! Then we gradually build
up your speed and your stamina to the
promised three miles.
A You will
– honestly – providing you follow the
course, and because we’ll also ask you to do
‘homework’ twice a week to build up your
stamina. This will involve repeating more
or less what you have done on the Tuesday
nights.
A Running
isn’t for everyone. We know that. If,
after the first week or two of the course,
you find you aren’t enjoying it, let us know
and we will refund your course fee – no
problem and no questions asked.
A You can
enter our 5K Beginners’ Fun Run just to
prove to yourself that you really can run
that distance! It doesn’t matter when you
finish, everyone gets a medal and it’s lots
of fun. After that, if you feel you’d like
to keep up your new-found fitness and to
continue running, you can become a fully
fledged member of the Running Sisters.
A No. If
you can run three miles on your own or, if
you are already fit because you participate
regularly in some other active sport, then
you are welcome to join us at any time.
Most people
find that they
can run much further with a group than they
can alone. Just email us for more
information.
A That
depends on the season. In winter, we stick
to well-lit
roads and footpaths within about a three-to five
mile radius of Mill End. In summer, we will
also venture out onto the footpaths and
bridleways.
A A
After the Beginners’ Course we’ll usually
run for over three miles for those who want
to, but gradually we’ll bring in the choice
of a three, four, five or even six mile
run. These will take between 45 minutes and
an hour and a quarter to complete. So we
are generally back in the leisure centre
between 8.30 and 8.45 p.m. Beginners
certainly run very very slowly to start
with. More experienced runners usually
cover a mile in 10 to 12 minutes which is
comfortable for most people.
A Very
definitely, yes. The only weather that
stops us is snow and ice.
A Would
you attack a bunch of ten or twenty, or even
four, women? We think not! More to the
point, however, if anyone falls over or
twists an ankle, there is always a companion
available to call for help. The whole ethos
of the Running Sisters is to stick together
and look after each other so that no one
ever gets left behind. We operate a
‘peeling back’ system, so that if the head
of the crocodile gets too far ahead of the
tail, the front runners simply peel off and
run to the back, and so on, until we are
back in a tightish group again.
A No, not
at all. If you want to join the Sisters
after the Beginners’ Course, or indeed at
any time, then you can run with us three
times a week or three times a year. It is
entirely up t0 you.
Our annual
membership is just £15 per annum.
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