Stokesley – new year, new hub!

Stokesley – new year, new hub!

We are very excited to announce a Couch to 5k programme and speed intervals in Stokesley, the first steps in establishing our Stokesley hub. This will mirror our Bedale hub and ultimately provide the same range of activities as we do from the established Bedale venues. The new Couch to 5k programme is starting on Tuesday January 19th. This is suitable for complete beginners or those returning from injury, and will be run both in-person (meeting outside our good friends Let's Run in College Square) and virtually (using our pioneering Zoom-based system). We have found that running these sessions virtually not only allows us to carry on even if the strictest lockdown restrictions are imposed, but also allows you to join in from a little further afield or if you prefer to start out on your own rather than in a group. This C25K programme will be led by Caroline Horton, who we are delighted to welcome to the club. Caroline is...
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Quick guide to common stretches

Having trouble remembering the correct position for our post-run stretches? Fear not - here's a quick guide! If both feet are on the ground, they should be parallel / pointing in the same direction - check that back foot: is it pointing in the same direction as the front one?Feet should be flat on the floor for all stretches belowHold each stretch for a maximum of 15 seconds to prevent the stretch becoming an exercise Place front foot so that there is a full foot-length between the feetKeep front leg straight (and front toes on the ground)Bend back leg at knee until knees are more-or-less levelPivot forward at hip until the stretch is felt in the hamstring of the straight leg Stand on one foot, with a slight bend in the knee of the leg you are standing onHold the other foot above the laces (e.g. at the ankle)Raise the ankle up to the bum (or as close as it will go)With an...
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What’s all the “PE” about?

You might have seen some of our athletes adding the letters 'PE' and a number at the end of their Strava run names. Wondering what that's all about? Well read on! An important part of any training plan or program is to manage the training 'load'. Load is a measure of the total amount and intensity of training over a period - usually a week. Load matters for two key reasons: For a training plan to be progressive, we would usually look to increase the load steadily for three weeks before dropping it back (a 'recovery/rest' week) and then building up again. This pattern allows the particular areas of fitness being focused on to be developed. Research shows (see reference 1 below) that spikes in load - i.e. a week with significantly higher load than the preceding weeks) can increase the risk of injury very significantly. Therefore it is important for us to be aware of our loadings and ensure we aren't creating...
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