Somerset teachers to be sponsored to take pupils running

Linda, co-founder of Start Running Stay Running and Nancy, children and young people strategic manager at the Somerset Activity and Sports Partnership (SASP) are inviting secondary school tutors to join them in their mission to introduce running to teenagers.

#5Kmyway is encouraging newbie runner teachers to join the Coached to 5K programme with a team of pupils.

SASP will sponsor 20 teachers on the Coached to 5K programme starting at the end of January.

Each participant will encourage 10 students to take on the challenge with them.

Linda said: " The mission behind #5kmyway is for teachers and pupils alike to feel the benefits of running.

"Allowing themselves time away from the classroom, taking in the fresh air and working towards a goal together will not only bring mental and physical health benefits, but also help to build relationships that might ordinarily not have happened.”

Emmie Kay, head run coach at Start Running Stay Running, will work with the teachers and students.

She said: "Running is what makes me get up in the morning, running is my thing and I am looking forward to helping others realise that it can be their thing too.”

Nancy said: "Going into 2022, we are keen to get more young people involved in exercise and particularly running to benefit from the physical and mental benefits it brings.

"Going through years 10 and 11 can be particularly stressful, and we know that #5kmyway will make a huge difference, providing that much needed thinking time away from the revision and laptops.”

If you are a secondary school teacher in Somerset and would like to apply for the January 5K programme ‘Coached to 5K’ as part of the #5Kmyway initiative, you can contact Linda Meek on info@startrunningstayrunning.co.uk for more details.

If you would like to know more about being ‘coached’ to 5k in the January cohort, visit www.startrunningstayrunning.co.uk