RR Learn to Run 2016 – New Graduates!

Last Saturday 16 April 2016, saw the end of our first round of Learn to Run for this year and the first time ever our three groups met, ran and celebrated together. 

It was a lovely morning for a run – not too hot, not too cold. Everyone gathered at Deepwater Park, the site of our Milperra group and also the same place where Panania parkrun takes place (which I now also run). As things are a whole lot busier this year with the start up of parkrun, I decided that our 5km fun run would have to change to a ‘graduation’ run at the 5km Panania parkrun event, so all three of our groups from across Sydney met and ran this event together.

Dannii, Bel and Abbi, the run leaders from West Hoxton and St Peters, set off with our latest runners and helped get them through their first official non-stop 5km run, while I stayed at the halfway turn around (with my parkrun-event-director cap on) and cheered the runners through that point and across the finish line. As always there were PB’s left, right and centre and proud people aplenty! I always love seeing the determination on the new grads’ faces and their happiness at running the distance non-stop. It is such a great feeling to know that I have helped get these people to this point and that they are so proud of themselves.

After the run, we stayed around for breakfast and award presentations. Each group leader chose 2 runners from their locations to receive special prize packs from our generous supporters. Of course our free programs would not be as successful without the support of our fantastic sponsors. Many thanks goes out to them –

Brooks Running

SKINS

Women’s Running Australia

iMove Physiotherapy

Runlab

Alliance Real Estate

Striderm

Safe Lace

Fitube

A big congratulations to all of our graduates and another massive thank you to the run leaders and assistant run leaders who make this happen each week. Without all of you Rachel’s Runners would not be what it is today. Keep up the great work and remember that whatever you set your mind to, is what you can do. Dream, believe, achieve, don’t stop and never give up!

If you would like to join in the fun at one of our three Sydney locations. You can register your interest here on our Facebook page or send me an email with any questions – rachelsrunners@hotmail.com