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Help - How am I going to cope!!
SHADES
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I have now become an organiser for the Women's Running Network and I have my first group session tonight.
That's scary enough, but I wanted to start with a Beginner's night and ideally 4-5 peeps. Without advertising, all I did was mailshot 16 friends/ clients etc., the 3 who had previously shown an interest have not responded, but 7 of the others have said they'll turn up. So if they're all there, that's 10.
How am I going to cope?
I'm also having a group on Thursday nights which was aimed at those that could run a little (i.e. 5 mins) or more. Nobody has confirmed for that night, think I might be a Billy No Mates!!
That's scary enough, but I wanted to start with a Beginner's night and ideally 4-5 peeps. Without advertising, all I did was mailshot 16 friends/ clients etc., the 3 who had previously shown an interest have not responded, but 7 of the others have said they'll turn up. So if they're all there, that's 10.
How am I going to cope?
I'm also having a group on Thursday nights which was aimed at those that could run a little (i.e. 5 mins) or more. Nobody has confirmed for that night, think I might be a Billy No Mates!!
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Comments
I'm sure it will go well. I'm also sure that Thursday will be fine. Your group is bound to get seen by other runners or people who want to start running in a group. I hope you enjoy the run.
Just be careful if 3 others turn up - you'll have one person either side and one person feeling left out, so you'd have to rotate. Any other number would be fine.
Effie - why don't you become an WRN organiser too?
Last week I dreamt about my first WRN session, 18 peeps turned up, half of them were men, who flatly refused to go home and when we started to run, all of then ran off at incredible speed and left me - and that was the Beginner's Group!!
Surely it can't be as bad as that!!
Can only be a good thing.
Shades - best of luck. Wish we had network in our area.... maybe we have - I'd better check!
Het
Even if men arent competitive, women lacking in confidence often think they will be, so joining a mixed group is scary.
I do like my mixed club, but the blokes are very focussed on racing and times. They are very supportive to me and other slow beginners though, but I can understand why some women might much prefer a women only group.
In fact I'd probably run with a womens group if there was one round my way as well as my main club - but theres not, and I'm not up to organising. Well done though, Shades, I hope it goes well!
Wish I'd had something like your group when I first started running!
Good luck with the club.- It sounds like you're going to be really successful.-
It's not an equal world, if there were men only races we would take them to the European court or whatever. A few years ago a pub landlord in my town was taken to same court for refusing to serve a woman a pint, needless to say the woman won her case.
I actually like running with men, and have never felt intimidated in any way, but it does appear that the 'men' factor does put off women joining running clubs and entering races, and indeed just taking up running.
We have a Women's only 10k this weekend in Newton Abbot and lots of girls will run that who have maybe done only the Race for Life and are not in any running club. It would be agreat place for me to leaflet my group but as the 10k is organisd by my 1st claim club, it wouldn't be very sporting.
Thanks Lynne, I too, wish I had been able to join a similar club when I started. It is a real struggle to start on your own, you learn the hard way. But we did it!!
One organiser I know, set her group up first and then went on the course, but I found the course really useful and answered all my questions The WRN are always there to help with any problems etc., so I don't feel isolated in any way, and the WRN is affiliated to UK Athletics.
No pressure on you to have lots of peeps in your group. You decide when/where/how often you want to have sessions etc.
All the best with your group.
Effie
Hope it went well. Even if you motivate just one person you'll have been a success.
So 6 girls turned up, 4 who had never run before, 2 that had done a little. They were all much faster than I expected, and they didn't want to walk too much, and nobody seemed terribly out of breath, I think most of them do gym work so have some level of fitness. They wanted to go off road - probably the last time we can do this in the evening until Spring, so ended up doing 3.75 miles, though they were tired at the end, and I think they may be aching today.
The test will be if they ever come back!! I felt a bit school teacherish at the beginning because I had to go through all the safety issues before we started, but will only have to do that in full to new peeps in future.
Still Billy No Mates for Thursday's session, although one said she may come along.
All in all, it was much more enjoyable than I expected, and 3 of them stayed to have a drink in the pub.
So feeling more confident today, I'm off down the town to put up a couple of posters.
Running then pub ... what a great combination! They'll be back!
took my mobile in the car with me, but forgot to carry it with me on the run.
forgot to hand out the membership forms at the end of the run, but they had all signed the disclaimer prior to running,in case I ran them off the edge of a cliff.
talked too much, trying to spend some time with everybody, but I guess you wouln't normally have 6 new peeps every session - I realise now, you can't make people like running, you just have to be there to help and motivate them as far as you can, but running doesn't suit everybody.
Have just had another newbie confirm for next week, and another starting the week after.
Rach - have you checked to see if there is one?
Looking forward to Liz' group starting..
Tigger - I can't pin Liz down to a starting date, she did say you were going to run with them, but I guess that's on hold for a while due to your injury.
Looks like she may take up my offer of the Dublin entry..... so you may get to see her in Dubs!!