Stilton Striders to showcase club at Melton parkrun

One of the Striders’ England Athletics-qualified coaches, Clive Kent, will be there on Saturday and at Melton Running Club on Monday, along with various club members to provide information about what they offer new runners.

The club will shall also be out in numbers assisting the Junior parkrun on Sunday.

The Striders are launching a new eight-week programme to help new runners progress from the parkrun’s 5k distance on to 10k, and begins on Wednesday, September 25.

They will be structured sessions, focussing on technique, endurance, injury avoidance as well as fluid and food intake.

Spaces are limited and available on a first-come first-served basis via the club’s website www.stiltonstriders.co.uk

Also coming up this month is the Striders’ new race, the Bison Bash, a four-and-a-half-mile off-road event on Sunday, September 29 from Old Dalby. Entries are open at Onlineraceentry.co.uk

The Striders were founded in 1982, and currently have 126 adult members, about half of whom run for health and fitness, and the other in races across the country, as well as two leagues.

They run in a wide range of other races on road, cross country, trail and fell, including endurance races across the country and sometimes overseas.

The seniors section has two coaches, who can provide individual training advice, and several Run Leaders, all qualified through England Athletics.

From autumn to spring they hold sessions across three nights each week.

Wednesday is a five to eight-mile run on set routes around Melton, technical coached sessions are provided on Thursdays to improve stamina and running techniques, and Fridays are reserved for social group runs.

Sessions start from Melton Sports Village at 7pm, meeting a few minutes beforehand in the reception of the leisure centre.

The club offers the first three sessions as free tasters before potential new members are asked to join, paying an annual fee of £30.

The Striders also run a junior section for children of all abilities aged between eight and 17.

Autumn and winter junior training nights, run by qualified coaches and run leaders, are held twice weekly.

There are a free outdoor sessions on Tuesdays, meeting at 6.15pm outside Argos, and Thursdays they meet at 6pm at the Defence Animal Centre for an indoor session with a small charge.

For further information on the juniors and attending for the first time, email Di Underwood at [email protected]