Leamington women are proud to Run Like a Girl

A Leamington ladies' running club that has inspired at least 150 women to get fit with others is inviting beginners to join them.
Run Like a Girl runners at the Pump Room Gardens in Leamington.Run Like a Girl runners at the Pump Room Gardens in Leamington.
Run Like a Girl runners at the Pump Room Gardens in Leamington.

Run Like A Girl was set up by endurance runner Lauren Gregory and her friend Rebecca Chuman in July in a bid to encourage other women to set their own personal fitness goals.

Starting out with 22 ladies, the word spread and the numbers grew, so Lauren and Rebecca set up a beginners’ course - and by January, it was attracting more than 100 women.

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Mum-of-two Lauren, 37, said: “It was an incredible atmosphere and really brought to light just how women’s running is still very much on the rise.”

The club now has around 150 regular runners who attend both beginners’ and improvers’ sessions - and it has last week launched a new Thursday evening beginners’ course in association with Active South Leamington. Although the eight-week ‘couch to 5k’ programme has begun, any women who would like to join still can.

Lauren said: “We now have seven qualified running leaders and many of our members are now booking 10k and half marathon events. These are the same ladies who had previously never run before starting with us in July last year.

“The entire group is run by volunteers and there is an awful lot of work that goes on ‘behind the scenes’. We’re a great team and fast growing!”

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Lauren, who also works as a graphic designer, has completed several half and full marathons - and more recently, a 100km ultra marathon, while Rebecca caught the running bug after completing a ‘couch to 5k’ programme only a few years ago.

Every runner who completes the beginners’ course with Run Like A Girl receives a medal at the end. Lauren said: “It really is an incredible feeling to watch them all progress and ‘graduate’ after eight weeks of training with us.”

Places on Run Like A Girl’s beginners’ course must be booked and cost £12. After runners have completed the course, all sessions are free.

Times and locations of runs are posted on the club’s private Facebook page. To find out more and join, visit www.runlikeagirl.org.uk

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