Here at Regency Runners we have been encouraging ladies to take the first steps in their running journey for over six years. Many have discovered a love for running and set their own goals whether that be running Park Run 5k every Saturday or setting their sights on a marathon. Equally, many run with us for the mere love of running, to stay fit and socialize. Some even run to remain sane and have a bit of ‘me time’ if they have a young family or a stressful job.
Whatever your reasons for running, we’ll support you along the way. And if you’ve lost your running mojo or, indeed, want to find it, if you’ve never run before, we have organised a new 10-week session just for you starting at 7pm on Thursday 22nd September. By the end of it, you’ll be able to run 5k! Download the poster for more details and email us with any enquiries.
The course itself costs £25 but this is redeemable against your £35 lifetime membership fee when you join us once the course ends.
The Two Castles is one of our favourite 10k runs, despite the inclines! There was a great turnout from RR members, both running and supporting en route. Here are some of the comments from our runners:
It was so lovely to see familiar faces before the race and knowing some of you had nerves helped me at the start. I really enjoyed the run even the hills!!! I ran/walked it and was so chuffed that I wasn’t taken out by the marshall for being too slow!!!!!!!!! It was so amazing to have my mum and dad and two daughters and, of course, Olivia at the finish line with huge high fives and even bigger hugs. A huge thank you to everyone at RR, and I do mean everyone. The support from those that run on a Thursday means so much but it’s really lovely that runners I don’t run with give support as well. Thank you to all the leaders who have supported and encouraged me and had so much patience with me!! I couldn’t have done it with out you and, as always, a HUGE shout out to my personal trainer Liv for everything. Anne
Anne was awesome! I loved it (although I thought I might not finish and cried twice thanks to the pain from my broken toe). Olivia
Further proof today of the difference it makes being part of Regency Runners – the shared nerves at the start, the company all the way round (which definitely kept me going, thanks Tanya!), and the great support on the course and from afar. It was a PB for me (on any course), which I definitely wouldn’t have done on my own! Thanks ladies xx Rebecca
My plan was to run with you (Rebecca) to start and then let you go on one of the hills when I ran out of steam but I managed to keep up. And I think it may be a PB for that run! Yay! Thank you. Feeling good x Tanya
Not a 10k PB but over two minutes quicker than I’ve run Two Castles before. I think it’s because I have somehow learnt to run up hills. Bryony
It was a Two Castles PB for me too! Tina
Very pleased with my 10k PB! And I agree Lina, they were only fairly small inclines really! Thanks so much to Elaine who I ran alongside for quite a few miles. Never dreamt for a moment when I first watched this race in the 1990s that one day I’d run it myself. Thanks so much to everyone at RR! Xx Annie
Have a look at the photos of this and other recent events in our Members’ Photos
Endure24 was a great weekend away and the friendliest 24hr event I have ever done. If anyone fancies running in a team then I would highly recommend this event. It’s not too far away, you can run as a solo, or as a relay … so in a pair (2 in a team), a small team (max 5 in a team) or a large team (max 8 in a team). Obviously there is a possibility you will have to run at night, but this event is on a private estate and the whole course remains marshalled with radios, and with a good head torch it’s actually a really calm and peaceful experience. There are loads of other runners out too and the solos really appreciate the company.
It’s just like going to Glastonbury but with a running theme.
Everyone you see smiles and talks to you like you’ve always known them. You’ll probably never see them again but you’ll know where their parents met and what their favourite drink is!
You come away with a new admiration for people who give up their time to marshal and volunteer. And come and empty the toilets.
Your head will become clearer than a crisp autumn morning and you’ll come away feeling like you’ve been in therapy!
The camaraderie between team mates and crew is special; like a promise that will never be forgotten.
You get to eat ALL the food.
Never does an ordinary cup of tea taste sooooooooooooooooooooo good!
You can trade food for toilet roll 🙂
You get to walk up hills without feeling like a failure.
You get to run super slow. And it’s perfectly acceptable!
You become an expert in head torches.
You’ll understand why nail varnish was invented. (You may lose a toenail. Or two).
You witness some incredible human beings doing some incredible things.
And then you realise that yes, they are incredible, but they are just that. Human.
I’ve been flirting with the idea of doing an off-road race for awhile. I love the idea of running in the countryside rather than along the roads so thought it was about time I swapped the tarmac for the trail.
A few other ladies from Regency Runners had entered the Ragley Off Road 10k, which was taking place at nearby Ragley Hall, so I decided I’d tag along. I was a bit disappointed, however, to discover that the organisers had changed the route to two laps. I do hate laps.
Registration went really smoothly, which was a surprise as a number of triathlons were taking place at the same time. I have to say I felt chilly just watching the swimmers take to the lake. Anyway, after a number of loo stops (why is is that before a race you think that your bladder has gone into overdrive?), the runners congregated on the lawn outside the tent that had been erected for registration and we were trooped off to the start line. It was a very relaxed atmosphere really and there were so few runners. It felt like a couple hundred.
We were still chatting when the horn blew and I hadn’t even warmed up. I decided not to go mad with this race. I had a baby a year ago and realised that I was wholly under prepared to run a 10k race on the road, never mind off it.
We ran across the grass towards a wood. It was really beautiful running along the woodland path – that is when you managed to look up and not have your eyes constantly on your feet. Out the woods, there was a bit of tarmac before a scramble up to Ragley Hall on gravel. Gravel – what a bloody nightmare, and up a hill. I thought at one point I was running on the spot. Then the route took us round the gardens and through the stables and past the ice house and onto thick, long grass. At this stage I was feeling so strong and keeping up with a fellow Regency Runner Rebecca. I had no idea where this energy was coming from but I was going with it!
But then when we started the second lap, I began to flag. I probably went off to fast. I had to let Rebecca go as I just couldn’t keep up with her. I did end up walking some of the hills although it made me feel a bit better afterwards when Rebbeca’s Strava informed her that we’d done 366ft of climbing. Saying that, while I was puffed out, there were triathletes that were storming past me having just swum in a lake and done a mega cycle!
I have to say, I was really pleased when I saw the finish line in sight. I crossed it in just over 57 minutes. Not my fastest 10k by a long shot but the most scenic and once I caught my breath, I decided that I’ll be back next year to smash that time. Bring on the trails!
Back in July 2015 we were approached by Sport Relief to ask if we would host the local event – the Warwick Mile – for March 2016 (the council had recommended Regency Runners to Sport Relief). Of course we said yes, then it was a big step into the unknown for us!
I chose St Nicholas Park as it seemed perfect, having a ready made mile loop and is easily accessible. We undertook a few chilly site walks, planning where everything would go as well as some panics along the way, with the odd sleepless night, to bring everything together.
I became a regular on social media with daily posts and Tweets to local media. The other leaders were somewhat concerned about my addiction to monitoring the numbers signed up (it was not on an hourly basis, honestly!). As the publicity continued to gain momentum, we were approached by BBC Coventry and Warwickshire for someone to go on the radio. Helen bravely stepped up to the mark and it turns out she is a natural on the radio! Although she told us she was shaking, it really didn’t show.
On the day all our hard work came together and the Warwick Mile was absolutely amazing. 339 Runners, which was amazing as I had been asked to set target number back in July so pulled 350 out of thin air. Regency Runners’ fantastic members turned out to marshal and cheer on the runners, sell cakes, help set up and clear away, always with a smile. The music and MC Todd added to the fantastic atmosphere. The Mayor and her dog joined in the warm up! We had serious runners, people doing the distance for the first time and walkers. Some in fancy dress too! Lina brought a smile to the runners’ faces by motivating and running in with them at the end.
Can’t wait till June when we find out the total raised by all the runners for some very worthy causes.
We were contacted by Sport Relief to thank all at Regency Runners and to say how impressed they are by the numbers we got on the day for first time organisers. Oh, and they would like us to do it in 2018!
Ann Crawshaw
The conversation started ‘we have been approached by Sport Relief and asked if we would host the event in 2016 ……..’ I went cold. To say paperwork is my weak point is somewhat of an understatement and this event would generate plenty of it. However the strength of the Regency Runners team is that we are a team and others took on the paperwork while I wrestled with annotating the course map.
The choice of venue was obvious. A pre-measured mile around St. Nicholas Park. We are all for an easy life and things were made easier still by the generosity of the Leisure Centre in loaning us tables and the use of their electricity.
We promoted the event on social media, through local running groups and we even took over Park Run one week to get the message out. Helen was fabulous at letting folks know how to sign up on BBC Coventry and Warwickshire radio. Tina hysterically kept us up to date with the number of runners signed up (not quite hourly!) but this provided a great opportunity to tease her.
As a way of including the community, I approached the 9th Warwick (Emscote) Beavers, Cubs and Scouts to help out by handing out water, which they did with enthusiasm, only throwing a little over each other (by accident, I’m sure). When I asked one of the scouts for his opinion of the event, he excitedly commented on how fast the winner was, how fast the first woman was, how many children were taking part and how good the cake was. On that final point I agree with him, with RR members and friends really stepping up to the challenge and baking loads of yummy treats.
My over-riding impressions of the day: everything that could go well did go well. The RR runners all helped with marshalling (thank you). Lina ran or walked the finishers home with her fantastic enthusiasm. Lots of runners who had just completed our Learn to Run course ran three miles (cue lots of applause). Family and friends all turned out to help. So, another conversation has started, “We have been approached to organise Sport Relief in 2018 ……” Well, it would be a shame to let that paperwork go to waste!
There are just two weeks to go until the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile in Warwick on Sunday 20th March. Loads of local people have already signed up to run one, three, or six miles, but there’s still time to bag a place, don your deeley-boppers and do yourself proud!
Regency Runners said: “We are delighted that so many people have already signed up but we want even more people in Warwick, Kenilworth and Leamington Spa to take part and make it the best Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile yet. So let’s show the rest of the country what we can do and raise as much money as we possibly can for this incredible cause!”
This year’s Mile will take place at St Nicholas Park with everyone meeting at the side of the leisure centre. At 9am registration will be open for those entering on the day and the run will begin at 10am. The route will take you along the river with views of Warwick Castle. The route is a mile loop.
In February, marathon man Eddie Izzard embarked upon his staggering attempt to complete a gruelling 27 marathons in 27 days across South Africa for Sport Relief. This epic challenge will see Eddie aim to run over 700 miles in temperatures of up to 30°C, tracing the story of Nelson Mandela’s life. Comedienne Jo Brand ‘did herself proud’ by taking on a Sport Relief Challenge which seen the 58-year-old walk an incredible 150 miles, coast-to-coast across the country from Hull to Liverpool.
On Friday 18th h March the BBC will treat the nation to a special night of Sport Relief TV, with James Corden’s character ‘Smithy’ making a big comeback and announcing his intention to run for FIFA President. In an exclusive sketch for BBC iPlayer, some of footballs greatest names will come out in support of Smithy’s vision for the future of the beautiful game, including; England World Cup winning hero Sir Geoff Hurst, Brazilian football legend Pele, England icon Steven Gerrard and the ‘Special One’ himself, Jose Mourinho. In the spoof sketch, Smithy shares his dream for the future of the game and how he believes it can restore itself to its former glories on the world stage. His announcement will go live on BBC iPlayer at 7.15pm on Saturday 20th February before being shown during the Sport Relief Night of TV on BBC One on Friday 18th March from 7pm.
Then, on Sunday 20th it’s over to you in Warwick to come together and take part in the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Games. Now it’s your turn to get sponsored and help transform the lives of people living here in the UK and around the world. Enter a running event now at Warwick Sport Relief Mile or at one of more than 500 locations across the UK at sportrelief.com.
Leamington Spa Park Run on 27th February 2016 was no different from any other – it’s still muddy, that hill is just as tough and the winter sun is still struggling to show its face – but what was different were the volunteers as this week saw the run taken over by our lovely ladies. We certainly got stuck into our various roles from leading the warm up to number checking, shouting encouragement while marshalling, tail running with a smile, barcode scanning as well as funnel management. Tina and Nicki, who were tasked with this last role, were rather bemused that they had to be aware of ‘funnel duckers’ – try saying that after a few drinks!
The reason for the take over was to promote the forthcoming Sport Relief Mile which Regency Runners have been privileged in being tasked to organise. Taking place at St Nicholas Park in Warwick at 9am on Sunday 20th March, local residents are being encouraged to sign up and run either 1, 3 or 6 miles. Bring your families and come in fancy dress, if you wish. Register here: The Warwick Mile
This is every ‘comedians’ quick response when I mention that I want to learn to run. To be fair, I was a little puzzled when I first heard there were classes; I mean, how hard can it be?
“The Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile is back and it’s coming to St Nicholas Park in Warwick. Local running club Regency Runners is privileged to be hosting the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile on Sunday 20th March, and needs local people to come together and make themselves proud by entering now at www.sportrelief.com.”
During January some of our ladies accepted the challenge of a run streak. This involved running a minimum of 1 mile everyday for the whole of January. Congratulations to them all, and to two Regency Runners who completed a similar Advent Run Streak the month before. Everyone entered into the spirit of it and smashed the challenge. January is a tough month but our eight stalwarts managed to get out everyday, come rain or shine, clocking up an amazing 826 miles between them!!
This sort of challenge is about more than just running. It’s about commitment, motivation, mutual support and encouragement. Read what some of the streakers had to say after it was over:
“You can always find time for a run when you have to!
Bad runs happen – and they’re not necessarily the long, hilly runs
New kit is very motivating (and necessary, to save you from endless laundry)
A lot of running is mind over matter
Heavy legs are an actual thing – I had no idea!
The foam roller is an amazing (but very painful) thing
Slow runs are a good thing”
Rebecca
“I couldn’t have done it without the support of the RR ladies and my fellow streakers. Knowing that others were facing the same challenges, reading and chatting through our good days and not so good days, seeing that someone took a moment to give you kudos on Strava all made a huge difference. So thanks to everyone, streaking or not. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I love this group – you are all totally awesome!!”
Tricia
“Saying it out loud on social media makes you much more committed to doing it
It doesn’t rain as much as I think
Knowing that others are doing the same thing, even if you aren’t running with them, makes a huge difference to your motivation”
Bryony
“In a strange kind of way, I enjoyed it but have to admit that there were a few days when I was really tired and I nearly gave up. However, looking on Facebook and seeing comments from those that already done it that day gave me the encouragement to go out and do it.”
Lina
“Well chuffed to have finished the challenge of getting out everyday. Day 13 was the hardest but actually streaking was not to bad. I’ve discovered I’m a lot more determined than I think and it’s a real leg shaper … hello knees and ankles! This group is amazing and the support from everyone is what keeps me going both virtual and in real life.”
Jo
“What I already knew about running but had forgotten:
I love it
90% of running is in your head
I really don’t mind running in the rain
The hardest part of my run is getting changed.
The runners in RR give me as much if not more support than I give them as a leader”
Here at Regency Runners we have been encouraging ladies to take the first steps in their running journey for over six years. Many have discovered a love for running and set their own goals whether that be running Park Run 5k every Saturday or setting their sights on a marathon. Equally, many run with us for the mere love of running, to stay fit and socialize. Some even run to remain sane and have a bit of ‘me time’ if they have a young family or a stressful job.
I’ve been flirting with the idea of doing an off-road race for awhile. I love the idea of running in the countryside rather than along the roads so thought it was about time I swapped the tarmac for the trail.
‘Just put one foot in front of the other!’
