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Steve Cram | Lisa McNally | Wythall & Hollywood Fun Run
248 Plays5 months ago
In this episode Michelle chats with Steve Cram and Lisa McNally (Director of Public Health) about the upcoming Wythall & Hollywood Fun Run.
Listen to hear:
Steve's great advice for new runners, the importance of the running community, the physical and mental health benefits of running, participating in your first race, and an appeal to other local authorities to prioritise public health and support their local running communities.
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to this episode of the UK Run Chat Podcast. Today, we're joined by Steve Cram and Lisa McNally, who's Director of Public Health at Worcestershire County Council. And we're going to be talking about the Whittle Fun Run and inspiring people to get involved in running, really. Welcome, both of you. Thank you for joining us. Good morning. Yeah, good to be here. Happy to chat running anytime. Yes, as are we, as are we. So on
Highlighting Local Running Events
00:00:27
Speaker
the 23rd of June, Whittle Park in Worcestershire is going to be home to a fun run. Do you just want to introduce briefly what's happening on the day and what you're trying to achieve? Yeah, I mean, Lisa is is brilliant to have people like Lisa in the position she's in as Director of Public Health in Worcestershire because we've yeah we've
00:00:48
Speaker
are an events company and and I'm very passionate about people getting out and um getting involved in in all sorts of physical activity but running is probably the easiest and most straightforward for people and there are literally millions of people now who use running ah for all sorts of reasons and some want to run as fast as they can or do something they've never done before be that a 5k, 10k, half marathon or a marathon. For others it's a a great way of of coping with daily life, whether that's things that they've got going on, which allows them to get some time on them but themselves or the opposite. They go and find it as a social thing to do as well. So there are lots of reasons why people do it. um And we have some big events, everything cascading down from the London Marathon. But it's really important that we have, I think, good local events that are organized really well, and hopefully that's what we've got in Withal, and that people can come along and experience
00:01:44
Speaker
um what ah yeah literally millions of other people have been enjoying for for a good number of years now. So we're looking for lots of new people, lots of newcomers. We're not bothered about who's running quick at the front or anything. We just want as many people to come and take part as possible and hopefully start something which we can continue year on year and and build on in and around Worcestershire as well. Yeah,
Organizing the Whittle Fun Run
00:02:06
Speaker
so is this a brand new event? Is it the first time it's been wrong? ah Lisa can probably tell you more. it's not it's not there was There was a run in um in the Withal and Hollywood fund run, which I think Lisa was going until pre-COVID. Is that right? That's right. So there was a Withal run before, 5K and 10K, I believe. But this is a completely different event. So this is run by a new team.
00:02:38
Speaker
We're lucky to have Steve and his team involved as well as the Public Health Department in the County Council. It's a completely new event with a different focus, a different ethos. Yeah, okay. So
Inclusive Family Relay Events
00:02:52
Speaker
you've got a 5K, a 10K and a Families On Track and relay event, haven't you? Which sounds so something a little bit different. Do you want to tell us a little bit about the relay event? Yeah, it's something which um It's sometimes hard to explain to people, but when people see it, when they do it, absolutely love it. And it was Paul Radcliffe, when our kids were a bit smaller, kept complaining to me about, not complaining, that's not the right way. i say you know You come to an event and you want to do the 5K or the 10K, and you've got your kids, and then sometimes there's a kids run. and um you know but But how do you do things together? How do how do you enthuse your kids? and and And sometimes kids are the best
00:03:31
Speaker
um you know They pest their parents sometimes. They get in there running and say, come on, mum, dad, or or whoever family members might be, why don't you have a go? And so the idea was to have something that um as a family, you could do together. And of course, that then means you know if you've got a you know a toddler or um or you've got you know grandparents, yeah how do how do they all do it together? So I helped sort of come up with this idea of let's cover whether it's 10K or 5K or 8K or whatever distance it might be, but there's a continuous relay. So how we do that is we have three laps, a really small lap, 250 meters, like a medium lap, about 500 meters, and then we have a longer lap that can be anything up up to a kilometer.
Encouragement for New Runners
00:04:18
Speaker
And as a family, um we have we have ah a changeover area. Think of like a pit zone in F1, you know, and you've got your um your pen and and your your your your area
00:04:30
Speaker
And they go out and they do a lap, either the short one, the medium one, the long one, and they come back and they change over. And you do that as as a continuous relay. We make it bright. We make it colorful. Each lap is color coded. The kids collect, when everyone collects like a colored ball, as to say, I've completed that lap, and they put it in their own team basket, that enables us and the kids to keep a track of um how many the how many you're logging up their distance. So let's say, for instance, they've got they've done four ah medium laps and four shorter laps, then we know they've done 3K. And it helps kids with maths. It helps them and stay engaged in it. um The longest lap anyone has to do is 250 meters, which anybody, even if you're really starting out on this, you know if you've just started out, you can still take part. so
00:05:24
Speaker
We've had loads of fun with it all over the place and we're looking forward to doing it in Whittle. Yeah, oh that sounds like really good fun. So you're expecting kind of little ones up to grandparents. Yeah. Do you know what what's what's lovely about it is um yeah you know, even with it with a very little ones, some of them initially like a parent might run around with them on the first lap. And then it's very quickly to go, no, no, I can do it by myself because you can see them all the way around. You know, it's all, they're not running away from you. They're not out of sight or anything. So they get a bit of confidence as well. um And then on the other hand,
00:05:58
Speaker
yeah and I never mind a little bit of competitiveness and it's always good to see grown men you know with ah with a little six-year-old running alongside them and coming past them and then they suddenly react and think, whoa, hang on a minute, I'm not having this little ah little one come past. So it it is we are as I said, we have a lot of fun, we have music, um you know it's it's all very bright and colourful and and yeah we it's something which has been very successful. Yeah, it sounds brilliant. I mean, what advice would you give to somebody who's is thinking of signing up and doing a race for the first time? Because it can be nerve wracking, can't it? What advice do you have for them? Yeah, I mean, I'll say something first, and then let Lisa come in. Because I think, as I said, there's there's it's really important that people don't feel intimidated by um you know the fact, oh, can I do this? you know Running is a is, first of all, it's incredibly incredibly accessible.
00:06:49
Speaker
There are there around about 8 million people in the UK have signed up to the Couch to 5K program, which you know has been run through BBC Sport and the NHS, which has been incredibly successful at taking people from ah a starting point, literally couch, to run whatever they want to do. You don't have to do a 5K and some obviously go on to do more, but it's really just trying to encourage people to to um be a bit more active And because running is is accessible, and I mean that both in terms of where you can do it and how you can do it, but also financially as well, you know you don't have to join a gym, you don't you don't have to spend loads of money on it. and Then I think for, your it's really hard, obviously, people look at me and kind of go, well, you would say that, wouldn't you?
00:07:39
Speaker
But I've spoken and met with more people in the last 20 years who've taken part in our events, other the things I go to, who it's been really uplifting to see have found running in their 70s, have found running when you know they have they've never done any other activity. um And I know Lisa herself is is is a keen runner as well. But I think from a public health perspective as well, Lisa, it's really, really important that we try and find these entry points for people to have a more active lifestyle. Absolutely correct,
Running's Mental and Social Benefits
00:08:10
Speaker
Steve. I think for me, this event brings together two of my worlds. On the one hand, I'm a director of public health, so I'm interested in getting people not just physically active, but also meeting new people, being socially connected and doing things that are good for their mental wellbeing as well. On the other hand, I'm a runner. I'm a really keen runner. And I know as a runner how exciting it is.
00:08:38
Speaker
to take part in a big event with lots of other people around me. The buzz on race day is just amazing. But I also know there are a lot of people out there, a lot of people I run with who are maybe a bit slower, maybe a bit new to running, who would never ever enter one of these events. because they think, oh, I'll be too slow, I'll be last. The whole ethos of the With All Fun Run is to say to that group, come on, this is what this event is about. You are what this event is about. So while I'm sure we will have some speedies at the front doing the 15 minute 5Ks or 30 minute 10Ks,
00:09:25
Speaker
I'm actually hoping that we see lots of people coming through all the Couch to 5K programs that we've set up to coincide with this event. And they can use this big race experience as their special graduation. And it's that experience that we want to give people. Chip timing, medals, support on the course. It's going to be fantastic for everyone. Yeah, these these community events are so important, aren't they, for helping people feel like they can do it. I mean, one of your event mottos is own your pace, isn't it? And I think that's important too to say to people, it's okay that whatever whatever speed you are, you're a runner. Absolutely.
Youth Running Styles and Tips
00:10:08
Speaker
And what we're hoping is that some people will run, some people will even run walk.
00:10:14
Speaker
It's fine. We've got long cutoff times on the event and people really, the only thing we insist on is the people go and enjoy themselves. That's what this race is about. That's why we're calling it a fun run. Yeah, no, that's brilliant. and It's funny because I was chatting to my 11 year old daughter last night and she, she's tried running. I love running. I've been a runner for 25 years and she's tried it and she finds it hard. And I said to her that I was, you know, I was chatting to Steve today and I said, have you got a question for him? um And she said, How does it feel to run really fast? And it got us talking because, you know, I guess you don't find running easy either, do you, Steve, despite however long you've done it for? But even when you're running at a top level, it must, you know, you're still pushing yourself, aren't you? And it's still hard. and some and i think I think I'd say to your daughter, um I think one thing we have to be careful of a little bit, particularly with younger people, is that
00:11:13
Speaker
Not everyone is going to find running 5K or 10K easy. You say adults wouldn't. So the point is we're all made a bit differently physiologically. And um if you are born with more fast twitch fiber without getting too technical about it, um so you will be more, you will find quicker, more explosive things more to your suiting than um, going and running. The trouble is because everyone sees everyone out running distance, they think, well, we should all be able to do that. And you might've all had this experience, you know, your, your, your next door neighbor, you look at them perhaps and think, Oh, well, I think I look fitter than they do, but they seem to find it a lot easier. So everybody is, is, has different physical, uh, physiological makeup. As we all get older though, sadly, um, that fast twitch fiber stuff kind of dies away anyway.
00:12:11
Speaker
And actually, which which is why more people gravitate to it as they get a bit older, because in ah in an odd way, um it it it kind of suits our pace of life and everything else a bit more. Whereas when we're young, very young, um and that's why things like families on track are great. I'll give an example of that. We were doing one at a festival we were at last week, which we were organizing. And there was a young family who'd come for the weekend festival, and they were a real mix. And two or three of them were sprinters. And, you know, part of the festival weekend was about going for runs on trails and things. And, you know, the young ones were a bit rare, you know, and I remember seeing one of them on the Friday evening and kind of, oh, you know, mum made me run 5K. It was terrible. I hated it. You know, a typical teenager type. And then when, when I saw the same, and same girl in the families on track and she was sprinting around and they they kind of won it. It's not that competitive.
00:13:07
Speaker
And then she absolutely loved it because she was doing 250 meter repetitions. So running comes in lots of different guises. And I think one of the things when I tried to coach even people who've who've come into it new to do, I've got some friends, I'm trying to help get ready for the Great North Run in September. and I coached them with how elite athletes would run. I don't mean the pace, but we mix it up a lot more. And I think, What I mean by that is you know we I give them track sessions. I give them little hill workouts. like again It isn't always just about going for a run, which people can find a bit boring and a bit repetitive and a bit, bit ah am i am I getting any better at this? And they end up running the same pace a lot. So what I'd say to your 11 year old daughter is there are lots of different types of running. and And particularly when you're young, you can enjoy some of them a lot more.
00:14:04
Speaker
um yeah and And she might find herself much more suited to shorter, quicker running. As as I said, Usain Bolt wouldn't wouldn't enjoy your being asked to do a 5K because he was good at a hundred and two hundred meters and that was it. Yeah. Yeah. No, that's, that's, that's good advice. I mean, it it does always feel tough. I think when you start running as well, doesn't it? And I think. What's your advice for getting over that initial discomfort when you go out for your first run? Well, you should always, I mean, li lisa is is your li Lisa is training for everything, your know marathons and beyond, but you you still need to do you need you need to start somewhere. And I always say, you start with really short kind of run, then you can walk a bit, you can run a bit, you can walk a bit. The great thing about running is because it's a natural exercise for us,
00:14:55
Speaker
You know, we were actually built physiologically and biomechanically to do it. We weren't necessarily built to play a tennis or golf or, you know, these these are all things. So we're not asking our body to do something that it's not meant to do. So therefore you just need to give a bit of time. And if you give it if you build up very gradually over a period of time, you will find that it becomes easier. And if you vary the types of running as well, you give your body different types of stimuli. um And when I mean your body, that means your heart and your lungs primarily and your muscle groups and your and your joints and things. um You will find that that it it does become an awful lot easier. I think Lisa does enough training and stuff now. It's like with anything, if you train enough,
00:15:41
Speaker
and you do the right type of training, inevitably things become um a little bit more, um a little easier. Yeah, sorry, you you were going to add to that, Lisa, were you? Yeah, sorry. i um Yeah, we've just, tonight, after work, I'm going to the last session of one of our cash to 5K courses, and running along with the people each week, um as I have been chatting to them about running, The one thing they've learned more than anything else is running slow. Because we're not taught to run, are we? As kids, we only have one speed, which is flat out until we, you know, we sort of break down, gasping with our hands and our knees. And when adults come to running sometimes,
00:16:30
Speaker
the main thing to say to them is, do you know what? It's okay to run really slow. And I was running along with a lady last week and she was saying, God, I'm able to run along with you Lisa and have a chat. Never thought I'd be able to do that. And yeah, we were going slow, but she was just amazed at the fact that she could run nonstop for 28 minutes. and And that was her target for that session. So, Teaching people that it's okay to run slow and I mean really slow. Teaching people that you're going the right pace if you can talk to someone. The speed can come later. If you get into it you can start thinking about what how many minutes per mile or how many minutes per kilometre you're running at. But initially run slow, enjoy it, look around you, talk to people and everything else will look after itself.
00:17:27
Speaker
Yeah, that's that's really sensible advice. So, and I mean, what talk talk me through some of the key physical benefits of running then, because you're obviously, as in public health, you're trying to encourage more people to get into it. Why
Running's Impact on Lifestyle
00:17:40
Speaker
why is running good for us? There are so many reasons. And actually, do you know, the physical benefits are probably the least important, ironically. Many people get into running initially to maybe help manage their weight or increase their um you know benefit, their cardiovascular health, but that doesn't keep them running. What keeps people running for years is the mental health benefits and also the social benefits. As one thing we know in public health,
00:18:13
Speaker
One of the biggest killers, one of the biggest causes of poor health in this country is social isolation and a lack of positive social connection. All the evidence, all the research literature is robust and clear on them. So yeah, when we start running, we'll find our breathing improves, we'll find our blood pressure maybe drops, we'll find our resting heart rate drops and we may be able to manage our ways a lot easier. But the real benefits, the real transformational benefits are on the way it makes you feel about yourself, the way it improves your mood, and the way it brings you together with other people going through the same challenges you. That's where the health benefits of running really lie. Yeah, that's really interesting. Lisa makes you really good points about that. it's
00:19:09
Speaker
um People forget all of the spin-offs of it. you know and and i mean yeah I rarely like people getting into it for weight loss and all the rest of it. you know Because actually, if you if you if you start with the right reasons, um and it is usually just about make you feeling better about yourself, you then find that people make you you make better choices then about other things. Like, for instance, what food you eat, um you know maybe you know, if you start running regularly, you start thinking, well, maybe I won't have that extra glass of wine, because I've got to go for a run tomorrow. It just actually creates a slightly different lifestyle, which inevitably helps people an awful lot. in And that's the thing I come across a ah lot, um as Lisa said, and then, you know, you can end up with, with you know, Lisa loves her running, and people, it becomes much more part of their lives then. And it's it's it's really social. So, you know, Lisa travels around, goes to
00:20:07
Speaker
races abroad and you know it becomes it it becomes part of your life in a way which possibly people didn't envisage. um But I think they also the the other thing as well, Lisa, which which is sometimes overlooked a little bit for me, is kind of the goal setting bit of it. One of the things which um it frightened me when I when i was going to retire because I thought, right well, correctly, what do you do Monday or Friday? Because from the age of like 14, 15, I'd had a very clear picture of what I was trying to do, what I was trying to do this year, what ah what I was going to have to do to make that happen, and therefore what do I have to do today, type thing. And you take that away, you know, I was, I don't know, I was in my 30s when I retired, and it was like crikey, you know. But when I talk to people now, it is very much about, I mean, Lisa will, you know, you will have done this, as I've just said, I'm trying to coach some some people who've decided to do the Great North Run. So it puts a little post in the
00:21:05
Speaker
in the field that you're kind of working towards, doesn't it? And what people learn to do is to, which I think sometimes we forget, we're actually very good at goal setting, generally, human beings. But I think we sort of, as kids, you know, there's no barriers. They're like, oh, I'm going to be an astronaut. And we don't worry about how, you know, we think about, do you know what I mean? and We sort of lose that a little bit, that ah ability to give ourselves either a challenge or something to work towards. And you mentioned that lady you were running with, Lisa, you know, these little wins and little wins are great. So she's just run for 28 minutes nonstop for the first time. Imagine how good she feels about that because she's, she's set a little target and, and she's achieved it. And
Community and Motivation in Running
00:21:52
Speaker
it's a great way of feeling good about yourself, ah but it makes you then set other targets, sometimes not even
00:22:00
Speaker
to do with, you know, running and and and and physical and and mental wellbeing. It might just be other things in your life. So I think the goal setting thing is is is ah is a big part of it as well. Yeah, and I think what comes with that goal setting, Steve, is a lot of support. You know, I've never met a more supportive positive community than the running community. So, you know, if you take my running club, we've got guys in our club who run, you know, sort of 450, five minute miles. And we've got people in our club who are more likely to run 12 minute miles, even 13 minute miles. And every time we go to an event, you can be sure that when the 12 minute mile has come through the finish, the five minute miles are there jumping up and down and cheering them on.
00:22:48
Speaker
Because we don't just want to achieve our own goals. We want the people we run with the people who you've trained with to also achieve theirs, and you're right, you know, when I go I cannot wait to finish work today and get along to that session tonight, and see that group of people after nine, 10 weeks, finally do their first 5k. I cannot wait. And when, of course, they go along to Withal and do their first race, that's going to put a smile on my face for a month, I tell you. I can't wait for it. Yeah, and it's,
Group Running Benefits
00:23:26
Speaker
it's you know, I think you you said it earlier on, the idea that your people come along to an event that's, you know,
00:23:36
Speaker
well organized and it it has a lovely feel about it and and like you said your people are celebrating each other's achievement because that's what it is you know everyone everyone's everyone's it's an odd there's really struggle to think of any sport where you could go along and have such a range of abilities and people, including having internationals, where if you're in the London marathon or the Great North Run, or maybe a 10K somewhere, Great Manchester 10K, whatever it might be, and at the front are Olympic champions, and you're in the same race. You're in the same event, running on the same course, yes, doing your, yeah as you said, own your own pace, own your pace, but you're in the same event. you know You can't do that in a game of football or um tennis or whatever, you know
00:24:27
Speaker
I wouldn't get many rallies with Roger Federer, would I? you know I mean, I quite like having a game of tennis, but it wouldn't last very long or wouldn't be very good. Whereas the running, it and that's what I think helps draw people to events. As Lisa said, there's a great sense of camaraderie and and and and um you know you can feel part of something, even if, doesn't matter where you are, if you're at the front, if you're in the middle, if you're at the back, it doesn't matter. I mean, there were over 800,000 people, 850,000, I think, have applied to run the London Marathon this year. I think 650,000 of them are from the UK. Now, if you take out all the people who are too young, the youngsters, under 18s, you take out you know elderly, infirm, all the rest of it, you are probably talking you know maybe maybe a couple, two to 3% of the population, maybe a couple of percent have tried to apply to run the London Marathon. Have you told me that 30 years ago? I thought, you're crazy.
00:25:26
Speaker
you know, it's it's incredible. And I love it. And I think it's partly because it's that sense of, I'm going to, I'm taking part in something incredible here. So and hopefully we can, we can start that with them. Yeah. I mean, that that community aspect is something that, yeah, it is a huge part of running. How, you know, how does training with a group of runners impact an individual's performance? Cause it is an individual sport, isn't it? But what impact does that have on an individual performance? Um, but yeah, it really depends on the individual. I think sometimes people, but people do sometimes quite like to do things on their own because they can run at their own pace and and do their own thing. And certainly at the elite level, um, you'll get a lot of people do quite a bit of their training on their own, uh, because it's very bespoke.
00:26:20
Speaker
Whereas when you can do, you can go for your Sunday morning, go down to the club like Lisa says, and you the whole club, everybody's going out for their Sunday morning long run for argument sake. and And you split off into various groups and things. But it is important to have that. It's not just support. I think it's it' it's just more fun. ah I used to have a really horrible session I hated, fart-like session on a Saturday morning in the parks, particularly when I was a kid. And the club, met kind of Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, when I was a youngster before I started training all the time. But we started doing this session on Saturday. And we didn't do it in the clubhouse. It wasn't like, so you had to arrange and remember when you haven't got mobile phones and things. And I used to say to the coach, the coach, Jimmy, because he was a but pretty smart guy, worked in the shipyards, and was always good at kind of motivating kids and things.
00:27:10
Speaker
And he would make us on Thursday night or talk to each other going, I'll see you on Saturday, 11 o'clock at the park. It was this park that we'd see on Saturday, 11 o'clock at the park. And I sort of said, why why do you make us all do that? And he goes, well, he goes, so that you turn up. And I said, what do you mean? And he said, well, you're always more likely to let yourself down than to let your friends down. And what he meant by that is if I was just going to arrange to do it by myself, I might wake up Saturday morning going, yeah, I can't be bothered. But because I told the other guys, and we'd all told each other, I'll meet you at the bandstand in the park at 11 o'clock, we were more likely to turn up. so um Particularly because it was a session I didn't like, it was really hard work. and But do do you get what I mean? I think when when we're kind of sharing things with people, where we're less likely to
00:28:00
Speaker
put it off as I used to call it the top of the pops moment for you for younger listeners go and google top of the pops and the top of the pops moment was Thursday night it's November it's dark it's lashing down with rain you know we meant to go down the club at half six at night and you're 14 15 and you know blondie are going to come on top of the pops and you're thinking well Yeah. Should I, you know, do I want to go down the club? I'm not going to stay in and watch Top of the Pops. you it was like It's that sort of thing. So, um, so yeah, I think group, I think running with other people's it's, it's enjoyable when you do it, but it also helps you, it helps motivate you to make sure you go and do it as well. It makes you accountable, doesn't it? I mean, yeah ah my, I was at my club last week. I think it was Wednesday was, it yeah, I think it was Wednesday, Tuesday, Wednesday. And the rain came down honestly.
00:28:55
Speaker
We couldn't have been wetter if we jumped in the Severn River and swam our training run. And we all said to each other, do you know what? There's no way I would be here now um if it wasn't one of our rum nights. And I'd already said I was ah was come along tonight to the others. It's that accountability. And of course, it's fun. You know, we talked about weight management. Um, I'm part of the vegan runners, uh, running club. Um, my God, we talk about food a lot. Um, you know, the number of cake recipes, et cetera, um, that gets swapped on runs. And that thing about training in a group gives you so much more than running. It gives you so much more than, um, a few more seconds off your PB.
00:29:49
Speaker
it's It's part of your life when you do it as a club. And I'd really encourage any anyone, if they're running, get together with other people. There are so many different running clubs around running groups. There's a marvellous group in Worcestershire called Happy Feet, Happy Feet Runners. And they specialise in maybe people who are new to running or just coming back to running. There are loads of running and groups around the country as well. so Get involved with other people and you will enjoy your running 10 times more and don't be afraid of being too slow because the first thing they'll tell you when you turn up is you're not because there's no such thing as too slow.
Finding Running Clubs and Resources
00:30:33
Speaker
Yeah, how how do people find out about running clubs in their local area then? what Where would you recommend they start? I would always go on Facebook.
00:30:41
Speaker
You know, Facebook or other social media channels, there are of course different websites um like UK athletics, England athletics, but just getting on social media or Googling running club followed by your town and all those running clubs will come up. ah Running clubs are quite good at promoting themselves, generally speaking, and then give someone a call or email them. Say, would you mind if I came along to one of your training sessions? You're sure to get a warm welcome. And what I would always say to running clubs as well is make sure you're providing that warm welcome. That's really important part of being a club, I think, is making sure that any newbies that come along have someone to say a loud, introduce them to all the other runners and make sure that somebody's running with them at their pace. One of the most important advice I would give for running clubs, because that's how we're going to grow our sport. That's how we're going to
00:31:41
Speaker
indeed pass our sport on to the next generation and keep growing what is a, let's face it, an amazing social movement in the UK and across the world. I think also, Lisa, I've heard of people doing that and have actually started groups themselves. and Yeah. You know, we are incredibly, they're going incredibly strong now. But I remember when they first started, it's a group called Mums on the Run. And it was one mum who um a new baby push chair, but wanted to keep running, but felt a bit daft doing it by herself sort of thing. um And then again, using other networks, asked people, you know, do you fancy anyone fancy coming for a run with me or that sort of thing? Anyway, long story short, um end up with big groups of mums. and And basically, I mean, I've watched them doing track sessions where
00:32:38
Speaker
and you know, there's like 50 pushchairs with loads of babies with about three moms looking after all the babies while groups are doing attracts and they they alternate. it's It's brilliant to see. And, you know, they started that, I think it was one mom started that themselves. So if even if you're somewhere where it doesn't seem like there's anything going on, just put some feelers out, you'll often find might just be one or two people Because ah I think the other thing as well, Lisa, is sometimes people, you know, I have to run during the day because maybe, maybe you work night shifts or something. So people need to find slightly other alternatives. But again, you're right. Social media is 100% the best way of doing it. Also give it, I'd like to give a shout out to the Run Together website. So runtogether.co.uk. If you just type in your postcode or your town name there, um you'll be able to find
00:33:32
Speaker
ah both running clubs and just local group runs that people have set up as volunteers. um Yeah. it There are so many options out there, but the most difficult thing you'll ever do as a runner, it's not running an ultra marathon or running a marathon or running a PB. The most difficult thing any runner will ever do is go along to a running group for the first time. You get nervous if you're anything like me, you feel socially awkward, you're worried about whether people are gonna be so much faster than you, but I promise you now, go along and you will not regret it. It could change your life. yeah i'm i'm sure Yeah, I'm sure it does, doesn't it? What would you recommend to people then, ah if they can't get along to a running club, how how else can people keep motivated to keep moving?
00:34:31
Speaker
So I think there are such amazing websites and YouTube channels. I'm a big fan of the running channel. Obviously other YouTube channels are available and they are really positive, really motivational. I think also just reading about running as much as you can on Facebook, or maybe even talk a family member or a friend into it. A lot of people who come along to our running sessions come with their mum or the sister or their brother. And sometimes getting someone along with you can reinforce that regular running and get you into it together. All sorts of benefits to running. But I've said the first step into it is often the most difficult.
00:35:26
Speaker
I think one
Volunteering and Community Entry
00:35:27
Speaker
of the other entry points as well, I've been aware of, um and park runs are a good way to look at this. So ah as event organizers, we're often looking for volunteers as well, um people to help us marshal the route, hand out water, give out medals, that sort of thing. And we've had people who've come to our events who thought, no, I'm not sure I want to run, but you ill maybe give up, I'd love to, you know, ah that you happy to come along and volunteer. Things like your local parkland, which are often, you know, there are literally thousands of them, um and have then found themselves thinking, oh, you know what, I might like to give this a go. And because you're in that community just at a slightly different entry point, um you then end up having a strength of conversations with people, you know, where do you run? How do you how did you get started?
00:36:19
Speaker
that sort of thing. So even if you're not quite 100% sure, as Lisa said, about starting running, going to some ah events, offering yourself to volunteer, just go, you know, there's a lot of park runs, lots of events, all events are looking for volunteers. um And you can you can sort of, it's almost like a taster thing, or you can go along and see what it's all about. um and And in the same time, and help out, which is which is always something which you know I think people feel good about. And yeah we definitely value people who want to just stand on a water station, handing out water. that That's great as well. And Junior Park Run provides an option as well, doesn't it, Steve? So if we've got any parents with younger kids, go along and take part in Junior Park Run, either run it.
00:37:12
Speaker
Or as Steve said, just go and volunteer or even just watch and soak up the atmosphere. I promise you, you'll have your running shoes on within a couple of weeks because you'll get the bug and you'll want to be part of it. Yes. Will you
Organizing the Fun Run
00:37:26
Speaker
both be participating in the withal from run this year then? I'll be participating as an organiser. Yeah. I'll be, I'll be making sure everyone goes the right way and gets around the course safely and gets back and and it all happens very well. So yeah. um I will be running, but I'll be the one looking um stressed and hanging around, trying to make sure it all works, but yes. So I'm going to be pacing the one hour 10K and I'm going to be playing some music on my little speaker. So we're going to run to the beat and I'm going to subject people to my Spotify playlist for one hour, which shouldn't make sense. You see, that's where it all starts to go horribly wrong. please
00:38:11
Speaker
well what delight What delights can they look forward to? Oh, ah all sorts of upbeat stuff. What I have done is kept the heavy metal out. There's one compromise, so you won't be running along to Metallica or Led Zeppelin. Such a shame, of course, but yeah. So we're going to have everyone from Avicii to, who oh yeah, Fatboy Slim, showing me age a little bit there, but yeah, i'm ah I'm an 80s, 90s girl, so that's what it's going to be. Cool for it. what What other paces do you have there, Lisa? We have just about every time you could think of. So ah we've focused on the not so fast times.
00:38:56
Speaker
um So I think our fastest 10K pace set is 50 minutes because we figured anyone running a 10K faster than 50 minutes can damn well look after themselves. um But we've got then right up to 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 minutes. And of course we'll have people tail walking as well. And I think there might even be a bit of a party going on at the back of the pack for this race. And of course we've got corresponding paces for the 5K as well.
00:39:27
Speaker
So I will be running with my colleague, Casey, who will be pacing the 30 minute 5K. Yeah, and it's a nice event in the sense that the yeah we'll run the events concurrently and it's basically a 5K lap. So everybody
Public Health and Event Collaboration
00:39:44
Speaker
comes back into the park either to finish the 5K or to then come back in and they'll go back out on their second lap. So they will get a, we're hoping, you know, a fair bit of support on the route. um There will be the odd person who you know is maybe the event of the 10K and they only do five, and that's also fine. um So yeah we we try and, as Lisa said, try and create a really good atmosphere. Even as event organizers, you come back to your point a little while back, you know the back of the field is where we always put most of our attention.
00:40:19
Speaker
um and and where often a lot of the fun is. And as you said, yeah when we when we get to that point in, that's when everybody comes and celebrates that the the um ah the people who are coming in at the end. Of course, we love the people at the front. and you know we want It's flat and fast, by the way. you know If anyone does want to try and run for a PV, they can do that. because It's a good course for that. um But yeah, it's I'm really looking forward to it. And I think from from an event organizing point of view, you know we we we always want to have a really successful event year one that our best advocates so are those who took part and they go back and say it was great, we had great fun and yeah know we we then look to try and grow it and and I know Lisa's keen that we have we have more of these around the county um because yeah we have the Worcester City runs in September which
00:41:14
Speaker
which some of these people can then gravitate to 10K and a half marathon. And you know that that's the idea. People get a bit of a taste for it and then progress on to to something a little bit bigger. Yeah, and I just want to give a shout out to you and your team on that, Steve. I mean, honestly, working with the events of the North team has been really easy, been a real pleasure. um you know I never thought I would end up in a conversation with world record holder athletics legend, Steve Cram, about Portaloos and how many rhinos you need at an event. It's all about getting your hands dirty. you know It's not literally, but you know it took sort of getting into the detail of the running of the event. And the whole team have been a real pleasure to work with. And we've enjoyed it. you know we We do lots of different things as a public health team, as you can imagine. We're most known for our
00:42:15
Speaker
viruses and bacteria outbreaks etc but working on this event is hasn't felt like work for us. It's been really good fun and it's been great to see Steve, Alison and the whole Event of the North team getting involved in the detail and giving us their experience. These guys have run a few events they know what they're doing and it's It's been really great to work with them. um I think you're well into mutual kind of backslapping and thank you. I think though it's more important what what you guys are doing because yeah our experience is that um yeah know we we have two, three events, big events with with local authorities and you're closing down cities and things. And that's hard and it's tough and and you know and and and we need the
00:43:04
Speaker
support of local authorities um and officers and and and and the politicians as well that make these things happen. Of course you do, whether it's a London marathon, Great North Run or the Worcester City runs. But it's it's it's not always something that that sits easily within local authorities and certainly not within the the public sector because of obviously there's been lots of cutbacks and and and your money's not easy to come by and and often this might be seen as ah as a luxury not worth ah getting involved in.
00:43:37
Speaker
But I think what we have seen in the last few years and and and Lisa and her team are are are probably, well, undoubtedly the best we we work with because being passionate about the people who live in your community and their public health is so important. I think perhaps Covid taught everybody a bit of a lesson around that, that you know we're one step away from you know a scenario where people can't go to work, can't you know we we don't function. so And we all know the the pressure that the NHS is under and will continue to be under. this So prevention becomes a really big issue going forward. And the health and well-being of all of us, all of our community, is something that isn't just
00:44:25
Speaker
kind of dealing with the the the sort of crises and the issues. It's about planning for a better lifestyle and better better health and wellbeing for everybody going forward. And not everybody, I think, takes those um but takes that longer term view because it can be seen as, well, what's the point right now? I've got other pressing things to do. So Lisa and her team or your breath of fresh air in that sense because not everybody seems to quite get it in the same way. I think
Support for Local Running Events
00:44:57
Speaker
it's no great. Well it is Lisa, it is incredibly important and you and I both agree on this but not everybody follows it through in the same way that you guys have. And it always amazes me you know as a runner obviously I travel around the country entering events and
00:45:13
Speaker
always amazes me when I hear that you know the local authority hasn't been that supportive or a park run has not been able to get the route that it wanted or needed. My message to my local authority colleagues across the country is support your local running community and indeed your cycling community and other activity groups. Because, you know, take park run. We funded the setup of a park run, a junior park run in Worcester recently, cost us just 3000 pounds. It cost us to be able to help the running club, um, contribute to the fees that they need to set up. That park
Final Encouragement and Thanks
00:45:59
Speaker
run will still be going when I've retired, still getting people together, still getting people active, still improving public health, which as we know,
00:46:09
Speaker
If we don't improve public health, that then comes back as a cost to both local authority and NHS resources. So but yeah, local councils, local and NHS trusts, reach out to your local running community and help them do what they're trying to do, because you will get it back in spades in terms of your return on investment, as well as have great fun being involved with them. Yeah, that is such an important message. Thank you so much both for your time today. Can you, can one of you just remind us about the Wooville Fun Run then, which I really hope is a big success for this year? Yeah, so um can't wait less than a couple of weeks now. um And you know if you're still thinking about it, there's still time to enter.
00:47:00
Speaker
Whittle Fun Run will be, um I think, a great start year one for something that's going to grow and build so why not be part of year one that'd be absolutely fantastic. If you've never done anything like this before. i think even for those who um have found your running is so new to them and wondering, can I do a 5K? We will look after you and you will absolutely love it. So we're looking forward to welcoming people for the 5K and the families on track event, ah which will happen after the 10K is finished. ah So if you if you still
00:47:35
Speaker
are not quite sure if 5K is doable, then you can come along and enter that as well and and just get a little bit of physical activity with your family that that maybe will set you off on on ah on a longer involvement with running. But either way, and we're really looking forward to a cracking day in the in the park. And yeah, we look forward to seeing Lisa and her team there as well. 23rd of June. if you I should have said the pitch, shouldn't I Lisa? Yes. yes do I at 10am. Most important detail. And if you just Google with all fun run, the website's actually with all Hollywood fun run, because there's two villagers hosting this, with all and Hollywood. withallhollywoodfunrun.org.uk. But I said just Google with all fun run, it'll take you to the website. Don't think about it, just book yourself on.
00:48:28
Speaker
and come and have a laugh. Thank you. The link is in our show notes. So we hope that and you've enjoyed this episode. Thank you both Lisa and Steve for joining us. And hopefully you're out there now feeling inspired to sign up to your first event.