Fit N Running athletics club remains on right road

The fledgling club, who are based at the Michelin Athletic Club in Ballymena, recently started a highly successful beginners’ class on Monday nights with most of those who enrolled now planning to continue training with the club.

The beginners’ class, which is due to finish in 2 weeks time, has attracted a wide range of levels, age groups and abilities. It has also been invaluable as it has unearthed several talented prospects including two gifted junior athletes both of whom possess a genuine running pedigree.

Their experienced coach Gregory Walsh who is now in his 19th year in athletics said: “The Monday night session has proved to be very popular with all our existing members and the newcomers that we’re now planning to keep it on our weekly schedule.

“We have a variation of intense technical sessions throughout the week so Mondays are good for an easy paced social run and for introducing beginners or those on their way back from injury.”

The introduction of the junior athletes to the club is an exciting prospect as it has now opened the door to the further recruitment and development of young athletes.

The club has a grass roots approach to training meaning that the training sessions are stripped back to basics.

Many people have postural problems due to modern and sedentary lifestyles which creates disfunctional movement patterns which manifest themselves when running quite often in the form of injury.

So to minimise this risk they incorporate strength conditioning and postural correction sessions into their weekly schedule. These sessions have been working to great effect with massive improvement throughout the club in running technique and performance as a result.

Next up for the club on the race front is this Saturday’s Larne Half Marathon with many of the runners making their debuts at the distance as they continue their preparations for the forthcoming marathons in London and Belfast.

It’s not all hard work within the club though as they also has a very popular and vibrant social side. Four of its members - Natasha Rea, Louise Gage, Kerry McCollum and John Carleton - are all set to tie the knot in the summer and to give them a send off the club are planning a unique joint stag/hen party which is certainly creating ripples of excitement with club members.

With the road race season now underway the club has introduced a range of leisure and performance clothing to wear to events and at training.

Fit N Running train on Monday/Tuesday nights at 615pm and Saturday mornings at 915am.

The sessions now cater for the full spectrum of categories from juniors, beginners, inetrmediate and advanced runners. For further information Club coach Gregory Walsh can be contacted on 07952 168016 or by emailing [email protected]