Who is the group for?

Our group is a 10 week beginners' running course, designed for women who have mild to moderate depression or anxiety and who are not currently runners but would like to learn.  It is open to all women between the ages of 18 and 65 who have experienced mental health difficulties.  The course lasts for ten weeks and costs £2 per session.
How can it help?

Regular physical activity can lift your mood, help you deal with negative emotions (such as sadness, anxiety or anger) and bring you a general sense of mental well-being. It can help you sleep better, reduce tension levels and feelings of stress or fatigue, and give you more energy. And these are changes that can start to happen after one or two sessions, not just through taking exercise regularly over a long period of time.

Exercise is one of the most popular approaches to depression when people actually try it.  One survey found that 85 per cent of people with mental health problems who had tried exercise found it helpful.
Often people say that, unlike antidepressants, exercise feels like a very 'natural' way to respond to feeling down - it gives them a sense of achievement and control, which can help counter the feelings of hopelessness. Also, exercise doesn't produce the unpleasant side effects often associated with antidepressants - in fact, it has positive 'side effects', including lower risk of heart disease, strokes, some cancers and obesity, and feeling better about your body. And once the exercise habit is learned, it can become a part of an overall healthy lifestyle
**Please note that although we share a name with the running shop on Sevenoaks high street, we are not associated with them in any way.  If you are looking for their website, please click here**
 What can I expect each time?

We meet  for ten weeks,  weekly on  Saturdays at 11.30 am.  We meet at the car park below the bowling centre on Hollybush Close,  and we walk down into Knole Park, where we walk and jog in the beautiful surroundings of the park. 

The programme starts with brisk walking and a small amount of jogging, and the duration of the jogging then builds up gently over 10 weeks.   

From start to finish the sessions last a little over an hour and we finish with stretching and often a coffee in the cafe afterwards for those who want to join us. 

We will ask you to complete one 'homework session' each week, and we really encourage members of the group to meet up and do their homework together.  We know from experience that this makes it easier and more fun to complete, and that the women who do these extra weekly sessions and make bonds with others in the group are the ones who get the most out of the programme.

Over the last couple of years we have encouraged group members to join a WhatsApp group with us and the other members of the group.     This isn't compulsory of  course, but we've found  it really helps everyone to stay in touch, encourage each other, and organise meeting up for homework .  It's also a really fun way to stay in touch, share pictures and experiences and we've found that its a great source of  support and encouargement.

What if I can’t keep up?

This is a non-competitive, friendly and supportive group.  It is the coach’s job to keep everyone together, and no one is ever left behind, nor made to go at a pace that is too fast for them.  Shona has taught many women to run this way, and it works!  Take a look at our videos page here to find out more about being a complete beginner and why its helpful to learn in a group.

Do I need to stop taking my medication?

Definitely not!  Please do not stop taking your medication at any point without discussing it with your doctor.