Longford Striders 'Beyond Couch to 5k' course steps it up a level for runners who have completed Couch to 5k or are running regular 5k's or able to run 30 minutes continous and are ready to progress towards the 10k distance. As part of the England Athletics “Challenge Me” programme, this course builds you up over seven weeks to take on a 10k in week eight, finishing with the group running a local 10k event (entry cost applies), which is great for motivation and gives a clear aim to work towards. The course is run in Longford Park, Coventry, by Coach in Running Fitness Stuart Sahan, along with experienced Run Leaders and helpers.

We train in minutes, with the aim of getting you up to 60 minutes of continuous running, setting you up for success in completing a 10k. Do not worry, you do not need to be able to cover the full 10k in that time. Training to time rather than distance has many benefits as it keeps effort consistent, reduces pressure to chase miles, helps improve pacing and makes sessions more achievable for mixed abilities.

You will get group support throughout, including a dedicated WhatsApp group to help you stay motivated and connected with others on the same journey. Participants complete two easy, longer runs on their own or in small groups during the week, and join a coached interval based session on Sunday mornings. These sessions focus on improving running form and technique, using a mix of intervals, relays, hill work and paced repetitions to help you run more efficiently and confidently over longer distances.

This course is suitable for runners who can already run for around 30 minutes continuously and are able to train three times a week. Courses will appear on the Our Runs page when dates are confirmed. If you would like to express your interest in our next course, please click HERE.