Happy Birthday RV
How it all started
I had been on the local running club’s committee for a number of years and was instrumental in breaking down some of the barriers associated with joining an “athletic running club”. This was an exciting time to be part of a running club, what with the legacy of the 2012 Olympics and Sport England making a pledge to increase investment and regeneration of facilities to encourage inactive people to be active and get involved in sport. We really saw an opportunity to open our doors and increase our membership, as fundamentally we all loved running and we all loved our running club.
Winning SGR Contribution Award 2013
I was instrumental in organizing more accessible running groups to members and potential new members, offering “Newbie Nights”, structured running groups, and many other opportunities and there was a tangible increase in club enquiries especially about our annual beginner’s course.
The problem was the beginner’s course only ran once a year. I had a thought, why don’t I, personally, as a side hustle, put on Beginner’s Running Courses throughout the year, I was teaching Psychology at the local 6th form and we’d got a departmental beginner’s running group so easily transferable. The idea was that once people learnt how to run with me, they could then make the transition to becoming a member of my local running club.
The first RunVerity Beginner’s Running Course started in September 2014.
Our nearest parkrun was in Southampton, the first graduation run was cancelled due to black ice, we were so disappointed, but I remember having coffee and toast in Costa instead!
But what I didn’t expect was the graduates of the course wanted to stay with me, they wanted to run as a club, a group, they’d made friends, they were safe, and they were in their comfort zone; I created a timetable, and the club was formed.
The RV Team
Word spread and for the last 9 years, excluding COVID, we have held Beginner’s Running courses every 8 weeks, regardless of how many people turn up, from 1 person or 40 people, there has always be a course taking place.
Our 2 coaches and 4 run leaders, lead 12 sessions a week in Whiteley and Fareham including Tuesday Track, Wednesday Tempo, and Thursday Intervals on top of normal group runs.
2019 Winchester District Sports Award “Changing Lives Through Physical Activity”
I was nominated by Charlotte, a RV member; here’s her nomination
“Verity has generated an inclusive group which has an ethos of welcoming and accepting members regardless of size, age, or ability. The sessions build member’s confidence in a safe, supportive, and caring environment, where you can run and progress at your own pace without pressure to run a certain distance or time.
Verity has changed the lives of so many people in the community she has created. I personally was a runner wannabe when I started, I had tried and failed on my own.”
As we head into our 10th year….
We continue to provide a safe, non-pressurised environment where everyone learns how to succeed; accomplishments are not solely based on talent and/or hard work, but on the mental strength needed to achieve challenging goals.