Running Club proves a hit with Jobstown Community
By Hayden Moore
BRINGING the community together, the newly established Jobstown Running Club has proved to be a rip-roaring success.
From training plans for people just starting off to families and all the way up to aspiring ultra-marathon runners, the free club is truly for the people of Jobstown, by the people of Jobstown.
Members of the Jobstown Running Club
Resident Stephen Martin got the idea to start the club from his growing frustration with the lack of resources in the area and the elongated Covid-19 restrictions.
“There’s nothing really up here in Jobstown,” he tells The Echo.
“My girls hadn’t seen any of their mates in so long and I do a bit of running myself, so I just thought I’d create a little outdoor running club to help bring them back together.
“I’ve been up in Jobstown about 15 years and because there’s nothing up here, I realised that I actually didn’t know anyone apart from the couple of neighbours on the road.
“I wanted to get people active again and give them something to do, a place to be out with the people from the community and the reception has been absolutely brilliant so far.”
The first official run of the club was on April 3 and it has grown to upwards of 50 people turning up for its flagship family 5k on Saturday mornings.
As for Stephen, spurred on by his own restlessness, he turned into a seasoned marathon runner over the last 15 years and offers participants with the new club guidance based on his experiences.
“I’ve made every mistake in the book, so there’s no better man for people to see what not to do,” Stephen jokes.
“From not putting Vaseline on, on race day to wearing new trainers during a marathon, I’ve done it all.”
Beginner/Junior sessions are on Tuesdays at 6.30pm, long runs are on Thursdays at 6.30pm and Saturdays at 7.30am, which is followed up by the family friendly 5k at 9.30am.
During all of the runs, participants are advised to exercise caution and operate within the current public health guidelines.
Follow The Jobstown Running Club on Facebook to keep up to date.
By subscribing to The Echo you are supporting your local newspaper Click Here: Echo Online.
