27/03/2023
❤️Goodbye from me❤️
This week is my final week at Hatherletes and I wanted to say a big thank you to anyone who has ever run with me and made this group what it is, a fantastic community of friends.
I started Hatherletes nine years ago back in 2014 on a Monday evening with five friends who came along to support me. The following week I introduced a Wednesday evening (here I am in the first photo with my friend Tammy, who was the only person to come along haha)!
Since then Hatherletes has developed and we went from solely a beginners running group, to delivering fully formed 0-5km courses, group runs, walking groups, weights sessions, boxing fitness, circuits, 1-2-1s, swim groups, cycling sessions and trails. We have entered 5km, 10km, half marathons, marathons, ultras, mud runs, obstacle runs and other various pursuits together! We have had many hundreds and possibly now over a thousand local women join us at some time or other since we began. I went from a band of one to supporting a number of different run leaders to train and join in leading runs, most especially the two Sue's who help to this day and who will continue to deliver run sessions under the Hatherletes banner once I am gone. Please continue to come along and support them and keep this community alive.
Hatherletes also helped me develop as a professional, starting from an enthusiastic PT to a qualified run leader, assistant coach, UKA athletics coach, gaining my fitness coaching degree, going on to study sport at masters level and participating in multiple events including my first half iron man, SwimRun and swimming events plus a countless multitude of running events.
If I am to leave you with any final advice it would be to keep moving, never let anyone tell you to slow down, make sure you weight train (form first, then lift heavy), especially if you are an older female, prioritise your mobility and get outside every day.
Thanks for being wonderful friends and I wish you all the best with the next chapter of your lives as I move onto mine!
Love Sarah