Returning Tuesday 7th January 2025🤩
Our new Couch to 5K is aimed at absolute beginners to running. If you have run in the past and want to return to running, please contact us by email to discuss how we can help you. Many of our runners started with C25K, either with the app or with our programme which provides an achievable, safe, fun and supportive group. Our programme is for adults 18 and over, there is no upper age limit. Age is not a factor if you have commitment and enthusiasm!
The Road Runners are part of Eastbourne Rovers Athletic Club (ERAC). As a Road Runner you may find your competitive side, or you may just enjoy a social run with new friends. We have groups to suit your style of running.
The course is 9 weeks, with your final “graduation” run at Eastbourne parkrun on 8/3/25.
Please ensure you have joined the parkrun community by signing up for free on their website parkrun . Parkrun is a free, fun and friendly weekly 5k community event. You are welcome to run, walk, volunteer or spectate. Eastbourne parkrun is at Shinewater Park on Saturday mornings at 9am.
Sign up via our membership page, choose the Couch to 5k category.
FAQ
How does membership work?
The ÂŁ10 fee covers the programme and membership to our fun, inclusive club until April. ERAC is run entirely by volunteers, any profits are used to ensure a good experience for club members.
We hope you will decide to stay with ERAC after your Graduation. We will recommend the group we feel you are most suited for. You will see the sessions are slightly longer than the C25K sessions, but we adapt them to ensure everyone can keep up. We do this by the occasional walking break, looping and of course the obligatory group selfie!
If you decide to stay with us, we will ask you to join ERAC (Road Runners section) in April when our membership renews. Membership for the year is very competitively priced at ÂŁ44 for the year (subject to change).
How do I know if I’m fit enough?
This programme is for non-runners who wish to gradually increase their fitness. We do want you to avoid injury and be able to keep up with the group while enjoying yourself!
To join this programme, you need to be able to walk 5k comfortably within an hour. We have provided a guided seafront walk link if you would like to test your pace: c25k test walk
Whilst this course is designed for beginners it is best to have a fair level of fitness before commencing your couch 2 5k journey. We recommend that you are able to cover a 5k walk comfortably in an hour.
We have provided a little flat seafront route for you with markers.
Start from the drinks fountain at Holywell and make your way along the seafront.
Moving past the chalets and the large, thatched shelters and you will come to one of the pathways taking you to the upper level called 'lower Silverdale Walk' (but don’t go up!). That's your first marker... 1k.
Keep going, your next point of interest is the Bandstand, go through, past the ticket office and you will see a brick building on your left, well done, you have reached 2k.
Continue and you will walk under the pier. Not long after you will come to the Shoreview Hotel. This is the halfway marker of your 5k. At this point either turn around and head all the way back to the drinks fountain at Holywell... or continue.
If you choose to go on, walk past Splash Point, resist the inviting smells from the Beach Deck and keep going. Past the Fisherman's Club and the fishing huts.
Move towards the colourful beach huts and past the Sovereign Centre. You are almost there.
Walk on until you see on your left there is the Queen Elizabeth Stone. You have reached your destination and your 5k.
If you are unable to currently do this, you can work towards this goal and join us on a future C25K programme. We recommend you speak to your GP for individualised advice if you have any concerns about your fitness. Attending our local parkrun is a great way of improving your fitness over time, within a supportive group of people. Walking is encouraged at parkrun and they have volunteer parkwalkers.
Is there an attendance commitment?
The expected commitment to the programme is 3 runs a week. Although there may be the occasional session missed due personal circumstances, you may find you struggle to keep up with the progression if you don’t attend regularly. You will have 2 runs with the club and then one homework run. We encourage you to organise your homework runs together at the weekend, so you aren’t running on your own, but we do not facilitate this. A previous group of our c25k programme set up a Sunday morning breakfast group who carried out their homework run together than then went to a local café for refreshments. You could also carry out your homework run at parkrun. If you are running on your own it may be useful to use the BBC Couch to 5k app to motivate you through the run.
What is Strava?
Strava is a social network and fitness app that you can use to record and share your runs. You can use it for free from your phone. We recommend you download it and join our ERAC C25K 2025 group so you can support and be supported by your group. We can help you with it if needed.
Is there a WhatsApp group for the C25K?
You will also be able to receive whole club updates.
What do I wear?
Please don’t worry if you don’t have a running wardrobe yet. Wear comfortable clothes and trainers, brightly coloured and reflective elements if possible so we can see you in the dark. Layering is a good idea so you can adapt if you get warm when running. When you are ready to invest in running shoes or clothes you may find some useful saving through the club discount section that members can access online. Tempo, Eastbourne’s running shop offers at 10% discount for ERAC members.
We do recommend our members wear lights to keep them visible in the winter. We can lend you these while you are in the C25K group. We would also encourage you to bring a handheld torch or wear a body or head torch.
It is difficult to remember everyone’s name initially. We ask that participants and leaders wear clip on badges, that we will provide, to help with this.
When is the graduation?
You will complete the course on 8/3/25 at Eastbourne parkrun. We can provide a buddy to run with you to help you with your 5k.
Will there be a celebration?
Your first club run, if you choose to stay with us, will be 11/3/25 and we will be at Eastbourne Sports Park. This will be an opportunity to try running on the track for a relaxed session after your first 5K on the Saturday.
We will provide drinks and nibbles and give you a chance to meet more members of the club and we can talk about how we can transition you from 5K to the weekly club runs.
We will also present you with your medal for completing the Couch to 5K!
How do we transition into the wider club after the programme?
Once you have graduated, we hope you will choose to stay at ERAC and enjoy our runs and our social side. We have 2 runs a week and usually have a weekend social run, this is open to non-members too.
Although we are the Road Running section, Â we also enjoy the beautiful countryside and do trail runs for some of our sessions and social runs.
Are there any tips to prepare me?
Running on a full stomach is not comfortable! Try not to eat anything substantial for at least 2 hours prior to your run to avoid indigestion. A banana if you are peckish should be safe. Similarly, drinking within 2 hours of a run may make you anxious for a wee! Cut back on fluids if this may be an issue.
How many places are there on the course?
There will be 16 people on the 2025 programme. Demand is strong, please do not delay if you want a place!
I would like to contact someone
There is a contact form at the bottom of this page.
Please make sure to select the Couch to 5k option on the form.
Your Couch to 5k facilitators
Your 9 week Couch to 5k programme!
Tuesday and Thursday will be with the group, you should aim to do the third session of the week at the weekend as homework. Check the main Road Runners timetable carefully for the meeting point.
| Tuesday Official club session. Meet at 18:30 | Thursday Official club session. Meet at 18:30 | Weekend Homework | |
| Week 1 | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 8 x 1 minute runs, 8 x 1:30 walk recoveries 5 minute walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 8 x 1 minute runs, 8 x 1:30 walk recoveries 5 minute walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 8 x 1 minute runs, 8 x 1:30 walk recoveries 5 minute walk to cool down |
| Week 2 | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 6 x 1:30 minute runs, 6 x 2:00 walk recoveries 4:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 6 x 1:30 minute runs, 6 x 2:00 walk recoveries 4:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 6 x 1:30 minute runs, 6 x 2:00 walk recoveries 4:00 walk to cool down |
| Week 3 | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 1:30 run, 1:30 walk 3:00 run, 3:00 walk Repeat! 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 1:30 run, 1:30 walk 3:00 run, 3:00 walk Repeat! 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 1:30 run, 1:30 walk 3:00 run, 3:00 walk Repeat! 5:00 walk to cool down |
| Week 4 | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 3:00 run, 1:30 walk 5:00 run, 2:30 walk 3:00 run, 1:30 walk 5:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 3:00 run, 1:30 walk 5:00 run, 2:30 walk 3:00 run, 1:30 walk 5:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up. 3:00 run, 1:30 walk 5:00 run, 2:30 walk 3:00 run, 1:30 walk 5:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down |
| Week 5 | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 5:00 run, 3:00 walk 5:00 run, 3:00 walk 5:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 8:00 run, 5:00 walk 8:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 20:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down |
| Week 6 | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 5:00 run, 3:00 walk 8:00 run, 3:00 walk 5:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 10:00 run, 3:00 walk 10:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 25:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down |
| Week 7 | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 25:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 25:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 25:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down |
| Week 8 | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 28:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 28:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 28:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down |
| Week 9 | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 30:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | 5 minute brisk walk to warm up 30:00 run 5:00 walk to cool down | Graduation! Eastbourne parkrun 5K Run a continuous 5K Cake & coffee after! Meet at: Eastbourne parkrun Shinewater Park W3W location: ///drape.boom.shaky |