“Jogging provides so much clarity, when our heads are always so busy.”

At the ORC awards ceremony back in January, Marie won two awards. The first being ‘Most Inspirational Runner’ after taking part in GNR, New York and London Marathon. She was also given another recognition, which was ‘Above and Beyond’ this award was for all the work she does within the club and especially for organising the coffee mornings every month where they raise money for charity. They have had over 13 coffee mornings and have raised over £2500.

Marie has been running with Overseal Running Club since 2017, have a read of all the things she has achieved since joining ORC.

Before joining Overseal Running Club (ORC),  I did no exercise at all, although I was active in my job there was no exercise in my routine at all and I had never done any jogging apart from many years ago at school. 

I wanted to start because I was gaining weight and feeling generally unfit, my husband suggested we both join the local running club. We found out about ORC through Facebook, the local community and friends.

When I started in the summer of 2017 I had no particular goals apart from seeing how long I could last!

The group is amazing so supportive, encouraging and understanding. I know I would have given up a long time ago without the group. I really feel like you go to every session primarily to see your friends and have fun which has definitely made me stick  around all these years! The well documented benefits towards physical and mental health are also fantastic. 

The Jog Leaders are very supportive both to the members and each other. The committee are a wonderful bunch who ensure the running of the club and willingly give up their time to benefit all the members and local community. I enjoy the company and fun at every club run as well as the variety of runs the club provides.

Since starting with ORC, I have joined a gym as well and completed my Jog Leader course, which I wouldn’t have done before joining the club. Jogging and the benefits it brings has definitely reinforced a can do attitude into me.

I feel fitter, have lost weight and made lots of new friends.  I was also diagnosed  as pre diabetic but with the support of the running club and jogging, I’m happy to say it is now in remission.

Jogging has also given me a platform, as well as many others to use our love of jogging to support charitable causes close to our hearts which gives an enormous sense of pride and achievement. We generally decide as a group via our social committee who we will be supporting each month. Our running club members are a very passionate, giving bunch and there is always a few people that are running events for charity or are supporting a fantastic cause. 

We hold coffee mornings with drinks and cakes/treats on the second Sunday of each month after our club run, these are always a welcome treat and catch up with everyone.  Previously we’ve done raffles and an auction …. we have some exceptional bakers who are always keen to bake ! 

The funds we collect are purely donations, with no obligation to donate, although our members are very generous and we generally raise around £100.00 cash each month as well as online donations. We’ve raised over £2500 from doing these coffee mornings.

Annually we also collect food/treats at Easter and Christmas for a local charity ‘A Gift from You’. Every November,  we also run around all the local memorial sites to pay our respects, lay a wreath and from that months coffee morning, all funds raised go towards Help for Heroes and The Poppy Appeal. 

Myself and a friend at the club also joked one day about doing a skydive for charity ….. the joke became reality it was amazing!!

Since starting with ORC, I feel much fitter and jogging provides so much clarity when our heads are always so busy.  I’m very proud of the club and all its members for their achievements both on and off the trails and pavements.