East Kent Coaching has been holding school holiday running sessions across Thanet for several years now. In recent months, two questions from parents have been coming up fairly regularly:
 | Why don't you have a term-time after school club? |
 | Can you do some training sessions on the track? |
Now that the lighter evenings are here, I honestly can't think of any good reasons not to. So, at long last, we ARE going back on the track, from Wednesday 8th May.
Track training sessions will take place at the Royal Harbour Academy running track in Ramsgate.
Our schedule is every Wednesday evening, between 18:30 and 19:30 and we're going right through the summer and hopefully beyond.
Enter the site via Marlowe Way from the A256. (The Stirling Way entrance is usually closed in the evenings.) You should meet us on the grass at trackside. Please arrive a few minutes early to ensure a prompt start at 18:30.
Our evening track training is for anyone in school years 7 to 11 who enjoys running and can run continuously, at their own pace, for several minutes. They don't need to have competed in races or been coached before (although if they have, that's fine too.)
The sessions will be particularly useful if you
 | intend to race at the Kent Schools' Championship in the middle-distance events. |
| want to perform well in races of 800m and upwards at your school's Sports Day. |
| seek to improve your Parkrun time over the summer months. |
| have been to our school holiday mornings and want to run in term-time. |
| simply want to run more efficiently as part of your active, healthy lifestyle. |
All are welcome, but if your child competes for an athletics club, please make sure their coach is aware that they are attending.
We will shortly be adding a weekly track session for pupils in years 4 to 6. This will initially be ONLY for children who have previously come to a morning session during the school holidays. We need to be confident that they are attentive, competent runners before allowing them onto the track.
If your child has already been to us in the school holidays, please add their details to
For anyone who hasn't yet joined us in the mornings, you can book for the May half-term holiday now.
Suitable footwear is essential. You do not need spikes. (We are training, not racing.) Running shoes or trainers are perfect, but not football boots or similar studded footwear. School shoes, walking boots, flip-flops etc are not appropriate and you will not be allowed to train in them.
Think carefully about what to wear and bring. Your school PE kit or other sportswear will be fine for running in. Be aware that it sometimes gets very cold on the track, even on warm days. Make sure you bring warm clothing for before and after the session. Warming up in a hoodie or tracksuit top is recommended. A lightweight, waterproof top is advisable too as we intend to train throughout the spring and summer months regardless of the weather.
You should aim to arrive suitably hydrated. Bring a water bottle with you, but you don't need to guzzle gallons during the session. A snack for afterwards is a good idea too, especially if you have a long drive home.
Please familiarise yourself with our
Each session begins with a gentle jogging warm up, either on the grass or on the track itself. As a guide to pace, you should be able to hold a normal conversation with anyone running alongside you.
After some mobility and coordination drills, you will learn about the evening's set. This will include several hard efforts (typically 5-6) with appropriate recovery intervals.
Our aim is to provide a suitable challenge to stimulate improvement over time. The greatest gains come from working consistently and you are encouraged to attend regularly. We are always happy to hear about individual goals and to help athletes towards achieving them.
A one-hour track session with East Kent Coaching costs £7. We are not a club, so there is no annual membership fee to pay.
You can pay in advance by BACS transfer (preferred) or in cash on-the-day.
If you make an advance booking for five consecutive sessions (costing £35), you will qualify for three free bonuses worth £17.
Here's what you'll get:
 | Have your sixth evening track session on us. | |
 | Come along to a May half-term session for free. | |
 | Bring a friend along to that morning session for free too. |
How to PayPlease make your BACS transfer to this account: Payee East Kent Coaching Ltd |
If your child hasn't run with us before, you'll need to complete a short Parental Consent Form and return it before coming along for the first time.
Complete Consent Form (Online Google Form)
To guarantee your child's place on our Wednesday evening track sessions, please complete the Booking Form by Monday evening at the latest (i.e. 48 hours before attending for the first time.)
If you have any questions, you can
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