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New program to get Kalgoorlie-Boulder residents off the couch and running 5km in six weeks

Kelsey ReidKalgoorlie Miner
Goldfields Physio are running a six week beginners running program called Couch to 5km. Pictured is Goldfields Physio director Diane Lukasiewich, program participant Alexis McDonald and Goldfields Physio exercise physiologist Bernie Williams.
Camera IconGoldfields Physio are running a six week beginners running program called Couch to 5km. Pictured is Goldfields Physio director Diane Lukasiewich, program participant Alexis McDonald and Goldfields Physio exercise physiologist Bernie Williams. Credit: Kalgoorlie Miner

Have you already abandoned your new year’s resolution to get fit in 2020?

Goldfields Physio has tailored a new six-week program aimed at beginner runners to help them get fit, and enjoy the numerous benefits that come along with it.

Couch to 5km is an initiative organised by Goldfields Physio’s exercise physiologist Bernie Williams, to help those who do not exercise regularly give it a go in a friendly and supportive team environment.

Having moved to Kalgoorlie-Boulder at the start of the year from Queensland, Mr Williams said the benefits of regular running were endless. “Fitter people stay healthy and active for longer,” he said. “Running’s been shown to improve quality of life.

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“There’s hundreds of benefits.

“We’ll outline a few in the program, but the main one is people who run 30 minutes a week are 27 per cent less likely to die prematurely.”

Beginning on March 9, the program aims to encourage participants to complete a 5km run by the end of the six-week program with advice, training and plenty of support.

“Basically it’s a chance to get people active, get them up and moving in a safe supportive team environment, meet some new people and improve their health and fitness,” Mr Williams said.

Weekly Monday-night sessions will be a mix of theory-based learning and physical training to help the new athletes stick to the program and learn some handy training tips along the way.

“We’ll hand out information, check up on how everyone’s doing and go for a bit of a run,” Mr Williams said.

“Then there’ll be some homework for our participants — two runs a week on average and a few activities and stretches.”

Mr Williams said the program would culminate in the participants hopefully completing a full 5km parkrun on a Saturday morning.

”We’ll all do it together,” he said.

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