SE Fitness

Join us for a FREE Run and Talk

RunAndTalk is an England Athletics programme, supported by Mind, which was created with the aim of improving mental health through running in England

This year it takes place 28^th October to 3^rd November and affiliated running clubs host #RunAndTalk runs.

Instead of striving for extra mileage or quick speeds, the focus of the run is to enable runners to talk. Whether chatting about their mental health journey or about what they’re having for dinner, it is all about breaking down the mental health stigma and giving people the platform to talk in a safe environment with a listening ear.

Our runs will take place on Monday 6.30pm & Wednesday 6.30pm from Wyndley Leisure Centre, followed by a drink and a chat in the Station pub

All abilities welcome

Please drop me a message if you would like to know more.

October Newsletter

As the temperatures cool and the vibrant autumn colours fill the park, October is the perfect time to lace up and hit the road! Whether you’re ramping up for autumn races or enjoying the crisp, refreshing air on your runs, or taking in the beauty of the park during your walks, October is all about moving forward and embracing new challenges.

Let’s make every mile count this October!

Welcome to Our New Members!

It’s been an exciting month as we’ve welcomed lots of new members to our running and walking community! Whether you’re here to push your limits or simply enjoy a leisurely walk in good company, we’re thrilled to have you join us.

Be sure to introduce yourself during your next session, chat to people you haven’t met yet and don’t hesitate to ask questions—there’s always someone happy to share advice or lend a helping hand.

Don’t forget your membership means that you can swap and change between any of our sessions!

Stay Connected! Join Our WhatsApp Group!

Don’t forget, we have a WhatsApp group for all members to keep you in the loop with the latest news and updates! (Don’t worry—we limit messages to just a couple a month to keep those annoying mobile pings at bay.) This is a separate group to your run/walks ones.

If you’re not yet part of the group, please ask your leader for the link. We’d hate for you to miss out on any important information or fun events!

Stay in Touch!

We love hearing from you, so please interact with our social media posts! Share photos of your medals, event achievements, or even snapshots of you wearing your SE top in unusual places. Your stories and moments inspire our community and make us all feel connected.

Let’s keep the conversation going—we can’t wait to see what you’ve been up to!

Looking to Improve Your Speed and Endurance? ‍♂️‍♀️

If you’re aiming to boost your speed and build endurance, join us for our track sessions! It’s the perfect place to focus on your technique, challenge yourself, and see real progress in your running. Whether you’re experienced or just starting out, the track offers a great environment to push your limits and meet your fitness goals.

Come along and take your performance to the next level!

Thursdays 8pm

Run For Home ‍♂️‍♀️ | A Challenge Like No Other!

In September, we invited (okay, kidnapped ) 50 brave souls to take part in our first-ever Run for Home event. We blindfolded you, confiscated your phones and watches, and dropped you off 10 miles away leaving, you to find your way back to the park using nothing but your feet and sense of direction!

While you navigated the challenge, I enjoyed a nice, relaxing drink in the sun at Blackroot Bistro, eagerly waiting to see who would make it back first. I’m happy to report that everyone made it home well before the time I might have started to panic!

A special shout-out to the walkers who outpaced some of the runners! And, of course, we won’t mention the team that ended up running 16 miles before finally making it home.

World Walking Day ‍♀️ | 6th October

On 6th October, we proudly celebrated World Walking Day by inviting members of the community to join us for a scenic 5K walk in the park. It was a fantastic opportunity to meet so many new faces as we all took part in the global initiative of passing the baton around the world.

Our participation didn’t go unnoticed! Our photos and video were shared worldwide by TAFISA, the leading International Sport for All organisation, showcasing our community spirit on a global stage. A big thank you to everyone who joined in!

Safety First: Staying Visible & Prepared

We are well and truly into the darker nights now, and it’s fantastic to see so many of you wearing hi-vis gear for our evening sessions! As we’ve transitioned to road running and with the terrain constantly changing within the park, it’s more important than ever to stay safe.

Please take a moment to familiarise yourself with our safety guidelines to ensure you’re well-prepared for the conditions. Staying visible and aware of your surroundings will help us all enjoy a safe and successful season of running and walking.

Guide to Walking and Running Safely | SE Fitness

Ho Ho Ho! Join the Festive Fun at the SE Santa Run!

Get ready to spread some holiday cheer at our Santa Run, supporting two incredible charities: Acacia Family Support and Our Place Support! Whether you choose to walk, jog, or run, this 5K event is all about getting into the festive spirit and having fun.

Throw on your best Santa hat, bring your holiday energy, and join us in making this event a joyous celebration for a great cause. Let’s make a difference together while enjoying some festive fitness!

Date: Saturday, 7th December 2024

Time: 10:00 AM (Registration from 9:00 AM)

Location: Sutton Park, Town Gate

Tickets: Adults £10, Kids £5, Family of 4 £28

Your ticket includes:

Santa Hat

Medal for all finishers

Goody bag with snack & water

Pre-event festive warm-up

Fancy dress is absolutely encouraged! Optional Santa suit available to purchase.

Limited to 250 spots, with 60 being snapped up within the first couple of hours sign up now!

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/acacia-family…/t-yaynede

This event is made possible thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, including our Headline Sponsor Hubtel I.T. along with Bistrot Pierre Pierre’s – Mere Green/Sutton Coldfield , The Health Insurance Group – THIG , M3 , Lord Accounting & Finance and X2 Print.

And Finally, It’s Party Time! Last Few Places Remaining!

We’re excited to announce our Christmas Party, scheduled for Friday, 29th November, at Sutton Golf Club, Thornhill Road, Streetly, from 7 PM to midnight, and is almost sold out!

Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with good food, great company, and dancing! Tickets are priced at £32 per person, which includes a hot meal, dessert, and a DJ to keep the party going all night long.

Secure your spot by making your payment to the usual SE account or by clicking https://buy.stripe.com/dR6eWE8VJ4nJ3f2fZ1 (please note it is £1 more to use the link due to their fees)

If you have any allergies or special requirements, please reach out to me at jo@sefitness.com.

Don’t miss out on the festive fun—grab your ticket while you still can!

Discounts

Sportshoes.com now offer all of or members 20% off and free delivery even on sale items. So if you are looking to refresh your winter gear, now is the time.

Sutton Runner offer our members 10% off most full priced items

Mountain Warehouse now offer our members 20% discount on all purchases made online. The discount is applied to all products ‘sold and shipped’ by Mountain Warehouse so includes all running, walking and cycling gear, even if it is already in the sale!

Walsh Podiatry treat a wide range of conditions from nail care to ingrowing nails and management of foot pain and sports injury. They are based at 329A Chester Road, Castle Bromwich, B36 0JG and are also offering 10% off your first treatment

Sportology in Boldmere sell all of our SE Gear, keeping prices low for our members. Check out the new items! SE Fitness – Sportologyonline

Dates for your diary

Saturday 9^th November No running sessions as you are invited to attend Park Run for C25s graduation run

Saturday 16^th November Run / Walk to Breakfast at Quinto Lounge

Friday 29^th November Christmas Party

Saturday 7^th December Festive Santa Run/Walk

Week beginning 16^th December all of our evening session end at the Station pub for a Christmas drink. All welcome even if you can’t make the session

Thank You for Reading!

As we wrap up this month’s newsletter, I want to thank you for being part of our running and walking community.

If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out. Remember to stay safe, keep moving, and enjoy the beauty of the season!

We have some exciting things lined up for 2025! From weekends away and day trips to challenges and a host of social activities, there’s something for everyone to look forward to.

Stay tuned for more details as we prepare to make next year one filled with adventure, camaraderie, and unforgettable memories.

Happy running and walking, and see you soon!

August Newsletter

Welcome to this month’s edition of our newsletter! As summer is in full swing and the Olympic spirit inspires us all, we’re excited to share the latest updates with you.

We hope you have been motivated by the athletes’ dedication and perseverance, channelling that energy into your own goals and activities.

Whether you’re striving to beat your personal best or just starting to become more active, it’s all about making progress and staying motivated. Every step forward, no matter how small, is a positive step towards better health and well-being. Keep pushing yourself, stay inspired, and remember to enjoy the journey!

I have been joining some of the groups over the last couple of weeks and many of you are unaware of our SE Updates Whatsapp group.

The group is where I send out details of any social events or important info that you may need to know. You’re not able to comment or reply in the group and I only send a message once or twice per month so you won’t be bombarded with messages.

I won’t put the link in this newsletter as it is for members only, but if you wish to be added to the group please let me or one of the leaders know and we can add you.

Safety

The weather has been so mixed lately that conditions in the park are constantly changing. Although leaders will adapt the sessions to ensure your safety, please familiarise yourself with our safety guidelines:

Guide to Walking and Running Safely | SE Fitness

Summer Social Friday 6^th September, The Bracebridge

Our next social is taking place at The Bracebridge on Friday 6^th September, where we have reserved the terrace for the evening.

There is no cost to the evening (other than any food or drinks that you may order) however we do have to pay a deposit for everyone attending (£10 will be refunded back to you on the evening)

Places are strictly limited due to seating. Tickets can be reserved on this link https://buy.stripe.com/5kA01Kgob9I39DqcMN

Last chance to reserve your place will be on 17^th August as any remaining places will be given back to The Bracebridge.

Free Walk Fit Sessions

During August we are offering FREE Walk Fit sessions on Fridays at 5.30pm. These sessions are led by Becky and we meet at the usual place, family and friends are welcome.

It’s a great way to end the week so come along and join us.

Don’t forget we have a new Running session each week.

This will be a mixed pace group for 10.5 minute milers or faster (so Run Fit through to Run Plus) and will take place on Fridays at 7am.

Links for you to join the Whatsapp groups will be sent out in the Updates Group or ask your Run / Walk Leader

Charity Walk

Every month we offer a charity walk away from Sutton and ask for an optional donation of £3 which goes to different charities. So far we have walked Haywood Junction, Shugborough, Fradley and Midleton Lakes.

Our next walk will be on Tuesday 20^th August. We haven’t agreed a route yet however it will be within a 30 minute drive of Sutton and we usually choose somewhere where there is somewhere to eat or drink afterwards for those that want to stay and enjoy the company a little longer.

Link to the Walk will be sent on the Updates Whatsapp group.

August Bank Holiday

Our normal runs and walks will not be taking place on Monday 26^th August to give our leaders a well-earned rest.

However, we will be offering a charity run or walk at 9am, meeting at the usual place at Wyndley, with a suggested donation of £3.

Friends and family are welcome, if they can walk/run the pace of the group they join and must be accompanied by a member.

New Couch to 5K course

Our next Couch to 5k course starts week commencing 2^nd September with sessions on Mondays at 6.30pm, Wednesday 6.30pm and Saturdays 8.30am.

We will also be offering Monday morning sessions at 9.30am if there is enough interest.

Longer runs

Our optional longer runs also starts week commencing 2^nd September ready for those taking part in Autumn events. Please see website for the planned programmes

Discounts

Our next discount weeks for Sutton Runner and Sportology will be at the end of September – further details will be sent out closer to the time.

Common running injuries and how Podiatrists can help talk

Walsh Podiatry are offering a free talk on 10th September at 6pm. The talk would be for about 30-45 mins followed by any questions you may have. Tea and coffee will be provided. It will be in the upstairs room at the practice, accessed through the door to the side 329A Chester Road, Castle Bromwich, Birmingham, B36 0JG.

The talk will be limited to 20 people so booking is required. Please send an email to reception@walshpodiatry.co.uk to reserve your place.

Carsington 26^th October – 10K or Half Marathon

Just a reminder that we will be running Carsington as a club on 26^th October. One of our long standing leaders, Sarah moved to Derbyshire a couple of months ago, so we thought it would be nice to take part in an event on her new home ground.

It would be great to get as many of us together as possible to run with Sarah, and we are hoping to have a pub lunch afterwards too. If you wish to book here’s the link and details of where we will meet, possible car sharing etc will be sent out closer to the time.

https://www.runthrough.co.uk/carsington-water-events/

SE on Tour! Palma, Majorca

Next year we are looking to travel a bit further afield than Sutton Park, with a Majorca weekender 18/19^th October 2025.

The dates will be flexible so you can choose from a 3 or 4 night stay over that weekend.

There is a 10K or half marathon event that you can take part in however this will NOT be a requirement to join us. So, whether you want to take part or whether you just want to come for the social element all are welcome.

Further details will be sent out for you to register your interest, in the meantime save the date!

And finally,

A huge happy birthday to Tammy, one of our leaders, who happens to have a big birthday in a couple of weeks. Enjoy your month of celebrations and best wishes from us all

Dates for your diary

Monday 2^nd September Couch to 5K starts

Friday 6^th September Social evening at Bracebridge

Tuesday 10^th September Common running injuries and how Podiatrists can help talk

Saturday 26^th October –Carsington 10K or Half Marathon

Friday 29^th November Christmas Party (tickets available end of August)

October 2025 Palma, Majorca weekender

Thank you for your continued support and remember, great things happen when you least expect them. Stay inspired!

May Newsletter

I hope you all enjoyed your Bank Holiday weekend. I’d like to say that we are almost into our summer programme however it certainly doesn’t feel like summer at the moment. Hopefully the weather will start to pick up as we have quite a few things coming up!

Limited sessions on Saturday 1st June

As the majority of our members and leaders are taking part in the Fun Run there will be limited sessions on the Saturday, as follows:

8.30am C25K

8.30am 5K plus

9.00am Walk Plus

Run Fit and Run Plus will not be taking place.

Sunday 2^nd June, Royal Sutton Fun Run

As usual both our runners and walkers will be out in force for this event.

Please meet at the Nandos roundabout for a team photo at 10.15am, wearing your blue SE T-shirt (if you haven’t got blue, pink is the second preferred option)

Good luck to everyone taking part and as usual we will be meeting at The Station Pub afterwards to hydrate.

Summer Social Friday 28^th June

Our Summer Social is taking place at the Brewhouse & Kitchen, Sutton town centre on Friday 28^th June.

The elevated garden area has been reserved for us. All 70 places were snapped up quite quickly last year and due to having to arrange catering for a large amount of people we cannot add people on at the last minute so please reserve your place no later than 10^th June.

The cost is £15 and includes a buffet.

Tickets can be purchased on this link https://buy.stripe.com/4gw8yggobaM76re8ww

Two new sessions!

We are adding two new sessions to our programme.

Walking Group

This will be a Walk Fitness Group and will take place on Fridays at 6.15pm for the Summer duration only (end of September)

Running Group

This will be a mixed pace group for 10.5 minute milers or faster (so faster Run Fit through to Run Plus) and will take place on Fridays at 7am.

Links for you to join the Whatsapp groups will be sent out in the Updates Group or ask your Run / Walk Leader

Global Running day Wednesday 5^th June

Global Running Day is a day that celebrates the sport of running. It is held annually on the first Wednesday of June and participants of all ages and abilities pledge to take part in some sort of running activity.

It would be great to see as many of you as possible join us on that day at either 9.30am or 6.15pm.

If you have any running friends that would like to come along for a free session they are more than welcome (must be able to run the pace / distance of whichever group they join and please let the leaders know so that they are aware of numbers)

To further celebrate, we will also be finishing our Saturday sessions with another Run / Walk to Breakfast on Saturday 8^th June at Quinto Lounge.

We have also organised some great discounts for you for that week:

Sportology will be offering all of our t-shirts for £10! Valid Monday 3^rd June until Saturday 8^th June. Great time to refresh your gear

Discounts will show online next week and can be ordered using this link or popping instore at 144 Boldmere Road, B73 5UD

Mountain Warehouse have also offered us the 20% discount again, which will be valid Saturday 1^st June until Saturday 8^th. The discount is applied to all products ‘sold and shipped’ by Mountain Warehouse so includes all running, walking and cycling gear, even if it is already in the sale!

Please see below for more from Walsh Podiatry

Adjust Massage provide sports, deep tissue and back massages as well as injury rehabilitation, 406a Birmingham Road, Wylde Green, B72 1YJ. They will also be offering 10% discount (this will also be an ongoing discount)

Don’t forget Running School at Wyndley continue to offer our members 10% discount.

Challenge 290 – 3^rd June to 11^th August

Global Running day is also a great time to start our summer challenge and the fast approaching Olympic and Paralympic Games would be a great end to our challenge!

Did you know that it is 290 miles from the London Olympic Stadium to Stade De Paris, France? No? Well that’s how far we would like you (as a team) to run or walk between 3^rd June until 11^th August; that’s 10 weeks

All participants who complete the challenge will go into a prize draw to win a goodie bag from RunTogether and a SE Fitness T-shirt.

To Enter:

Form a team (Run Plus & Run Fit – max of 4 team members, 5K+ max of 6, walkers and C25 max of 7) and as a group run or walk a total of 290 miles or more between 3^rd June and 11^th August
Record the miles you run or walk either using Strava or similar Apps (if you don’t use a tracking app ask your leader how far you walked/ran after one of our sessions)
Have one member of your team keep a running total of your team mileage
Let us know when you have completed 290 miles along with a photo of your team!

Charity Buggy walk 12^th June

We are holding a charity buggy walk to raise money for Acacia Family Support.

We will be meeting at the running track, next to Wyndley Gym at 10am and will begin a walk that will last approximately an hour, around Sutton Park. We will finish back at the track where there will be coffee and cake.

Acacia Family Support offers free post natal support services for mothers and their families affected by pre or post natal depression across Birmingham. They are a volunteer led organisation and our drop in centres offer a full range of support services for women and their families.

All are welcome, you don’t have to have a buggy or a child so please spread the word

Couch to 5K Graduation Saturday 15^th June

Our latest Couch to 5K course is coming to an end and as usual we will be celebrating their success by joining Sutton Park Park run on Saturday 15^th June.

Our normal Saturday morning runs will not be taking place as we encourage our members to support the C25K group by attending Park Run too.

It would be great to see as many of you there as possible, a group photo will take place at 8.50am, please wear your pink or blue SE tops .

Common running injuries and how Podiatrists can help talk

The talk will be limited to 20 people so booking is required. Please send an email to reception@walshpodiatry.co.uk to reserve your place.

Carsington 26^th October – 10K or Half Marathon

https://www.runthrough.co.uk/carsington-water-events/

SE on Tour!

And finally, last year it was great to see so many of you continuing your runs and walks while away.

We showcased this by you sending us your photo and where you are, and during the month of July we travelled over 35,000 miles!

So, if you are heading off to Bournemouth or Barbados, Skegness to Santorini send us a photo of you in your SE T-shirt, tell us where we you are and let’s see how many miles that we can travel this year.

Sunday 2^nd June, Royal Sutton Fun Run

Saturday 1st June Limited sessions

Friday 28^th June Summer Social

Wednesday 5^th June Global Running day

3^rd June Discount week

3^rd June to 11^th August Challenge 290

Saturday 8^th June Run / Walk to Breakfast

Wednesday 12^th June Charity Buggy walk

Saturday 15^th June Couch to 5K Graduation

Tuesday 10^th September Common running injuries and how Podiatrists can help talk

Saturday 26^th October –Carsington 10K or Half Marathon

And don’t forget Christmas party Friday 29^th November! (tickets available end of August)

Have a great weekend all

To subscribe to this newsletter by email click https://www.sefitness.com/ and submit your email address at the bottom of the page

Spring is here…

Hello,

It doesn’t seem two minutes since Christmas and it’s the middle of March already!

The clocks change in two weeks time which means that our evening runs move back into the park.

For those new members that have joined since Christmas please familiarise yourself with our safety guidelines as the terrain is very different to road running

Guide to Walking and Running Safely | SE Fitness

In the last few weeks we have introduced some longer runs on a Saturday ready for various upcoming events. On Saturday 23^rd March we will be running a 10 miler into Lichfield for Breakfast for Run Plus/Fit (thank you to Helyn for sorting the route) and after Easter we will start our Fun Run Training for all groups.

Thursday nights Speedwork sessions are now starting their Fun Run training programme for anyone who is looking to achieve a PB. Despite the name, these sessions aren’t just for our faster runners so come along if you want to give it a go.

Good luck to all those running 7 Pools and Fradley this weekend.

The Running School

We are so excited to announce that The Running school are moving to Wyndley Leisure Centre and we have agreed a fantastic partnership.

The Running School are specialists in injury rehabilitation, running technique and speed coaching and will be offering all SE Members an exclusive discount as well as working together on future events.

Their methodology for teaching better running technique has been developed over many years of working with professional athletes. They teach people of all ages and abilities how to move better, run better and run faster, reduce risk of injury and improve their performance in all sports

🏃Running Technique Coaching
🤕Injury & Neuro Rehabilitation
🎽Running School for Kids
⚽Multi-Directional Speed Coaching
👟Biomechanical Running Analysis
👴Movement & Falls Prevention for Seniors

They also provide personalised rehabilitation for strokes, hip replacements, spinal and sporting injuries.

They will be at this weekends open weekend at Wyndley if you want to go and have a look at what they do and will be offering a 15% discount.

Visit www.RunningSchool.com and learn to Move Better, Run Better, Run Faster!

☎ 077481 39403
💌 birmingham@runningschool.com
📷 @runningschoolbirmingham

Spring discounts

If your kit is in need of a refresh ready for the summer or that next event then there’s no better time…

Sutton Runner are offering SE members 20% discount from Monday 18^th March until Saturday 23rd March. Discount will apply to all shoes and clothing.

Sutton Runner, 268 Jockey Road Boldmere

Sportology will be offering discounts on all SE items from Saturday 16^th March to 30th March.

Either pop in at 144 Boldmere Road or order online https://www.sportologyonline.com/collections/se-fitness

We have the new longline Hoodies as well as new running sleeves.

Sat 20^th April Four Edges, Peak District Hike

We still have a few places left on our next walk. Family and friends are welcome to join us.

Following on from our fantastic Mam Tor hike in September, we are heading back to the Peak District.

This time we will be hiking the Four Edges; the most popular of the Peak District walks.

Starting and finishing in the lovely village of Baslow, we will be taking in some spectacular scenery including the wonderful rocks of Baslow Edge, Curbar Edge, Froggatt Edge and White Edge (The Four Edges!) as well as Eagle Stone plus views of Chatsworth House, Calver and much more. Fully guided throughout with Charlie and his team, this really is a stunning hike.

The hike itself will be 5hrs, just under 10 miles in total. Coach from Wyndley included.

Cost for Members £38, non members £43

Couch to 5K

This Saturdays sees our current Couch to 5k members graduate at Sutton Park park run. Please come along and support them as this is a huge achievement.

If you don’t want to actually take part in the run / walk, park run are always looking for volunteers to help them; from Tail walkers, to Marshalls and token sorters.

Our next Couch to 5k starts week commencing 8^th April with sessions on Mondays at 6.30p, Wednesday 6.15pm and Saturdays 8.30am

Charity walk

On Tuesday 12^th April we did a charity walk from Great Haywood to Shugborough Hall. It was really good to walk somewhere different to Sutton Park and I have been asked if we could do these on a more regular basis.

So the intention will be to offer these on an ad hoc basis, once or twice a month.

They will take place on either a Tuesday or Friday so that they do not clash with your usual walks and will be within a 30 minute drive of Sutton. They will be slightly longer than our usual walks (approx 5 miles) and where possible we will try to find walks that have somewhere for you to have the option to either have lunch or a coffee afterwards.

You can join these walks instead of your usual weekly walk or run, or join as an additional walk and pay £2 pay.

There will be a separate Whatsapp group where the details for each walk will be posted a week prior. The link to join this group has been sent out in the Updates Whatsapp group.

Easter opening hours

There will be no runs or walks on Friday 29^th March or Monday 1^st April.

However, there will be a charity run for 5K+ led by Lesley and Run Plus led by Andre at 9am and a walk at 10am, on Monday 1^st April.

Have a great weekend

To receive this newsletter by email subscribe at SE Fitness | Running and Walking for Fitness

First newsletter of the year

Hello,

Welcome to the first newsletter of the year.

February sees us transition into our Spring programme which means some additional extra long runs for those of your training for events. We also have our final Moon run/walk until the end of the year and, of course, with British Summer Time at the end of March we are back in the park for our evening runs.

January has been a great month and we have seen over 1100 ‘check ins’ for our sessions in comparison to 782 for last January and 945 for January 2022. The club is going from strength to strength which is a reflection of our great leaders and members, and the variation of the sessions that we offer.

A warm welcome to all of our new members who started with us this month, there’s too many to name individually but we hope you are enjoying your sessions, and feedback is always appreciated.

This month also saw the start of our winter Coach to 5K course. Sessions are taking place Mondays 6.30pm, Wednesdays 6.15pm and Saturdays 8.30am. We are just starting week 4 so not too late if anyone else wishes to join us.

We have also re-started our Buggy Walks, led by the lovely Charlotte, which are now taking place on Wednesdays and Fridays at 10am. This is a great way to get some exercise without the need for a babysitter and the Mums are finding the social interaction great too.

Thank you to all of those that took part in our Boxing Day run. We raised £161 which has been donated to Birmingham Childrens Hospital.

Fun Run

As usual we will be taking part in this years Fun Run which is taking place on Sunday 2^nd June (and of course the post race refreshments!). This is our main event with over 80 of us taking part last year. The event is open to runners and walkers and it would be great to see as many of you as possible there.

Registration is open from Midday this Saturday Walk, Jog or Run – Royal Sutton Fun Run

Carsington 26^th October

Sarah Vaughan has been a member of SE for 19 years and currently leads one of our Wednesday Run Plus Groups. She has been planning on moving to Derbyshire for quite a while and sadly for us, but great news for Sarah is that she will be moving in March.

Sarah has asked if we would consider taking part in Carsington 10K or half marathon on 26^th October to celebrate her move. It would be great to get as many of us together as possible to run with Sarah. If you wish to book here’s the link

https://www.runthrough.co.uk/carsington-water-events/

Sarahs last day leading with us will be Wednesday 4^th March so we will also be arranging a run to the pub that evening for anyone that wishes to join us.

Safety

The weather is very changeable at the moment with conditions varying day by day. If you are an evening runner or walker can you please ensure that you wear hi-vis clothing or a light so that you can be easily seen. We have tabards or reflective tops available at Sportology if you need them

For our daytime members remember to stay alert and look where you are going. Be aware of conditions underfoot such as mud, ice and trip hazards e.g. tree roots, rabbit holes etc. Sutton Park is a natural environment and conditions change daily. Please remember to wear suitable footwear and clothing.

Please familiarise yourselves with our safety guidelines which can be found on the website: Guide to Walking and Running Safely | SE Fitness

New Kit & Design

I have asked a few people who had not heard of SE Fitness what they thought our brand stood for. The feedback that I received was either a Gym or Bootcamp style classes. Therefore I have changed the branding slightly to reflect what we do.

When ordering any of our merchandise online you will now be asked if you are in the running or walking group. Depending on whether you select running or walking this will now show on the back of your item.

You can still of course still choose the original SE Fitness logo if you wish.

We are now stocking longline hoodies in grey or black. These are ideal for walkers or for the coffee and cake stop after your run. You can order here or pop into Sportology

SE Fitness Running Club – Longline Dress Hoodie – Sportologyonline

Wyndley Discounts

Don’t forget we have teamed up with Wyndley Leisure Centre to offer reduced rates for SE Members….

SE members receive a discounted rate of £31 instead of £40 per month for unlimited use of the Gym, swimming pool and all classes at Wyndley, if you are a standing order SE member.

If you wish to join just let me know and I will forward you an email.
Apologies, but this is not available to pay as you go members as it will be too difficult to manage.Don’t worry if you are already a member of the gym; on your next visit tell them you are a SE member and they will reduce your payment!

Join unlimited classes including Pilates, Yoga, Body Pump, Circuit training and Indoor cycling usually costing £8.15 per class.

You can use any of the Birmingham centres including Great Barr & Erdington (where there are saunas and steam rooms)

Great addition to our membership to support your health & fitness ❤️

Dates of your diary:

If you wish to join us on any of the events can you please make payment to the usual SE account and put the name of the event in the reference.

As there is quite a bit going on can I also ask you to please email me to let me know that you have paid so I can cross check that I don’t miss anyone: jo@sefitness.com

Run / Walk to Breakfast

We had great feedback from our last run to breakfast and lots of requests to do this on a regular basis. Our next one will be on Saturday 2^nd March where we will be heading over to Quinto Lounge in the town centre for breakfast.

At the beginning of that week I’ll send a Whatsapp message out asking who is joining us just so I can give Quinto an idea of numbers. No payment required – you just pay Quinto for whatever breakfast your order.

If you can’t run or walk that morning you are still more than welcome to join us for breakfast at 10am

Menu can be found here Quinto Lounge – Café Bar – Sutton Coldfield – Lounges Food & Drink (thelounges.co.uk)

Spring Social

On Sat 2^nd March we are heading into Birmingham to Flight Club, winner of the Restaurant and Bar design awards!

For those who have never been, this is a really fun night out where, in teams, you play social darts with a difference (you don’t have to be good at darts to win as I have personally proved!)

Soak up the atmosphere with lights that dance with the music, a feature bar and enjoy a cocktail or two.

We have tables booked from 7pm for those that would like to enjoy food and/or drink.

Oches are then booked from 8.45pm – 10.15pm.

Flight Club is located right by New Street train station and we will all arrange to meet at the various train stations around Sutton for those travelling on their own.

Cost is £15 for darts

(food and drinks if wanted, to be purchased and paid for directly to Flight Club on the night)

Numbers are strictly limited and I cannot add people on once full so first come first served.

For further info Flight Club Darts

Sat 20^th April Four Edges, Peak District Hike

Following on from our fantastic Mam Tor hike in September, we are heading back to the Peak District.

This time we will be hiking the Four Edges; the most popular of the Peak District walks.

The hike itself will be 5hrs, just under 10 miles in total. Coach from Wyndley included.

Cost for Members £38, non members £43 (must be accompanied by a member)

Sunday 28^th April Spring 10K Wolf Run, Warwickshire

If anyone wishes to join us on the Spring Wolf Run the discounted prices have now gone, however you can still take advantage of the early bird price of £64.

Info can be found here thewolfrun.com/info/ but please contact me to book rather than on the website as we have a reserved time for our group so we can all start together.

Friday 29^th November

Christmas party! Details to follow in the summer.

If there are any events / activities that you would like to suggest that we take part in or any feedback in general please let me know.

Have a great week.

Events ready to book

Happy New Year to you all!

I hope everyone has had a fun time celebrating with family and friends.

Before Christmas I shared some dates of various events and we are now in a position to start booking these.

If you wish to join us on any of the events can you please make payment to the usual SE account and put the name of the event in the reference.

As there is quite a bit going on can I also ask you to please email me to let me know that you have paid so I can cross check that I don’t miss anyone: jo@sefitness.com

Run / Walk to Breakfast

On Saturday 20^th January we will be heading over to Quinto Lounge in the town centre for breakfast.

If you can’t run or walk that morning you are still more than welcome to join us for breakfast at 10am

Menu can be found here Quinto Lounge – Café Bar – Sutton Coldfield – Lounges Food & Drink (thelounges.co.uk)

Spring Social

On Sat 20^th March we are heading into Birmingham to Flight Club, winner of the Restaurant and Bar design awards!

For those who have never been, this is a really fun night out where, in teams, you play social darts with a difference.

Soak up the atmosphere with lights that dance with the music, a feature bar and enjoy a cocktail or two.

We have tables booked from 7pm for those that would like to enjoy food and/or drink.

Oches are then booked from 8.45pm – 10.15pm.

Flight Club is located right by New Street train station and we will all arrange to meet at the various train stations around Sutton for those travelling on their own.

Cost is £15 for darts

(food and drinks if wanted, to be purchased and paid for directly to Flight Club on the night)

Numbers are strictly limited and I cannot add people on once full so first come first served.

For further info Flight Club Darts

Sat 20^th April Four Edges, Peak District Hike

Following on from our fantastic Mam Tor hike in September, we are heading back to the Peak District.

This time we will be hiking the Four Edges; the most popular of the Peak District walks.

The hike itself will be 5hrs, just under 10 miles in total. Coach from Wyndley included.

Cost for Members £38, non members £43 (must be accompanied by a member)

Sunday 28^th April Spring 10K Wolf Run, Warickshire

If anyone wishes to join us on the Spring Wolf Run the discounted prices have now gone, however you can still take advantage of the early bird price of £64.

Info can be found here thewolfrun.com/info/ but please contact me to book rather than on the website as we have a reserved time for our group.

Please feel free to contact me if you need any further info.

Hope to see you there!

Enhanced Membership

Great news!

We have teamed up with Wyndley Leisure Centre to offer reduced rates for SE Members….

SE members receive a discounted rate of £31 instead of £40 per month for unlimited use of the Gym, swimming pool and all classes at Wyndley, if you are a standing order SE member.

All you need to do is tell them that you are a SE Member when you sign up.

Wyndley will then email me to check you are a member, therefore apologies, but this is not available to pay as you go members as it will be too difficult to manage.

Don’t worry if you are already a member of the gym; on your next visit tell them you are a SE member and they will reduce your payment!

Join unlimited classes including Pilates, Yoga, Body Pump, Circuit training and Indoor cycling usually costing £8.15 per class.

You can use any of the Birmingham centres including Great Barr & Erdington (where there are saunas and steam rooms)

Great addition to our membership to support your health & fitness ❤️

I have also booked in some events for next year including:

January Breakfast run/walk

March Social evening

March Time challenge (walk or run)

April Wolf Run

April Hike 4 Edges in Peak District

June Sumner Social

September The Drop

December Christmas Party, Santa/pudding Run/walk

If there are any events / activities that you would like to suggest that we take part in please let me know.

Further details and how to book will be in the January newsletter

I hope to see some of you at this evenings Christmas Run to the Pub.

Dates for your diary

Hello

As we are coming up to the festive season we have a few dates for your diary.

On Saturday 25^th November our C25 group will be graduating by running their first official 5k at Park Run. As usual there won’t be any normal runs on that day as we encourage everyone to also take part in Park Run.

Walkers are also very welcome to join as park ‘run’ isn’t just for runners.

Please wear your blue SE tops if you have one so we can take a group photo for the website.

This will be a great chance for you to run/walk the new route from Boldmere gate, and there will be a mince pie available for everyone at the end of the run 😊

On Monday 27^th November we have a full moon – The Beaver Moon. Therefore our Monday evening runs and walk will take place in the park. Please ensure you wear hi-viz and preferably have a body torch.

Friday 1^st December is our Christmas party. Unfortunately, it is full however please let me know if you wish to be added to the reserve list in case anyone cancels.

To give our Leaders a bit of a lie in after the party, all runs and walks on Saturday 2^nd December will start at 9.30am, not 8.30am.

Our last Speedwork session of the year will be taking place on Thursday 7^th December before we break for Christmas, and will restart again Thursday 11^th January.

On Monday 11^th December we will be making our annual run / walk to The Station pub for a Christmas drink. We will meet at normal time and will end the run / walk at the pub (via Wyndley for those that don’t want to join us at The Station)

On Tuesday 26^th December we will be holding a charity, Boxing day run at 9.30am:

5k+ with Julie & Lesley

Run Fit with Nick & Vanessa

Run Plus with Andre, Jess, Louise

It will be £3 to take part which can be paid by bank transfer (please mark as ‘charity’ or when you meet for the run.

There will be no sessions on Monday 25^th December or Monday 1^st January.

And finally, we have a limited number of hi-viz, lightweight, wind and shower proof jackets available. These jackets have a slight mark of the back of the neck of the jacket and therefore they have been reduced to £12.50 to clear.

These can be ordered online by visiting www.sportology.com or by clicking here.

Hope to see many of you at either all or most of the events 😉

Autumn

Hello,

September sees the start of our Autumn programme which means road runs, Half Marathons, Moon runs and, of course, the festive season.

Firstly, we have had lots of new members in the last few weeks so a huge welcome to our new walkers; Rowenna, Stephen, Donna, Joanne, Maria, Stewart, Debbie, Belinda, Ricky, Sarah and David.

And to our runners; Clare, Lisa, Bobby, Nikita, Daniel, Anni, Rachel & Neil

This month also saw the start of our autumn Coach to 5K course. Sessions are taking place Mondays 6.30pm, Wednesdays 6.15pm and Saturdays 8.30am and we welcome all of our new runners.

Safety

As we are now starting to see darker nights, our evening activities will be moving outside of the park. If you are an evening runner or walker can you please ensure that you wear hi-viz clothing or a light so that you can easily be seen. We have tabards or reflective tops available at Sportology if you need them (please see below for more information and discount)

Please familiarise yourselves with our safety guidelines which can be found on the website: Guide to Walking and Running Safely | SE Fitness

Events

Peak District Hike

On 2^nd September 53 of our runners and walkers spent the day hiking in the Peak District , taking in Mam Tor, Back Tor and Lose Hill and enjoyed a well earned drink afterwards.

It was a great day and we are planning more for 2024. Please keep an eye out for future dates as they fill pretty quickly.

Paddleboarding

Our members are always up for something different so we tried our hand at Paddleboarding at Aldridge SUP. Again, we were really lucky with the weather although a few did get a little wet! If you have any suggestions of other activities that you would like to take part in let me know.

Christmas Party

Unfortunately our Christmas party on 1^st December is full however if you wish to be added to the reserve list in case of any cancellations please let me know.

Discounts for SE Members

Sutton Runner will be offering a 20% discount week commencing 25^th September. Pay day week and perfect timing to pick up your winter gear.

Sportology will also be offering discounts on SE Kit from 2^nd October for two weeks ready for your winter wardrobe. The yellow tops are ideal for the winter as can be seen more easily or you can order other colours and choose a reflective font instead of the usual white.

We also have a limited number of hi-viz shower and wind resistant lightweight jackets for £20 which are ideal for the darker evenings, or cooler days. You can choose black or reflective font and they can be ordered on the following link:

SE Fitness Lightweight Jacket – Sportologyonline

During the discount fortnight: long sleeved T-shirts available in yellow, orange or blue £10.50, Hoodies available in black £21.50

Short sleeved T-shirts are £10 available in blue (for events), pink, orange or black.

Please contact Sportology on 0121 355 6378, email sportology@gmail.com or pop in to 144 Boldmere Road, B73 5UD to order, or order online at SE Fitness – Sportologyonline

We also have other discounts available to support your wellbeing:

Sutton Park Pilates offer private and duet pilates sessions, as well as sports massage, and they are offering us 10% discount on all sessions. You can contact Lucinda at info@suttonparkpilates.com

And Tiger Mama Yoga have a private studio in Walmley, B76 and offer a range of yoga and other holistic events including;

Vinyasa Flow style yoga for all people, all abilities
Pregnancy & post-natal yoga
Baby massage
Baby yoga

Laura can be contacted at laura@tigermamayoga.com

Artforlife offer art classes and workshops at Four Oaks Methodist Church. Suki is a fellow SE member and is offering a discount on workshops or classes.

For more information visit https://www.suttoncoldfield.artforlife.uk or contact Suki at 07875 666614 or artforlifesc@gmail.com

Finally, we have lots of members taking part in many events over the next few weeks. Please add any photos that you are happy to share to your group Whatsapp groups so we can give you a shout out.

Have a great weekend!