​Win prizes and get fit in 10k challenge

Residents are being invited to walk or run 10k and be in with a chance to win prizes.

The September challenge has been set by the Bury Live Well Service and is open to everyone in the borough aged over 16.

Top prize is a six-month Active Lifestyles Membership with Bury Leisure, with four prizes of free entry to the Run For All Bury 10k race next year.

To participate in the My Bury 10K event, simply complete a 10K circuit (walking or running, or a combination of both) within Bury anytime during the month of September and post/tweet your evidence (e.g. screenshot map of the walk/run including date and distance) on social media using the event hashtag #MyBury10K.

N.B. To be entered into the prize draw, participants must “Like” or “Follow” Bury Leisure on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BuryLeisure/) or Twitter (@BuryLeisure).

The challenge complements a 20-week Walk to Run Campaign on social media, which is currently in its final phase following an eight-week 5-10K programme, after already completing an introduction to Brisk Walking and more recently a 9-week Couch to 5K programme. For top tips and week-by-week programme instruction, participants should follow the

Walk to Run Campaign on Facebook (Bury Be Part Of It) andTwitter (Bury Live Well Service).

Case study – Amanda Clayson

Amanda first got involved with us in 2017 when she participated in an I Will If You Will 0-5K running programme in Philips Park (one of 8 community based programmes at the time led by LiRF (Leadership in Running Fitness) trained Run Leader Volunteers through the IWIYW Sport England Funded Programme).

After successfully completing this 10-week programme alongside Dawn Flanagan and Myra Gaffin (N.B. Myra completed her first ever 5K distance on her 70^th birthday), they remained close friends and continued to meet up from time to time to walk/run together, involving themselves in their local ladies walk/jog/run group: Prestwich Plodders, where Amanda met Lynn Shakespeare.

While they continued to meet on occasion to walk, jog or run, already appreciating the value of regular physical activity and how she had personally benefited from it, Amanda began to set herself her own physical challenges from home, which she would video and share on Facebook to keep herself motivated and to hopefully inspire others to do the same.

It was through these challenges that, when the opportunity arose during lockdown to share with local residents a physical challenge journey through our own social media platforms, that Amanda was invited to take on the Couch to 5K challenge once more and to record her journey through a weekly video diary which we shared across our social media platforms as part of our 20-week Walk to Run Campaign.

ENDS

Press release issued: 12 August 2020.

Picture: Getting moving (from left) Amanda Clayson, Lynn Shakespeare, Myra Gaffin and Dawn Flanagan.