You do not have to run a whole route without stopping to come to Carn Runners. Our run/walk option is there for people who want to enjoy a club run while taking walking breaks. If you have started running recently, are coming back to it, or simply prefer that rhythm, you can ask about joining the group rather than waiting until you feel ready for a continuous run.
It is a different question from “Am I fast enough for a running club?” Wednesday nights bring together runners with different aims, distances and paces. The useful question is which group and session will suit you now.
What does run/walk mean at Carn?
Run/walk means sharing a run that includes periods of walking as well as running. It is one of the options we offer on our main club night, alongside groups running at other paces. You can say plainly that you would like the run/walk option when you get in touch or arrive; there is no need to describe yourself as a particular sort of runner first.
Our Membership Application page specifically welcomes people who are not yet running continuously. Nor is run/walk only for someone at the beginning of their running life: choosing manageable company and a format you enjoy is reason enough. You can learn the group’s approach on the night rather than trying to match someone else’s intervals in advance.
Coming from Couch to 5K?
The NHS Couch to 5K programme begins by alternating running and walking, then builds towards longer running sections. If that has been your introduction to running, the idea of planned walking breaks will already be familiar. You do not need to finish the programme before asking us about run/walk.
Equally, completing Couch to 5K does not oblige you to move straight to a faster group or a longer route. A first club night is a chance to find out what running with other people feels like. You can tell us roughly what you have been doing—perhaps short run/walk intervals or a comfortable 5K—and ask what would be a good fit that evening. Our committee page includes Zoe’s account of moving from the Couch to 5K app into Carn’s run/walk group; it is one example of how someone found their place here, not a timetable anyone else needs to follow.
Choose the night as well as the group
Our usual Wednesday meeting point is Camborne Cricket Club, North Roskear Road, Camborne, at 6.30pm, ready to run at 6.45pm. But not every Wednesday is an ordinary route night. The October–December Wednesday guide includes track sessions, mapped runs and other club activities. If run/walk is what you hope to try, check the Run Schedule and ask us which upcoming night would suit you, rather than assuming every listed session works the same way.
A route map may show several distances, but it will not tell you everything about the group you will be running with. There is no need to choose a route from the map alone. Let us know where you are starting from and what you would feel comfortable trying; we can help you understand the options for that session. If the Wednesday you have in mind is a track night or an away run, ask about the meeting place before setting off.
Give it a try
Newcomers can attend up to four club nights free before deciding whether to join. That gives you room to see whether the group and the club feel right for you; you do not have to settle your future running goals on your first Wednesday.
To take the next step, look at the upcoming sessions, then use our Contact page or email hello@carnrunners.co.uk to say you are interested in run/walk. The Membership Application page explains the trial nights and how to join afterwards. And if you would like to see the wider life of the club—from social miles to race weekends—have a browse through our Club News. There is more than one way to be a Carn runner.
