As coronavirus restrictions begin to ease, runners are excited to return to group training.
Coach Lyndal Maloney, founder of Serotonin Running, restarted her female-specific group training sessions on Tuesday at Tom Hunter Park in Faulconbridge, with strict social distancing and hand-washing requirements in place, and a limit of nine runners per session.
Coaching has continued online during the lockdown, but runners are looking forward to getting together in a group once again.
"I've been doing weekday runs by myself and a long run on the weekend where I buddy up with a friend. It will be really nice to see people again," said group participant Victoria Patterson from Springwood.
The majority of Maloney's group are training for Ultra-Trail Australia events, rescheduled to October 22-25.
Patterson will take on the UTA 50 for the first time, and Maloney plans to complete the 11km, 22km and 100km, held over three days. Last year she completed the 11, 22 and 50km.
"I was tired [after completing three events last year]. I didn't race them, I just ran them, so it was much more manageable. It was good fun," Maloney said.
As runners begin to train again at a higher intensity, Maloney urged them to be kind to themselves, starting with an easier pace and low reps, warm-up and cool down, and including rest and recovery days.
"Don't compare your pre-covid workouts to now. Be kind to yourself, ease back into the hard work and you will be pleasantly surprised with the results," she said.
