New Year – New You! Beginner’s course for runners
- Five ability levels from complete beginner
- All ages from 17 years and above, and 14-16 if joining with a parent
- Four-week FREE trial!
- Entry requirement: be able to walk 5 kilometres
About us
The adult group of Paddock Wood AC is a mix of enthusiasts supported by England Athletics qualified coaches, we train and run for fun, for fitness, for mindfulness, for wellbeing, for the sport, and with the friends we make along the way.
Training
Our beginners’ group meets on Monday evenings at 6:30pm at our floodlit off-road running track next to Putlands Leisure Centre, Mascalls Court Road, Paddock Wood. This is session is reserved for our beginners, and runners that are doing easier training sessions. Runners can park free of charge in the Putlands Leisure Centre car park and walk across the field to the track.
Our club also meets at the track (for track-based sessions) or in the car park (for road sessions) on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30pm. Beginners are also welcome to come to these sessions, but they are busier, some are done on the track and some on the local roads, where a high-vis vest is needed when running in the dark.
Our runners also meet at local Parkruns on Saturdays, which start at 9am, with the most popular being Malling, at Leybourne Lakes, and Tonbridge (by Tonbridge swimming pool). Our club normally provide pacers for the Leybourne Lakes parkrun on the first Saturday of each month.
On alternate Wednesdays we hold a strength and conditioning class at 7pm at Paddock Wood Community Centre, and this is also free to attend for you during your trial period and if you decide to become a member of the club.
New Year – New You! Beginner’s course for runners
This ten-week training course will start on Monday 5 January 2026, but if you can’t make this first session, new joiners will be welcomed to start their four-week free trial throughout January at any of our Monday evening sessions, at 6:30pm, at the track.
For this beginners’ group we will mix jogging and walking, dependent on ability, to gradually take you to the 5k distance to complete your first Parkrun, where you will be able to run the whole course. You will learn how and when to warm-up and stretch, and work on a training plan suited to you.
What you will need
To start the course you will need comfortable running shoes, and weather-appropriate running clothes, including a high-vis gilet, for road sessions.
Joining the club
To sign up for our beginner’s course, please register you details here [Beginners to Parkrun Registration Form – Paddock Wood Athletic Club].
You do not need to pay anything unless you decide you want to continue training with the club after your four-week trial. We have different membership fees for adults, over 60s, and families, and these can be seen here [https://www.paddockwoodac.co.uk/club-info/join-us/]
We look forward to welcoming you!
