A RUNNING group in Middlewich is encouraging people who do no exercise whatsoever to join them and achieve a 5k run in nine weeks.

The Run Middlewich group, which was set up two years ago, has launched a nine-week programme for beginners aimed at getting people from ‘couch to 5k’.

The programme will run over nine weeks with leisurely runs around Middlewich starting from January 3 and will end with a 5k run in Delamere on March 12.

Darren Roberts, founder of the group, said: “This is aimed at people who have not ran much before or haven’t exercised in a while. It gets you from nothing to 5k in nine weeks. Anyone can do it, you don’t have to have any running background or anything.

“We’ve had people saying I like the look of it but I’m worried they’ll make me run too far or too fast, but we just want to get people off their backside and most people who come are pleasantly surprised and stick to it.

“We’re not a serious running club or anything, we just run at a leisurely pace. It’s just about keeping fit and meeting new friends.”

To get involved join the Run Middlewich Facebook group and send a message to the page.