Showcase - our stories

Anya

I fell in love with outdoor running during lockdown but didn’t have the confidence to think I could run with a club. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I was persuaded to join Mel’s Milers and have never looked back.
 
Everyone is so friendly and supportive, all abilities welcome, highly motivational, wonderfully sociable and a thoroughly nice bunch of people. 
 
My running has improved no end, I have even run some 10k races and have medals to prove it. Something I never thought I could achieve. Next stop a half marathon!!!

Colin

I had been running ‘solo’ off & on for about 20 years, when I met a Mel’s Milers member in the gym at Bluecoats Sports, who persuaded me to join the club.
 
Although it took a short while to get used to running in a group, I quickly found that the supportive camaraderie of Mel’s Milers had a positive effect & as we racked up the miles, so performances improved.
 
Despite the appearance that may be given, Mel’s Milers is not just a social club that enjoys running, our members like to challenge themselves &  are competitive,  not to mention their wholehearted commitment to the club’s contribution to the community at large in the form of the the annual 10k race. I feel privileged to be a Mel’s Miler.

Jen

I started running in 2017 after trying a parkrun and couch to 5k with a friend. A friend recommended Mel’s Milers so we joined the learn to run group led by Mel. After about 6 weeks we progressed to run 6 miles with Mel’s Milers with lots of support and encouragement. 
 
Six months later, with everyone being so friendly and welcoming, I was brave enough to enter my first half marathon which happened to be the club away trip to Portofino. It was an amazing weekend and I’ve enjoyed all the trip’s organised since.
 
Fast forward to 2023 and after many half marathon’s I decided to go for the club London Marathon place. I feel very grateful to have been given the opportunity and the whole club gave me so much advice, support and encouragement with my training, and was so happy to achieve my goal of sub 5 hours. As well as the running it’s given me some great friends and lots of good chats along the way.

Lou

I joined Mel’s Milers earlier in the year because I needed a day time club to fit around work commitments – and I am very glad I found you!  I have been made to feel so welcome – thank you.
 
My running journey had been quite intense but in recent years I had struggled to find my mojo. Mel’s Milers helped me fall back into a routine and get the miles clocked up again.
 

Mike

I first started running in late 2018 after spending many hours waiting in the rain for my wife to finish Half Marathons – OK the bacon butties and coffees helped! I quickly realised that running in a pair of old squash shoes with no warm-up or indeed not having the faintest idea of what I was doing wasn’t going to cut it. While visiting my son (a very good runner) in Miami we bought my first pair of running shoes – great! The next day I ‘ran’ the Miami Half Marathon. My wife beat me by miles so there must be a way to make some real improvement.
 
There was. I joined the excellent Mel’s Milers Jogging Club based at Christ’s Hospital. Such a friendly club, with great camaraderie, excellent coaching and a very varied social side.
 
My running has greatly improved, I can now beat my wife, although as a 70yr old you do get the odd injury, and I have made some great friendships. I highly recommend Mel’s Milers to anyone who would like to give running a try or to improve their running.

Isobel

I joined Mel’s Milers many years ago on the recommendation of a friend. I was new to running and reluctant to run further than a few miles.
Fast forward to today and I’ve completed many races including 10 marathons and a few half iron men. I’ve also trained as a level 2 running coach and regularly take the Wednesday speed sessions.
Mel’s Milers is such a friendly, inclusive club who have supported me through the ups and downs of running life. I can’t imagine being without them!