Attention NCI! Put down that sourdough bread mix, cancel that Zoom quiz, break up with Joe Wicks, admit that you really are too old to be on TikTok…
A nice gentle run or walk in the fresh air is really the thing you need in your life.
NCI has partnered with the GOAL mile to encourage all students and staff to run or walk a mile over Christmas for an amazing charity. This year, the event, that is a festive tradition for many, has gone virtual, and the theme is ‘run apart, stand together’. You simply register for the GOAL mile, and then run or walk your mile at a location of your choosing over the festive period.
To set you on your marks, NCI has some great resources to help you prepare and get you up away from the desk (or kitchen table!). Each week, coach Mary Jennings, from Forget the Gym and The Irish Times Running Series, will be sending an exclusive NCI training plan and a video of tips to get you started. It will include great advice on motivation, breathing, stretching and lots more for those new to running or walking. You can use this plan to get you to the Christmas GOAL mile in great shape, but it can also be used as a great start to getting out-and-about for running or walking, no matter what your current fitness level.
The videos and training plan will feature here on this blog post, which will be updated every week, and where you will always be able to find all the details on how to register for the event and everything you need to get started (bookmark this page now for easy reference!).
We will be encouraging staff and students to get involved and let us know how your training is going. Keep an eye on our social media channels and post your pictures, videos or comments using both the hashtags #GOALMile #NCIChristmas2020, so that everyone else around the country doing the Goal Mile can see your post, and all of us here at NCI too.
We all know that working and studying from home can mean too much time cooped up indoors and sitting at a desk. A little outside exercise can really help with lots of aspects of physical and mental health, so we hope this will give you motivation and a nice manageable target to reach for Christmas. Remember, this is a gentle walk or run, so you set the pace.
So, register with GOAL mile and let’s get NCI moving!
Here are the details:
The NCI GOAL Mile will take place virtually on 24th -26th Dec, but you are welcome to run, skip, skate your mile in your own time. It’s simple to get involved:
- Register here to have your GOAL Mile T-shirt sent directly to your door. Use NCI’s exclusive code NCIGOALMile for a 10% discount (international shipping available).
- No need to set up your own fundraising page. But if you like, you can share this link* with friends and family asking them to support the NCI GOAL Mile. *Please note this fundraising campaign has now ended.
- Follow Mary Jennings’ training tips on our weekly emails and listed below.
- Run, walk or skip your mile and share it on our social media channels using the hashtags #GOALMile #NCIChristmas2020.
Meet Your Coach
A relative latecomer to exercise, Mary understands what it’s like not to feel ‘sporty’ and loves building confidence in new runners and helping people reach their running goals. She has plenty of practice on the roads herself, having completed over 40 marathons and ultramarathons.
Mary is the author of the book ‘Get Running’ published in 2019. She is a regular columnist with The Irish Times on all things running, and a frequent voice on radio, television and print.
She says, "I’m delighted to be here to help NCI's students and staff get up off the couch and build up to 1 mile by Christmas."
Get Started
Watch this introduction video from Mary and then get started with the training plans she's put together.
