Karen Lawther, BA Dip NLC is a certified Nutrition, Lifestyle Coach and a member of the Association of UK Health Coaches.

Passionate about helping clients understand the health benefits of improved nutrition and lifestyle choices, Karen provides the programmes, coaching, motivation and tools that her clients can confidently engage in making the long-term changes that can promote improved health and help them deliver on their wellness goals.

Karen also works alongside her personal trainer husband, providing nutritional advice to clients with fitness or body composition goals. Both are keen runners who are always up for a challenge, continuing to increase their knowledge through lived experience.

David Toney has over 40 years experience as a coach.

He is a master instructor in The Oxygen Advantage and has been trained in several breathing modalities.

He has worked with athletic clubs all over Ireland and travels extensively, teaching both martial arts and breathwork. David’s approach is to create functional breathing 24hours a day, to increase sporting performance and physical and mental well-being. 

Join the Run NI team on Sunday 9th October to celebrate our 2nd Birthday with a 5k, hosted in conjunction with the Les Jones Memorial 5k.

Runners will receive a special Run NI T-shirt and medal.

Enter On-line

Course Map

Pack Collection

• Thursday 6th October 1:30pm- 7:30pm

• Registration on Sunday morning from 9am.

Start Time: 10:30am

Race Information

• The race will start on the Mary Peters Track, with athletes sent off in waves. Athletes will run one lap of the Track, before heading through the carpark to the towpath.

• The towpath will still be open to the public, so please be mindful of other users during the event.

• Changing facilities will not be available, however, toilets will be available.

This is also a chance for our Run NI Summer Couch to 5K participants to graduate so come along and cheer them on too.

For more information please contact Athletics NI at 028 90602707 or alternatively via email: info@athleticsni.org

The Run NI C25K Belfast program will take place on Wednesday evenings from 7-8pm at the Dub Playing Fields, Upper Malone Rd beginning Wednesday July 20th and will be led by Lenny James from the Wednesday Night Runners Group.

The weekly sessions will include a variety of walking/jogging/running activities encouraging progression each week to build up to a 5K graduation event in early September. This event can be the Run NI Birthday 5k at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast on Sept 11th (entry to this is included in the fee for the C25K program) or a local parkrun on Sept 10th. All participants will receive a Run NI technical T-shirt and a finisher's medal.

The Run NI C25K Carrickfergus program will take place on Wednesday evenings from 7-8pm at the Marine Gardens, Carrickfergus beginning Wednesday July 20th and will be led by Leader in Running Fitness, Robert Elliott.

The weekly sessions will include a variety of walking/jogging/running activities encouraging progression each week to build up to a 5K graduation event in early September. This event can be the Run NI Birthday 5k at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast on Sept 11th (entry to this is included in the fee for the C25K program) or a local parkrun on Sept 10th or simply a 5K run on the last night of the program. All participants will receive a Run NI technical T-shirt and a finisher's medal.

The Run NI C25K Glenravel program will take place on Wednesday evenings from 7-8pm at Cargan Pitch, Glenravel beginning Wednesday July 20th and will be led by newly qualified Leader in Running Fitness, Suzie McKeown supported also by the Run NI team.

The weekly sessions will include a variety of walking/jogging/running activities encouraging progression each week to build up to a 5K graduation event in early September. This event can be the Run NI Birthday 5k at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast on Sept 11th (entry to this is included in the fee for the C25K program) or the local parkrun on Sept 10th or just a 5K run on the last night of the program. All participants will receive a Run NI technical T-shirt and a finisher's medal.

The Run NI C25K Craigavon program will take place on Wednesday evenings from 6.30-7.30pm meeting at the lakeside door of South Lakes Leisure Centre in Craigavon beginning Wednesday July 20th and will be led by the experienced Athletics Coach Dr Ciaran McAleenan.

The weekly sessions will include a variety of walking/jogging/running activities encouraging progression each week to build up to a 5K graduation event in early September. This event can be the Run NI Birthday 5k at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast on Sept 11th (entry to this is included in the fee for the C25K program) or the Citypark parkrun on Sept 10th. All participants will receive a Run NI technical T-shirt and a finisher's medal.

The Run NI C25K Omagh program will take place on Tuesday evenings from 7.30-8.30pm at the track at Omagh Leisure Centre beginning Tuesday July 19th and will once again be led by our expert leader Alex McKinley.

The weekly sessions will include a variety of walking/jogging/running activities encouraging progression each week to build up to a 5K graduation event in early September. This event can be the Run NI Birthday 5k at the Mary Peters Track in Belfast on Sept 11th (entry to this is included in the fee for the C25K program) or the local parkrun on Sept 10th or just a 5K run on the last night of the program. All participants will receive a Run NI technical T-shirt and a finisher's medal.

Clodagh is a consultant physician and Director of Laboratories at Belfast HSC Trust. Her role involves treating patients with diabetes, obesity, eating disorders and other nutritional and metabolic conditions as well as cardiovascular risk management.

Clodagh never felt she was a sporty person but was persuaded to start running at the age of 34 as part of a charity marathon relay team and has not looked back. With a busy full-time job and busy family life as mum to 3 big sons, she finds it great for physical and mental health as well as being a very social activity, running regularly with pals in Ormeau Runners. She has completed many popular events including many years of running in Belfast marathon relay teams, the Rathlin Run, Gr8 Dundrum run, half marathons all over N Ireland, as well as Connemara (her personal favourite), the Great North Run and Amsterdam. She thinks it’s a great excuse for a weekend away with running mates! She is also a big advocate of cross-training and after getting through treatment for cancer helped to set up Lagan Dragons, a dragonboat club in Belfast, which also keeps her busy.  She has walked an overnight marathon around London for charity, and has not yet given up hope of running one; in 2019 she agreed to do a 440km charity cycle along the length of the NI border, by the end of which she knew she preferred running.

Clodagh will discuss the health / medical benefits of exercise with particular emphasis on running.

Join the Run NI team on Sunday 5th September to celebrate our 1st Birthday with a 5k. Runners will receive a special Run NI T-shirt and Athletics NI bobble hat.

Registration: 8.30am (for collection of bib numbers and t-shirts only. No entries will be taken on the day).

Start Time: 9.30am

Course Map

Start Lists

This is also a chance for our Run NI Summer Couch to 5K participants to graduate so come along and cheer them on too. Note there are no cash prizes for this event.

For more information please contact Athletics NI on 02890602707, or alternatively via email: info@athleticsni.org

Declan Leung is part of Virtual Run NI, and has been shortlisted for Community Coach of the year at Sports NI Annual awards 2020 and Voluntary Contribution to Running at the Spirit Of Running Awards 2020 as a coach and leader.

As part of Virtual Run NI, Declan has helped successfully coached over 500 runners through their 8 week programmes over the past 3 years with many moving on to join their local running clubs.

Register using the button below:

Colin Griffin is based at the Sports Surgery Clinic Dublin Running and is a Strength & Conditioning Coach and Irish Olympian Race Walker. Colin’s work involves assessment of running mechanics to inform strengthening programmes that will prevent injury as well as injury treatment. In this webinar, Colin will focus on the common injuries that often crop up with new runners, the external and internal factors that cause them, advice on how to prevent injury and how to return from injury if it occurs.

Register using the button below:

Gráinne Donnelly is an Advanced Physiotherapist in pelvic health. She graduated from the University of Ulster in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physiotherapy. She specialised in Pelvic, Obstetric and Gynaecological physiotherapy in 2010 undertaking extensive post-graduate training and completing the Postgraduate Certificate in Continence Practice at the University of Bradford in 2018. Gráinne is currently completing a Masters in Advancing Healthcare at the University of Ulster and has worked on the research ‘Returning to Running Postnatal Guidelines for Medical, Health and Fitness Professionals Managing this Population’, which you can find out more about here.

Gráinne co-hosts a pelvic health related podcast that is open to all men and women and seeks to lift the lid on all things taboo and pelvic health. Find "At Your Cervix - The Podcast" on all major podcast platforms.

Register using the button below:

Katie is a registered sport and exercise nutritionist (SENr) with both masters and undergraduate qualifications in nutrition sciences. She is passionate about promoting positive food relationships for active people using simple sports nutritionist strategies to support exercise performance. Katie aligns with a non-diet approach and aims to offer sports nutrition for all bodies and levels that is very much person-centred. She is also passionate about raising awareness and doing preventative work for eating disorders and disordered eating in active populations. She has taken additional training in eating disorders in sport, intuitive eating and counselling skills.

Register using the button below:

We are proud to support them, by helping to raise much needed funds during Elfie Day on 11th December 2020, as they strive to build a mentally 'Elfie' society for all. We will be hosting a Virtual Elfie 5k, where you can dress up as an Elf and take part in a 5k, at your own pace and in your own time. Entry is £5.00 for the 5k and £3.00 for the Kid’s 1k with £1.00 of this and all donations going to Action Mental Health. Additionally you can visit their fundraising page here to set up your own Elfie Fundraising page for your Club or Group.

We would ask that everyone keeps to all social distancing guidelines. Once you have completed your 5k, simply send us a picture of your recorded time (and your Elf costume) to: info@athleticsni.org to be included in the results. 

Run NI are hosting a series of webinars for runners, their Run Leaders and coaches. We start the series with a webinar from Action Mental Health.

Action Mental Health (AMH) actively promotes the mental health and well-being of people in Northern Ireland starting in Downpatrick in 1963 when it was known as the Industrial Therapy Organisation. Today AMH has emerged as the standard bearer within Northern Ireland’s Third Sector – helping to smash the stigma of mental illness for all sections of the community.

Register using the button below:

Come join us on Wednesday 14th October from 6:30pm- 7:30pm for a chat and to find out more about Run NI and how we can help support you and your Run Group. You will get to meet our lovely team, who will answer your questions and chat about all things Run NI. You don’t have to be there for the whole hour, you can join in when you wish, so why not, make a quick cuppa and join in for a chat!