Maidstone Harriers runner, Kate Phillips-Barrett, smiling with finisher medal under the Kent Spring Half Marathon finish arch.

Based in Maidstone, Kent, Kate shares how club coaching and friendly sessions helped her grow from a 5k start to a bigger personal goal.

Getting Started at Maidstone Harriers

When I joined the Harriers, I could just about do a 5k and had absolutely no goals outside of that. Well, fast forward a few months and I was pulling off parkrun personal bests, building distance and thinking, “What’s next?”

Building on the Bike

Well, the Harriers had the answer for me, and it was cycling! After a few Cyclopark sessions with our great coaches, a weekly spin class, lots of encouragement and a borrowed bike, I was on the road.

Next step: joining the monthly group rides, getting my own bike and clipping in.

Learning to Swim Well

At this point, I knew what I wanted to do: triathlons!

I just needed the final piece of the puzzle: swimming. Under the guidance of the coaches at a beginner’s swimming session, I set off to practice, ready to start the Monday swim sessions to work on my technique.