It was a bright morning on Saturday as Somer Athletics Club celebrated the successful graduation of their latest Couch to 5km students.

Over a structured ten week course, England Athletics accredited run leaders coached the students every Thursday night, enabling them to gain stamina and confidence. The course gave the students a targeted mix of practical guidance, in-session training every Thursday, and "homework" in the form of weekly training targets.

As well as practical training, the coaches provided the support to allay any fears and amending plans to reflect the abilities of the runners group as they progressed from non-runner to new runner.

Despite some inclement weather, the enthusiasm and determination didn't waver.

The weekly "free forever" Five Arches parkrun on the Norton Radstock Greenway was the obvious opportunity for them to put their new found skills to work, running the 5km alongside a number of Somer clubmates.

There was much cheering and encouragement, whilst club legend Kim Keogh baked some celebratory cupcakes as a reward at the end.

If you're interested in improving your running, Somer would love to help and welcomes new members of all abilities, meeting every Tuesday and Thursday at 7.15pm at Norton Hill School; in addition, they have Juniors (8-12 years) and Youth (13-17) branches that meet on Thursdays in Chilcompton.

They can be contacted at [email protected] or via their Facebook and Instagram pages, and would love to help you achieve your running aims in a friendly, social and supportive environment.