OUR COACHES AND LEADERS IN RUNNING FITNESS

Trudy Avis - Senior Coach

Trudy Avis has been a member of Hadleigh Hares since 2008 after joining the club as a way to get fit and to help transform her lifestyle. Trudy soon found the love of running and that year entered the 5k race for life, this gave her the confidence to enter races across all distances from 5k’s to a full marathon in 2010.

Trudy hadn’t been a member of the club long before her coaching journey began, firstly qualifying as a leader in running fitness in 2009 and assisting with the beginner and junior sessions. In 2013 she qualified as a Coach in Running Fitness (CiRF). Trudy currently coaches the improvers sessions on a Monday night.

Julia Bilotta - Senior Leader in Running Fitness

I qualified as a Leader in Running Fitness (LIRF)a few years ago having been chosen by Suffolk “This Girl Can” to take part in a project supporting women of all ages in making running a regular part of their lives. Running is now a very important part of my life and being a member of Hadleigh Hares is too. Initially I used my LIRF qualification to organise Hadleigh Hares social runs during Covid lockdown and then last year became one of the leaders for the Couch to 5K Beginners Course which then progressed onto the weekly Beginners Group. It has been challenging but always fun and I have enjoyed helping new runners go on to make running part of their lives too. I think I’m proof that you can take up and participate in running at any age (I’m 66) and hope to continue for many years.

Kitty Rigby - Senior Leader in Running Fitness

I have been a runner as far back as my teens, competing then, mainly on the track. A 12 year stint in the Army meant running was an occupational hazard! But it wasn't until I left that my real running journey began. After the birth of my first daughter, I needed some time for myself so running was the obvious choice, you can pick your time, length and where! It wasn't long before I found Tuesday night ladies night at Hares. From here I began entering races, started getting faster and braved the other running nights. I made loads of new friends and before I knew it I was on the committee! I then took the brave step of becoming a coach and took my LiRF course. I now primarily coach juniors on a Tuesday. I love watching the young athletes grow in confidence and improve their running every week. I do sometimes fill in for senior coaches, but not very often! You will however see me trudging the miles on a weekend preparing for a marathon , which I seem to keep entering!

Jo Sargent - Senior and Junior Coach in Running Fitness

Jo joined Hadleigh Hares in 2017 after signing up for her first marathon, despite only having run a 5k race for life. She quickly realised she’d need help and turned up to take part in the first of many Monday night training sessions. Fast forward 5 years and 3 marathons later and Jo is being kept very busy with her Hares ‘life’. Jo has been a member of the Committee since 2018 and is currently 5 & 10 Race set-up Co-ordinator, Junior Head Coach and Junior Secretary.

Since joining the Junior coaching team in 2018, Jo has obtained her LIRF, Coaching Assistant and CIRF qualifications. The work required towards gaining the latter give her the confidence to resume the Thursday night training sessions following the COVID enforced shutdown. She also currently assists with coaching the monthly track sessions at Northgate with Amanda.

Jo has lived in Hadleigh for 25 years with her husband Mark and Cat Pudsey. She has one daughter Emma, who is a midwife working and living in London. She’s worked at Willis in Ipswich for the past 31 years and enjoys Swimming and Pilates when she’s not running.

Our other coaches and leaders in running fitness:

Senior

Amanda Dunn
Samantha Tapp
Elaine Turner

Junior

Ryan McNeill