From 5K to Trails:
Intro to Trail Running with Bristol Trail Runners
Just finished Couch to 5K?
Comfortable running around 5K but not sure what comes next?
This course is your bridge into trail running and into the BTR community.
We understand that Trails can feel intimidating at first...but over 8 weeks, we’ll help you build confidence off-road, develop strength for hills, and gradually extend your distance in a supportive group environment.
No pressure. No intimidation. Just steady progress.
Who It’s For?
This course is designed for runners who:
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Feel curious about trails but unsure where to start
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Can comfortably run around 5K
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Have little or no experience on trails
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Want to build towards 8–10K
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Would like guidance and structure
How The Course Works
This isn’t a cut-and-paste training plan.
Each session is coached live and evolves with the group. Some weeks that might mean a little more distance. Other weeks it might mean focusing on confidence on uneven ground or building strength on shorter climbs.
Week 1 starts gently — plenty of guidance, regular regrouping and no more than around 4K of running.
From there, we build steadily. Distance increases gradually. Terrain becomes a little more varied. Confidence grows week by week.
The goal isn't a set distance, it's about feeling comfortable, capable and confident on the trails
What’s Included
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8 weekly coached trail sessions (Thursday evenings) with Coach Tez (more on him later!)
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An online progressive TrainingPeaks programme to support you between sessions
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Guidance on trail kit, technique and safety
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Online/remote support via Slack and email.
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One free month of one-to-one run coaching after the course
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Access to the wider BTR running community throughout the course
Why Trail Running?
Trail running isn’t just “road running on dirt.”
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Softer underfoot and easier on the joints
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Varied terrain that keeps your mind engaged
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Hills that naturally build strength
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A pace that’s less about splits and more about effort
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Fresh air, green space and a genuine sense of escape
And perhaps most importantly, it’s social in a different way. You regroup more. You chat more. You share climbs and descents. It’s less about comparison and more about experience.
For many runners, trail running is where running starts to feel enjoyable rather than something to “get through.”
Meet Your Coach - Tez
Tez has been coaching for over 18 years through England Athletics, working with runners at every stage of their journey — from Couch to 5K through to marathon PBs and 100-mile ultras.
He’s been leading BTR’s popular Tuesday hill sessions for the past two and a half years, as well as our technical trail courses. If you’ve ever passed through Troopers Hill on a Tuesday evening, you’ll know his energy is hard to miss.
Tez loves trail running for what it gives people — confidence, resilience and a sense of adventure — and that enthusiasm comes through in every session he leads.
When he’s not on the trails, you’ll probably find him in the gym… or at a table tennis table!
After getting into table tennis through his husband, Tez threw himself into it in typical fashion. In 2024 he completed the “Tezathon” — a 24-hour continuous table tennis marathon raising funds for charity. Tezathon 2026 is already in the works — a table tennis and running ultra hybrid.
Next Course Details:
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Meeting day: Every Thursday from the 9th April 2026 at 7pm for 8 weeks.
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Meeting point: TBC weekly
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Price: £90 per person or £81 (save 10%) per person if you book before the 9th March 2026
Start date: NEXT COURSE DATE TBD
Price: £81 Early Bird
Improvers & Development