Coming up with different ways to stay active and healthy is now on everyone’s minds.

Sligo Sport and Recreation Partnership have developed a 5k training plan for the people of Sligo to walk, jog and run their way to 5k and feel great.

The Feel Good 5K is a FREE 6 week training programme for people of all ages and abilities throughout County Sligo.

There are 3 tailored training programmes which participants can select from. Each training programme contains three weekly sessions and can be complete in under an hour. You can sign up to receive your free training plans and weekly support emails at https://feelgood5ksligo.eventbrite.ie. Registration opens 1st January 2021 and 6 week support programme starts from the 6th January. 

You can select from

‘Feel Good 5k – First 5k – Walk / Jog Training plan with Podcasts to get you to complete a 5k in 6 weeks 

‘Feel Good Breaking 30 – Jog / Run Training  Plan to get you a sub 30min 5k in 6 weeks 

‘Feel Good in Under 25 – Running Training Plan to get you sub 25min 5k in 6 weeks 

Register at https://feelgood5ksligo.eventbrite.ie  from 1st January 2021.

New Keep Well Walking Challenge launched to encourage people to walk for 30 minutes every day for three weeks

The Keep Well campaign is aimed at showing people of all ages how we can mind our own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to our daily and weekly routine.

Sport Ireland, Get Ireland Walking and Healthy Ireland are encouraging people of all ages to walk into 2021 by taking part in the Keep Well Walking Challenge, which gets underway today.

Walking is the most accessible form of physical activity with no special equipment or locations required. Sport Ireland, Get Ireland Walking and Healthy Ireland are looking to get as many people as possible out and active for at least 30 minutes a day for the remaining 21 days of December, bringing a healthy habit forward to the New Year.

To support this, Get Ireland Walking has produced a new app that will allow users to keep a record of their walking and help all participants to stay motivated. The handy app will provide useful tips on advice on how to build walking into every day routines. It can be downloaded at https://www.getirelandwalking.ie/app/

As part of the 21-day campaign, well-known people from across Ireland will share their favourite walk of 2020, whether it is a socially distanced walk with a loved-one or simply a lunchtime escape from the bedroom office.

Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD said: “The benefits of physical activity are undisputed and walking is the most accessible form of physical activity available. I am delighted to say that I will be taking part in the Keep Well Walking Challenge and have already downloaded the app to help keep me motivated and track my progress through the month of December.”

Minister for State for Gaeltacht Affairs and Sport Jack Chambers TD added: “Walking is a brilliant form of physical activity that is accessible to all and despite everything that has happened it 2020 it was wonderful to see the numbers of people that have become involved in recreational walking – it’s a great sign for the health of the nation. The Keep Well Walking Challenge will help keep people active right up to the end of the year and we are delighted to be able to launch it today.”

Frank Feighan TD, Minister of State for Public Health and Wellbeing added: “I’m absolutely delighted to support this great initiative as part of the Healthy Ireland Keep Well campaign. I firmly believe that the ‘Get Ireland Walking App’, launched today, will be a very helpful tool in helping people to remember to get out and about and to do some physical activity every day. I encourage everyone to take on this challenge for the last 21 days of the year and make sure that they are starting the new year off on a good footing. So let’s all try and contact our friends and family members to help with the challenge, lace up those shoes, pull on that coat and get out walking”.

John Treacy, Chief Executive Sport Ireland commented: “It is hugely encouraging to see that the levels of recreational walking in Ireland are higher than ever. Physical activity is vital for the health of the nation, mental as well as physical, and one of the positives to come out of 2020 is that people now recognise the importance of physical activity as part of their daily lives. The Keep Well Walking Challenge and the new app will further help walking become part of people’s habits.” 

Jason King, National Programme Manager Get Ireland Walking commented: “The benefits of walking cannot be underestimated both for individuals and the country as a whole. We really think that the Get Ireland Walking app will help keep people motivated through December, a time when people can become a little less active, and help them approach 2021 in a positive frame of mind and in good health – mental and physical.”

The Keep Well Walking Challenge is part of Keep Well. The Keep Well campaign is aimed at showing people of all ages how we can mind our own physical and mental health and wellbeing by adding healthy and helpful habits to our daily and weekly routines. It provides guidelines, information, and tips on how we can make a plan to do things that will help us keep well through the coming months.

www.sportireland.ie

https://www.getirelandwalking.ie/app/

NOTE: The deadline applications under the scheme has been extended to Monday 1st March 2021. This is due to the ongoing evolving situation with Covid-19 restrictions. All information is available on www.sportscapitalprogramme.ie

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, T.D, and the Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht, Jack Chambers, T.D., recently announced (30/11/2020) that €40 million is being made available in 2021 under a new round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP).

 The SCEP is the Government’s primary vehicle for providing support to sports clubs and communities to develop sports infrastructure around the country. Applications can be made online only from 9am on Friday 11th December until the extended date of 5pm on Monday 1st March 2021.

Further information and details from the Department press release can be found  HERE

Physical Literacy

Physical literacy is defined as “the motivation, confidence, physical competence, knowledge and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in physical activities for life”

Physical literacy is the foundation for lifelong involvement in physical activity according to The Lifelong Involvement in Sport & Physical Activity (LISPA) model.

Join us to learn more…

Understanding Physical Literacy Module

The Understanding Physical Literacy Module (Online) has been developed by Sport Ireland Coaching in partnership with Stranmillis University College to provide a personal and professional development opportunity for those interested in developing their own physical literacy and/or helping others develop their physical literacy throughout the life course.

This module is an interactive 2 hour online workshop which will:

• Outline the origins, definition, elements, relationship between the elements and importance of physical literacy.
• Explain whether individuals can be described as ‘physically literate’ and whether physical literacy can be assessed.
• Discuss why physical activity is so important to children and how we can do more to encourage it.
• Explore findings from national and international research that highlights the need to increase children’s levels of physical literacy as part of the long-term approach to increasing wellbeing and reducing levels of preventable disease.

Workshop Outcomes for Participants are:

• Explain the importance of Physical Activity for Children
• Explain what is meant by the physical literacy learning journey. Articulate the rationale behind the physical literacy journey – a ‘road map’ that can be used by anyone who guides children along their physical literacy learning journey.
• Explain how they can contribute to its development in the children and young people with whom they interact at home and in the community.
• Understand how to organise safe, purposeful and meaningful physical activities for all children.

Register Online line at https://pl1sligo.eventbrite.ie 

The Sligo School Indoor Rowing Staying Local Virtual Blitz is open to all secondary schools in County Sligo. The format of the event has changed from a team event to an individual event for this year due to Covid restrictions. There are categories for every year group from 1^st to 6^th years with a special categories for school teachers and staff to engage in the event. The challenge is to see how many meters you can row in a 5minute time cap. Competitive rowers who have experience rowing can enter the 2000meters for time category, a challenging test of fitness.

The timed rows will be overseen on a selected date between the 10^th and 18^th December onsite in the school by an SSRP Rowing Official who will verify all distances complete, where they will be compiled on a database with results posted on 19^th December. Rowers are available for schools to use for this event. Full details of the event can be found on Eventbrite HERE