Fitness Initiatives

Stay Motivated and Build Confidence with our Fitness Programmes

Fitness Initiatives

At Oriam, we run a range of fitness initiatives throughout the year designed to help members and the wider community stay motivated, build confidence and work towards meaningful goals.

From beginner running programmes to structured training blocks and monthly gym challenges, these initiatives provide opportunities to try something new, stay accountable and connect with others in the Oriam community.

Couch to 5km

Our Couch to 5km programme is designed to help complete beginners or returning runners build confidence and progress safely towards running their first 5km.

We run the programme twice per year:

Week commencing 19 January – 22 March
Week commencing 21 September – 22 November

The programme follows the NHS Couch to 5km training plan, combining independent sessions with coached group runs.

Open to: Oriam members and non-members
Cost: Free of charge

Additional Information

Participants complete one run independently at the weekend before joining our coached sessions every Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30pm, led by the Oriam fitness team. These sessions take place on our Trim Trail, a scenic running route that loops around the Heriot-Watt campus.

By completing one session independently, we’re able to coach the more challenging session of the week together, helping participants build confidence and maintain good running habits.

We encourage all participants to finish the programme by taking part in the Oriam Parkrun, achieving their first 5km in a supportive community environment.

Participants will receive weekly check-in emails throughout the programme.

Road to 10km

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For those ready to take the next step, we run an annual 5–10km progression programme designed to help runners build endurance and extend their distance.

The programme runs for 9 weeks from:

Week commencing 6 April – 7 June

Created by the Oriam fitness team, the structure mirrors our Couch to 5km programme:

One independent run at the weekend
Two coached sessions per week on Tuesday and Thursday at 12:30pm

Open to: Oriam members and non-members
Cost: Free of charge

Additional Information

Sessions take place on the Oriam Trim Trail and are designed for those who have completed Couch to 5km or for returning runners looking to progress their training.

Participants will receive weekly check-in emails to help support consistency and motivation.

Transform in 8

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Transform in 8 is a structured training initiative designed to help Oriam members work towards a specific health or fitness goal over an eight-week period.

We run Transform in 8 at least twice per year, with each programme focusing on a different theme. Previous examples include:

Body fat reduction
Muscle building
Strength development

Future programmes may also focus on areas such as Hyrox training blocks, learning to lift, or mobility and flexibility development.

Open to: Oriam members
Cost: Free of charge

Additional Information

Participants receive a goal-specific gym programme along with guidance around nutrition, lifestyle habits and recommended classes or activities to support their progress.

Where appropriate, Tanita body composition scans may be included to help track changes across the programme.

Participants also receive weekly email check-ins from the fitness team for additional support and motivation.

Monthly Gym Floor Challenges

Each month we run a gym floor challenge to give members a fun opportunity to test themselves and compete with others in the Oriam community.

Challenges vary throughout the year and may include tests such as:

Maximum metres on the SkiErg in 60 seconds
Strength or endurance-based challenges
Equipment-based time trials

Challenges are displayed on the whiteboard in the main fitness suite, with a leaderboard showing the current top performers.

Members are welcome to attempt the challenge as many times as they like throughout the month in order to improve their score and climb the leaderboard.

The winner receives bragging rights and a complimentary drink from the Oriam café.

Open to: Oriam members

Oriam Parkrun

Oriam hosts a weekly Parkrun every Saturday, welcoming runners, walkers and volunteers from both the university and wider community.

The 5km event takes place on our Trim Trail, providing a scenic route around the Heriot-Watt campus and a supportive environment for participants of all abilities.

Parkrun is free to take part in and is a great way to:

Track your running progress
Train with others in the community
Work towards your first or fastest 5km

Many participants from our running programmes use the Oriam Parkrun as a milestone event to complete their first 5km.

Find Out More - parkrun UK

Fitness Friday

Fitness Friday is a weekly feature on the Oriam Instagram page, created by the fitness team.

Every Friday we share a mix of content designed to support and engage our community, including:

Training tips and advice
Exercise demonstrations
Fitness myths and educational content
Mini challenges
Team highlights and behind-the-scenes moments

It’s a fun way to get to know the fitness team while picking up useful tips to support your training.

Oriam Instagram

Fitness Initiatives

Stay Motivated and Build Confidence with our Fitness Programmes