The reasons for joining a running club are as many and as varied as the club members themselves; everybody has their own reasons for deciding to run. Wesham Road Runners can help you achieve whatever objectives and aspirations you may have, and maybe introduce you to some new ones...
Running on your own can often be dispiriting, especially on long, cold, wet winter nights. Having others to run with, and a regular club 'session', can make all the difference between putting on your running shoes and getting out of the door instead of curling up in front of the telly and feeling guilty about it. You'll get to meet some new people, make some new friends and have a bit of fun, (and get fitter), in the process.
Even if you train with a regular running partner - how well matched are you? If one of you is having it easy and the other is always struggling to keep up you could both benefit from mixing with the broad range of abilities found in any running club. You'll both find people to run with who are better matched to your own individual pace.
Running with other runners will always push you that bit harder than if you are on your own. It is psychologically harder to drop out or ease up when you are training with others. Additionally a club will often arrange additional 'quality' sessions to improve speed, strength and endurance. These are not restricted to the top athletes and it is often the club runners of more modest ability who benefit the most.
As well as 'quality' sessions, getting to know and train with other runners in your area will introduce you to new training routes as people meet up for communal runs. These can often be quite social occasions and it is not unknown for these to finish at pubs, where the hard work and calorie loss just undertaken can swiftly become undone. Club outings to races will give you runs in different places and maybe introduce you to corners of this green and pleasant land that you hadn't discovered before.
When it comes to your need to go running, whatever the weather, your partner etc. may not understand but other club members do. Joining Wesham Road Runners will introduce you to a group of like-minded people. Here you can go on about how terrible your last run was, or how you just shaved so many seconds off your PB for such and such a distance and get an enthusiastic response instead of the usual glazed look and sad shake of the head.
Extras
Wesham Road Runners are not content to race locally. We have an excellent Events Organiser by the name of John Whiteman. The club has enjoyed many trips abroad as well as in the U.K. and all the organisational hard work is undertaken by John - you just have to turn up with your kit and suitcase and enjoy yourself.
It is sadly the case, but personal safety whilst out running alone is a serious issue, particularly for lady runners and especially in the dark of winter evenings. Running with others in a club environment gives you safety of numbers and a pool of people you can train with on other days of the week as well.
Not everybody's cup of tea but it certainly exists in the Wesham Road Runners club environment. From the aspiration of medal winning to the fun rivalry between mates competition enhances performance. Our Club hosts internal championships, e.g. Monthly Handicap Races, and provide a gateway to more serious competitions at local, regional and national levels. It is one of the great levellers of running that many events at national or international level are open to competitors of all abilities; just think of the London Marathon for an example where you can say that you raced against the likes of Paula Ratcliffe. It doesn't matter where you come in a race, you will have been stretched and tested against your own personal benchmarks. Competition is not compulsory and there are plenty of club members who are not particularly motivated by it, but it certainly exists and can present you with a new challenge.
Joining Wesham Road Runners Club will allow you to save the BAF levy on your race entries.
READ OUR 'WELCOME PACK' INFORMATION
So what are you waiting for ?
Come on down and give Wesham Road Runners a try - Click Here for more information.
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It might be more fun than you thought. (Adapted and with kind permission from Helsby Running Club - (www.helsbyrun.freeuk.com)
