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Race Listing for Essex

About the area

Once you get beyond the cliche of suburban bling, an observer looking at the county of Essex sees an area of interesting contrast from the built-up urban area adjacent to the M25 to quaint country villages, seaside locations and rural idylls. The running scene shows a similar diversity and also a unique nature that would surprise the unfamiliar.

Of course there are big events - there are 1,000 plus half marathons at Brentwood, Colchester and Southend, plus Essex hosts hugely popular Race for Life 5k events at half a dozen locations, and there are 9 Saturday 5k parkruns in Essex outside the M25 plus 2, soon to be 3, Sunday junior 2k parkruns. However there is a fascinating sub-culture of cross-country events, fell running and trail running Essex-style, where small informal races are run from local pubs taking in scenic routes - Halstead Road Runners tell us: "The final race from the Thatchers Arms at Mount Bures was organised by Mike Grealy and enjoyed by all, despite the hills and the heat!"

And then there's the Crown to Crown 5k trail series and the ELVIS races, a number of popular cross-country leagues and the iconic Essex Way Relay. Billericay Striders have captured something of the diverse offerings: "More than 20 runners met up for the final summer evening cross country run. Keith's knowledge of the maze of public footpaths around Ramsden enabled him to lead an excellent series of runs which showed off bits of our county that many of us would otherwise never see. The runs included exposure to fig rolls, cups of tea, plenty of mud and enough nettles for Brian Cowling to shake a stick at. The final run finished with an excellent buffet at the Nag's Head."

The club scene is obviously vibrant and clubs like Springfield Striders and Castle Point Joggers illustrate its inclusive nature where the emphasis is on fun and participation although the competitive spirit does raise its head and there are lots of leagues and competitions across the various running disciplines.

If you just want an easy run in England's green and pleasant land then Essex offers so many possibilities; we'll highlight one - Dedham Vale, close to the Suffolk border. It's an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and it did impress John Constable!

The next time you ponder this misrepresented county don't think of the 'Only Way Is Essex' think of clubs with names like Little Baddow Ridge Runners and Grange Farm Trotters and events like the Widdington Woody Wiggle.

We are compiling a list of running groups, clubs, stores and facilities in Essex. If you would like to add information to our listing please get in touch with us.

Springfield Striders is a big successful club in Mid-Essex. The reason - a fun approach and a place for everyone...

Home sweet home? Chelmsford Rugby Club in Coronation Park; the clubhouse was fully refurbished in 2006 so it's a great base.

How many Striders are there? Currrently we have over 300 members.

How long have you been striding out? The club was formed in 1985?

Where does your membership come from? Obviously lots of us are from the Chelmsford area but we have members who travel from places like Braintree, Maldon, South Woodham and Ongar.

Most popular session? That's got to be the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

How does that work? We split into three groups based on ability, one from each group making up a team. First lap (about 1.5 miles) - all run but at the slowest runners pace; second lap - two runners go at the slower runners pace; final lap we leave the field to the flyers. It's a great session for getting everyone together.

You must be happy to have Paul Molyneux in your team! Paul Molyneux is the club record holder at 10k, half marathon and marathon (2:22:16 at London 2011) and all points in between.

Did lots of Striders cheer Paul on at London? We usually have about 50 members running at London and the club also mans the drink station at 13 miles with around 100 volunteers.

Other famous members? John Hoskyn, one of our founding members, recently carried the Olympic Torch; John is a one-man charity fundraising phenomenon!

Highlight in the race calendar? The Essex Way Relay which covers the 82 miles from Epping Station to Harwich Old Lighthouse in 10 stages. We usually field 10 teams and if wasn't for those pesky Benfleet ladies we'd pretty much sweep the board.

Fell running in Essex - you're having a laugh? Danbury Hill is a tougher test than you might think, especially when we've added a few kinks. Ok, the fell runners do a bit of travelling - Shropshire, Wales ... and Yorkshire and the Calder Vale Fell Race is an annual pilgrimage.

Cross-country in the winter? Of course! We put out teams in the three local leagues and usually collect some silverware.

Something we didn't know? Trail running Essex-style. Very informal involving start and finish at a nice local pub. £4 to enter includes a voucher for a drink. Great rural routes too. The Easter Eggstravaganza is a real trailfest, 4 events over 4 days!

The social side? There's always something cooking. Our midsummer BBQ after the Friday 5 Miler is a crowd-pleaser and the annual awards dinner at the County Cricket Club is not to be missed.

Running groups in Essex

• Fit in a Run, Manningtree Sports Centre, near Colchester
• Bare Your Sole: Chalkwell and Leigh-on-Sea Group, Chalkwell Seafront, Southend-on-Sea
• Beginners Group for Distance, Brentwood Centre
• Billericay Norsey Woods Group, Norsey Woods Visitor Centre, Billericay
• Billericay Striders Run England Beginners Group, Hannakins Farm Community Centre
• Castle Point, John Burrows Sports Ground, Benfleet
• Castle Point Joggers, The Old Fire Station, Hadleigh
• Hadleigh Novice Runners, The Old Fire Station, Hadleigh
• Edwards Hall Group A, Edwards Hall Primary School, Eastwood nr Southend
• Edwards Hall Group B, Edwards Hall Primary School, Eastwood nr Southend
• EL Running Club, Southchurch Park, Southend
• Fittology - Let Us Carry You Further, various local parks, Rochford
• Girls Go Running, various places in & around Bishops Stortford
• Harlow Running Club - Beginners, Mark Hall Sport Centre, Harlow
• Phoenix Striders, Laindon Community Centre, Basildon
• Purfleet Fun Runners, The Royal Carpark, Purfleet
• Rochford Running Club - Beginners group
• Rochford Adult Community College, Southend
• Run 4 Fun Basildon Beginners, Gloucester Park near Entrance to Basildon Sporting Village
• Run Together, The Locker Room Gym, Southend
• Run, Believe and Achieve ,Basildon Sporting Village
• Running Fitness, Chelmsford Sport & Athletics Centre
• Ruskin Runners, Anglia Ruskin University Sports Centre, Chelmsford
• Saffron Striders Run in England Beginners , Lord Butler Leisure Centre, Saffron Walden
• Run with Slc Runners
• SLC Health & Fitness club, Walton on the Naze
• St Teresa's Group A, St Teresa's Primary School, Rochford
• The School Run, Harwich Sports Centre
• Thriftgreen Trotters, Brentwood Centre

If you would like your group to be added to this page, get in touch!

Purfleet Road Runners

Keen to encourage others to find a love for running in the manner she had, Gill West decided to form Purfleet Fun Runners in July 2011...

She told runabc.co.uk/south: "After belonging to a running club for a number of years I realised that I would achieve a greater sense of satisfaction leading a group and trying to motivate others to run.

“I was a bit of a late starter and one of the slower runners even as I improved but I always felt that I'd done something worthwhile for myself after completing a few miles. I wanted to give others the opportunity to feel the same way and so Purfleet Fun Runners came about."

Gill is a qualified jog leader with Run England, a national programme aimed at getting more people into running, and that is exactly what she has done in the group's inaugural year.

As the group's name suggests, members meet in Purfleet - the car park entrance of The Royal to be exact. They meet every Tuesday and Thursday at 6.50pm for a prompt 7pm start and Gill is keen to stress that it is completely free to join. Of her 18 members Gill says: "Most are women but we have started to get a few men. We range from all speeds from about a 9 minute mile to a 13.5 minute mile.

“Amongst us there are a few who 'used' to run and are hoping to get back into the habit, some who would like to improve and some who just want to get fit whilst being with other people. One or two had hardly ran before they joined us."

It is a mixed clientele in terms of age as well, with members ranging from 19 to 58. Gill says: "I feel the group caters well for all ages and abilities, and we all get along great. I would say that our group is ideal for anyone looking to start out in running, or get back into it while spending time with a great bunch of people."

We asked Gill what sort of sessions new members could expect: "The sessions are run over a distance of 3.25 miles, with a couple of hills thrown in! There is scope for some runners to extend the distance if they wish. It is all pretty easy going and members can be assured that there will be a session/route that is well within their capabilities. No one is left behind!"

The mixed ability nature of the group means that some have chosen to go on to take part in events while others are happy to simply get some exercise in over the course of the week. Some of the group take part in the local parkrun (Valentines, Ilford) and enjoy the social nature of the timed event.

When asked for 'stand-out' members of the group, Gill struggles: "To me they all stand out; I am extremely proud of every one of them!" But when pushed she does mention Patricia, who could only walk/run the training route to begin with but can now run the whole distance, and Folake who is always the back marker in training but now wants to aim towards running a 10k.

Purfleet Fun Runners is a great example of how running groups are improving people's fitness levels across the country in a relaxed but fun setting and how people like Gill are making it happen.

Services in Essex

Do you operate a service for runners in the Essex area? If you'd like to be added to our list please get in touch with us!

Chiropody

• Basildon Chiropody
• Chelmsford Foot Clinic
• Romford Chiropody
• Toe Zone Foot Care

Nutrition Advice

Please contact us and we will include details of your service

Personal Training

Please contact us and we will include details of your service

Physiotherapy

• PureBody Health Sports Injury Clinic, Great Dunmow

Podiatry

• Basildon Podiatry
• Chelmsford Foot Clinic
• Romford Podiatry
• Toe Zone Foot Care

Sports Massage

Please contact us and we will include details of your service