Clubs in North Yorkshire

• Bentham Beagles Running Club
• City of York AC
• Easingwold Running Club
• Harrogate Harriers & A.C.
• Knaresborough Striders
• New Marske Harriers
• Nidd Valley Road Runers
• North York Moors Athletic Club
• Pickering Athletic Club
• Pickering Running Club
• Richmond & Zetland Harriers
• Ripon Runners
• Scarborough Athletics Club
• Selby Striders
• Settle Harriers
• Skipton AC
• Swaledale Road Runners
• Tadcaster Harriers
• Thirsk and Sowerby Harriers
• York Acorn RC
• York Postal Harriers
• Vocalink Running Club

If you'd like to add your club to our list please e-mail us here.

Swaledale Runners

When was the club formed?
It was formed in 1986 after splitting from another club. People wanted to run partly for fun and partly to compete, instead of one or the other. There’s no reason a club has to be exclusively one way or the other. Our club offers an outlet for both types of runner. Two years ago we changed our name from Swaledale Road Runners to Swaledale Runners as we run off-road so often.

Do you welcome all ages and abilities?
Absolutely. We have beginner’s courses and we offer different sessions depending on what sort of running you want to do. We have an off-road group who you’ll see running around Richmond wearing their head torches in the winter. We cater for all types.

When and where do you meet?
We meet at 6:45pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Richmond at Swaledale Outdoor Club. We also have a Northallerton group who meet on Wednesdays at 6pm.

How many members are there?
We have around 100 at the moment but it fluctuates.

Any notable members?
Jackie Keavney springs to mind. She’s very competitive in the over-50 age group. There’s also Carol Murray who’s a triathlete but competes in various running events too. We have several people who are quite competitive in mountain marathons and ultras. It’s funny, the ones who are good at ultras often aren’t the fastest but they possess the determination and endurance skills to succeed.

What events are the club involved in?
We regularly compete in the Harrogate District League. We are always well represented at Swaledale Marathon too. The Shaun Lee Johnstone Memorial Multi-Terrain Race is another event that’s well attended by our members. It’s for a charity close to our hearts. Several of our runners go down to London each years for the marathon. We’re a very active club so you’ll find members at lots of events up and down the country.

Tell me about your annual race - Richmond Castle 10K ...
2016 will be its 15th year. It’s one of the hilliest 10ks around. The area lends itself to fell running so we get a lot of good fell runners at the event. When our members go to other places we can’t believe how flat they are. People will say, “Oh that hill we just did was quite tough” and I’ll say, “What hill?!” Even our clubhouse is on a hill. So that is definitely reflected in the race. The race coincides with the CAMRA beer festival. There’s no better way to relax after a race than by sampling some refreshing ales.

Is there a big social side to the club?
Yes, we’re a very social club! Having a clubhouse is definitely an advantage. Some clubs just meet in a car park then go running. We have a house where we can meet, socialise, have tea and biscuits etc. Our Christmas awards are always very popular. We try not to just give awards for the obvious categories, so we’ll have awards for most improved and age-related awards too. We also hold ceilidhs and take part in activities such as orienteering.

Do you take part in events abroad?
Yes, we have runners who race in Europe, America and beyond. There are a couple of members who run in Spain every winter and always send us reports back. They enjoy telling us about their run in the sun while it’s totally miserable here.

How would someone go about joining the club?
If you visit our website, swaledaleroadrunners.co.uk, you’ll be able to get more information and contact us. You’ll be very welcome

Running groups in North Yorkshire

There are numerous informal running groups across North Yorkshire - some are based at running stores, others at health and fitness clubs, while a few are just groups of workplace or college friends. If you'd like to add your running group to our online list, then please e-mail us here.

• Absolute Beginners, Up & Running Harrogate
• Beginner's Running Group - Run with Karen
• Bilton Beginners, Bilton Children Centre
• Fit 4 Fun Beginners Running Group
• Fitbynature, York Steiner School
• Giggleswick Gazelles
• Harrogate Beginners
• Harrogate Beginners Running Group
• Harrogate 6 Week Beginners Course
• Harrogate Strivers
• Heworth Harriers
• Knaresborough Striders
• Military 1st Fitness Training
• Running Astray Saturday, (female only) Harrogate
• Scarborough AC Walk to Run Group, Scarborough Rugby Club
• Strensall Striders, The Ship Inn
• Sweat Equity, York David Lloyd Club
• The Fitness Rooms Running Group
• York Knavesmire Harriers, York College
• Yorkshire Marathon Training Group David Lloyd Club, York

Run England Groups

Organised in a more formal way but still providing a relaxed introduction to running is Run England. The project is really blossoming around the country and is well represented in the North East.

Sweat Equity York

York's Sweat Equity group has carried the tag name 'No Cry Babies' since it was established in 2006. While this sounds a little like a rallying call from an army platoon, it serves to underline the group's commitment to helping runners work together to achieve their goals.

Led by experienced UKA coaches Janet Wood and Richard Smith, the group has 10 qualified Run Leaders lending their help. The philosophy is to provide a relaxed, supportive and motivational atmosphere for runners.

During the week, the group trains on a Wednesday (hill intervals) and Friday (tempo run), and meet for a long run on a Sunday. To give an indication of the support on offer, the coaches organise drinks and nutrition stops at key distances for each training group on their Sunday long run, with the aim of giving runners an experience as close to race day as possible.

If this sounds a bit intense for first-timers, beginner and improvers groups are available through Run York, who focus on helping runners progress to around 10k, with the option of moving on to Sweat Equity after. Even though a base level of running fitness is required at Sweat Equity - new members should be able to cover three miles - Richard stresses that the group is wholly inclusive: "The group is open to anyone interested in distance running and, if they are not quite up to long distance at the moment, we have the Run York groups, which is the ideal way for runners to get started and progress with their training. It doesn't matter if you are fast or slow, the group is for all."

Every session is pre-planned and coach-led, with runners taking part at their own pace. Janet and Richard plan the programme with events in mind, and tend to focus on either spring races - Brighton, London, Paris or Manchester Marathons - and autumn - Great North Run, Berlin, New York and Dublin.

On top of providing training suited to specific events, Sweat Equity offer regular seminar and workshops during each programme, delivered by specialists in their field. The workshops are free to both Sweat Equity and Run York members, and have so far focused on psychology, nutrition and injury management.

As recognition for this comprehensive approach to training, Yorkshire Cancer Research has recently appointed Sweat Equity the local training provider for the Yorkshire Marathon. The group will be supporting 150 runners as they prepare for the event in October.

By providing a supportive and motivational platform, added with a comprehensive approach to training, you get the impression Sweat Equity is abiding by its philosophy of helping runners achieve their targets.

Services for runners in North Yorkshire

Sports Massage

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Physiotherapy

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Podiatry

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Personal Training

• AM Fit - Personal Training, Yarm-on-Tees

Nutrition Advice

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If you are offering a service to runners in The North East such as physiotherapy, sports massage, podiatry, personal training, nutrition advice etc please contact us here