Spectrum Striders Running Club
Birchwood, Warrington, Cheshire
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the Club
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Spectrum Striders began as a new running club in 1983. We were formed by a group of enthusiastic runners living and working in the newly developed area of Birchwood, on the north east edge of Warrington. Our original base was at the Spectrum Arena sports and leisure complex (currently headquarters of "Betfred") which also gave the club its name. When we moved to our present base at Birchwood Community High School in 1987, we kept our original name.
We now have about 150 members, about 100 of whom are regular runners with a wide range of running abilities from newcomers to county standard athletes. Emphasis at the club is on enjoyment as well as competition. Our running interests are in road, cross country, fells and multi-terrain. We are affiliated for road, fell & hill and cross country. We welcome new members of all abilities.
While many of our members enjoy competing in races sometimes weekly or even more frequently, others prefer to run for leisure and general fitness, and for the social aspects of running in a group. All are welcome.
Our membership numbers are higher now than they have ever been. If you are thinking of joining us we'll be pleased to see you. We normally suggest that you come along and chat or run with us first, so that you can decide whether the club is right for you. Details of our club nights are below, or see our Training page (follow the link from the Club Section Index at the top of this page) for more details. Alternatively, you can contact our Chairman Julian (01925 818807) or Secretary Andy (01606 888319).
If you would like to join us, perhaps having already run with us to find out a little about what we do, you can print off a membership form (in PDF format) to complete and return to us. Existing members can also use this form to renew their membership. The membership year runs from April to March.
Please note: (especially for members renewing) the membership fee structure has changed for 2008/9. Previously our membership fee included both the club and UK Athletics fees for their registration but the UKA fees have now changed . To reflect this it was decided at the last AGM (Nov 2007) that the membership form would show the UKA fee as a separate item.
Basically if you are intending to take part in more than 2 open races you should register with the UKA for a "racing license" for which they are charging £5.00 per person this year, as 3 unattached levies would come to more than £5. If you are only wanting to run in internal club events or train with us you do not need a UKA racing license. Please note if you have a family membership that this UKA fee is per person.
This £5.00 needs to be added to your club subscription when you are working out what your subscription fee is. Examples (using 2008/9 fees):
Individual membership = £15.00 [club] + £5.00 [UKA] giving a total of £20.00
Family of 4 membership = £22.00 [club] + 4x£5.00 [UKA] giving a total of £42.00
Obviously if you have no intention of competing then you can leave off the UKA fee.
Have a look on the membership form and if you have any more questions, please ask a committee member.
To read a PDF file you will need Adobe Reader. If you need to install it, click on the image below to obtain a free download of the software from Adobe. Note that the download of Adobe Reader is a 20mb file.
In addition to the races that we organise, there are several other events for members throughout the year.
Running-based events include mile trials in the summer, a 5k handicap race usually in May or June and an informal family track meeting in July. On a Sunday around Christmas, we have in the past had a fancy dress race which always caused bemused stares as several strange looking individuals go running around the park.
The competitive side of running is catered for with the annual Club Championships (for detailed race lists, click here):
We also regularly compete in major local and team events such as the Tattenhall Tough Team Race, and the Cheshire, Northern and National cross country championships. 1999 saw our debut in the Manchester to Blackpool Relay, with four teams.
Several social events are also arranged informally during the year.
We meet twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with sessions beginning at 6.45pm or 7pm. Sessions vary according to the time of year, winter (Sep-Mar) and summer (Mar-Sep). In addition to the regular sessions, we also have special sessions for beginners including run-walk if needed. We meet at our Birchwood Community High School base, except for summer Tuesdays when we normally meet at Victoria Park Running Track (occasionally elsewhere - details will be posted on the home page).
More details are available on our Training Page (follow the link from the Club Section Index at the top of this page).
Summer Tuesdays
6.45pm normally at Victoria Park (occasionally elsewhere - will
be advised via the home page) - various track sessions in 3 groups, beginners,
medium and fast, under the supervision of qualified coaches. The
beginners session is sometimes on the grass around the track.
Summer
Thursdays
7pm at
Birchwood Community High School - an hour's muster run along parkland paths and tracks
on a traffic free course, with shorter run options available. At
several points along the route, everyone runs back to the last
runner who is always accompanied by a back marker. This helps to
keep all of us together while allowing the faster runners to
cover more distance.
Winter Tuesdays
7pm at Birchwood Community High School - speed work with flat intervals or hill
repetitions, with an option for an easier run for beginners.
After Christmas, we also offer a circuit training option in the
gym, which is usually more popular than the speed work.
Winter
Thursdays
7pm at Birchwood Community High School - a slightly shorter muster run along local
roads with street lighting.
When you join, you will receive a copy of the Club Rules and Constitution. They are now also available here for you to view. The version available here was last revised in December 2001.
To view the Club Rules and Constitution, click on the link. It is a 4 page document in PDF format and opens in a new browser window.
To read a PDF file you will need Adobe Reader. If you need to install it, click on the image below to obtain a free download from Adobe. Note that the download is a 20mb file.
This page was last updated on 31/03/08