Spectrum Striders Running Club

For our regular club training runs, we meet twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with sessions beginning at 6.45 or 7pm. Sessions vary according to the time of year, winter (Sep-Mar) and summer (Mar-Sep). We meet at our Birchwood Community High School base, except for summer Tuesdays when we normally meet at Victoria Park Running Track (occasionally elsewhere if the track is needed for a special event - details will be posted on the main index page). The specific dates for changing over between summer and winter sessions will also be posted on our main index page.

In addition to our regular runs, there are also usually informal sessions on many Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year.

Tuesday sessions are generally geared towards developing speed. We split into 3 groups, each led by a qualified coach. The groups are broadly based on 10K speeds of sub 40 minutes, 40-50 minutes and 50+ minutes. Beginners with little running experience will normally start in the slowest group. Special sessions can be arranged for complete beginners.

The main run is usually called the "Muster". In this, we run together using a system that allows people to run at different speeds but keeping us all together as a group. To keep everyone together, we have points every mile or so at which we all turn around and run back to the slowest runner who is always accompanied. We call these "muster points". This system allows everyone to run at their own speed without anyone being left behind. Some of us treat the runs as interval sessions, running different sections at different speeds, or perhaps some sections as training runs and others as social runs.

Although many faster runners run the muster, some prefer to do a separate faster pace run. There is also a separate beginners run for those who are just starting or who are not yet ready for the full muster.

These informal sessions began as groups of club members meeting for a variety of weekend runs or training sessions but they have gradually increased in popularity.

Check at the club on Thursdays to confirm details for that weekend's sessions - times may vary and sessions might not always be held.

Spectrum Striders have set up a reciprocal informal arrangement with the new Warrington Tri Club. They can do running training with us and we can do swim training with them. Their Saturday swim training is at Lymm Leisure Centre from 5pm to 6pm. There is a qualified swim coach at this session and they have exclusive use of the pool. You will have to pay Warrington Tri as they are hiring the pool, but as a Strider they have agreed you will be charged at the member’s rate of £3 for the session. They use a side entrance to the Leisure Centre so you need to find that.

The idea is that you can try and see if you enjoy the training in the other Club with the intention of joining it if you do. Sharon Whitehead, John and Linda Owen are already going to the Warrington Tri swimming sessions if you want to ask what them what the sessions are like. Sharon says that they are very friendly! Warrington Tri’s individual membership fee is very reasonable at £15 just like ours. It gets you affiliated to the British Triathlon Club. Their Club website is www.warringtontri.co.uk. They have cycle training sessions as well on Wednesday night and on Sunday.

We have several joint members already Martijn Groenendaal, Ruth Jones and Andy Rawley. You may know several more of the other triathletes as quite a few have been trying Striders track training sessions at Victoria Park in Julian’s and David & Janet’s groups. We hope this link will grow with time, although I appreciate that several Club members are already linked to Chester Tri, but Warrington Tri are clearly closer.