FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions re joining Clowne Road Runners

IF YOU ARE THINKING OF JOINING CLOWNE ROAD RUNNERS (CRR), WE HOPE THE INFORMATION BELOW WILL ENABLE YOU TO MAKE AN INFORMED CHOICE TO JOIN US.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF JOINING CLOWNE ROAD RUNNERS
THERE ARE MANY! HERE ARE SOME

  • MEMBERSHIP OF UK ATHLETICS (UKA) WHICH GIVES A £2 DISCOUNT OFF RACE ENTRY FEES (SEE ABOVE) FOR ANY RACE ORGANISED UNDER UKA (WHICH MANY LOCAL RACES ARE);
  • TAKING PART IN WEEKLY TRAINING SESSIONS RUN BY ACCREDITED COACHES (SMALL FEE INVOLVED);
  • FREE ENTRY TO TEAM EVENTS SUCH AS DAMFLASK RELAYS;
  • MEMBER RECOMMENDATIONS ON THINGS SUCH AS FIRST RACES, WHERE TO BUY RUNNING SHOES, GOOD LOCAL RACES AND PARK RUNS, RUNNING ACCESSORIES (WHERE CAN I BUY A HEADTORCH?), TRAINING PLANS THEY HAVE USED ETC.
    BASICALLY, ANYTHING YOU WANT TO ASK ON A RUNNING-RELATED THEME!
  • SOCIAL EVENTS, SUCH AS OUR ANNUAL PRESENTATION NIGHT AND (IN)FAMOUS SANTA PUB RUN
  • TAKING PART IN AN ANNUAL INTER-CLUB CROSS COUNTRY SERIES WITH FOUR OTHER LOCAL CLUBS (SMALL FEE INVOLVED) – WITH BUFFETS AFTERWARDS;
  • REWARDS IN THE FORM OF CLUB STANDARDS (FOR ACHIEVING AGE-GRADED TIMES FOR STANDARD DISTANCES) AND TROPHIES TO RECOGNISE ACHIEVEMENTS SUCH AS COMPLETING THE GRAND PRIX (SEE LATER)

DO I HAVE TO BE ALREADY RUNNING FAST TIMES?
QUITE SIMPLY, NO! WHILST THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF OUR TOP RUNNERS ARE QUITE RIGHTLY TALKED ABOUT AND CELEBRATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND ELSEWHERE, THE MAJORITY OF THE CLUB’S ACTIVE RUNNERS DON’T ACHIEVE THESE HEIGHTS!
INDEED SOME OF OUR MEMBERS ARE JUST AS CONTENT WITH REGULARLY RUNNING PARK RUNS, MAYBE WITH THE AIM OF TRYING A 10K WHEN THEY FEEL READY.
WANTING TO DEVELOP YOUR RUNNING, TRY DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES (E.G. TRAIL/FELL RACES) AND SPENDING TIME WITH FELLOW RUNNERS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR CURRENT TIMES.

DO I HAVE TO RUN REGULAR RACES?
ONLY IF YOU WANT TO. RACES CAN BE A GOOD WAY OF CHALLENGING YOURSELF AGAINST OTHERS AND TRACKING YOUR PROGRESS. THEY ARE ALSO GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR A SOCIAL GATHERING, BEFORE AND AFTER THE RACE. WE HAVE A FACEBOOK GROUP WHERE PEOPLE DISCUSS FORTHCOMING RACE PLANS AND ALL CLUB MEMBERS ARE WELCOME TO JOIN THE GROUP.
SEE ALSO THE QUESTION ABOUT THE CLUB’S GRAND PRIX.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO JOIN?
FIRST YEAR MEMBERSHIP COSTS £39. THIS INCLUDES A CLUB RUNNING VEST (OR SHORT-SLEEVED RUNNING TOP) WORTH £20. SUBSEQUENT RENEWALS COST £20. UK ATHLETICS (UKA) MEMBERSHIP IS INCLUDED WITHIN THE ABOVE PRICES AND AS A UKA MEMBER YOU WILL GET A £2 DISCOUNT OFF MANY RACES.

WHAT TRAINING SESSIONS DOES THE CLUB RUN?
OUR WEEKLY WEDNESDAY NIGHT SESSIONS ON THE TRACK AT MOUNT ST MARY’S, SPINKHILL ARE LED BY UKA QUALIFIED COACHES AND ARE VERY POPULAR.
WE ALSO HAVE TUESDAY NIGHT RUNS FOR ALL ABILITIES. IN THE SUMMER MONTHS THESE TAKE PLACE IN WHITWELL WOODS. FROM OCTOBER TO MARCH WE MEET AT CLOWNE COMMUNITY CENTRE FOR A 6.30PM START.

WHAT DO I HAVE TO GIVE BACK?
ANY TIME AND EFFORT GIVEN BY MEMBERS TO THE CLUB IS ON A VOLUNTARY BASIS.
EVENTS SUCH AS OUR HALF MARATHON (LAST SUNDAY IN NOVEMBER) AND ELMTON CHASE (JUNE) NEED MARSHALLS AND HELP SETTING UP. WE DO ASK THAT, WHEREVER POSSIBLE MEMBERS GIVE SOME TIME TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE AT OUR OWN EVENTS AS THEY PROVIDE THE CLUB WITH INCOME WHICH HELPS KEEP OUR MEMBERSHIP FEES DOWN AND COVERS THE COST OF SOME SOCIAL EVENTS.

WHAT IS THE GRAND PRIX AND DO I HAVE TO TAKE PART?
THE GRAND PRIX, WHICH IS VOLUNTARY CONSISTS OF 16 RACES WHICH ARE CATEGORISED FIRSTLY IN TERMS OF TYPE OF RACE:

  • ROAD
  • TRAIL
  • CROSS COUNTRY
  • FELL

AND THEN BY RACE CATEGORY, DETERMINED MAINLY BY RACE DISTANCE:

  • SHORT (CATEGORY 1), FOR EXAMPLE A 5K ROAD RACE
  • MEDIUM (CATEGORY 2), FOR EXAMPLE A 10K ROAD RACE OR A 5-MILE CROSS COUNTRY RACE
  • LONG (CATEGORY 3), FOR EXAMPLE A HALF MARATHON OR LONG FELL RACE

TO COMPLETE THE GRAND PRIX (PAY ATTENTION AT THE BACK PLEASE … ) RUNNERS NEED TO COMPLETE 8 RACES AND:

  • THERE MUST BE AT LEAST ONE RACE FROM EACH TYPE (ROAD, TRAIL, FELL, CROSS COUNTRY), AND
  • THERE MUST BE AT LEAST ONE RACE FROM EACH CATEGORY (1,2 & 3)

TAKING PART (IN EITHER PART OR ALL OF THE GRAND PRIX) IS COMPLETELY VOLUNTARY.

DO I HAVE TO RUN FELL RACES IF I BECOME A MEMBER?
ONLY IF YOU WISH TO COMPLETE THE GRAND PRIX. WE ALWAYS INCLUDE A LEAST ONE SHORT FELL RACE, TYPICALLY 4 OR 5 MILES AND AROUND 500 FOOT OF ASCENT. THIS GIVES OUR MEMBERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TEST THEMSELVES IN DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS, AND OF COURSE TO SOCIALISE AFTERWARDS OVER A SOFT DRINK OR BEER.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE ASK ANY CRR COMMITTEE MEMBER OR SEE OUR WEBSITE WWW.CLOWNEROADRUNNERS.ORG