The 26.2 Road Runners Club started life as an ambitious pipe-dream sponsored by four enthusiast runners. In 1980 these four friends journeyed over to New York for a long week-end with the objective of taking part in that city’s marathon race. This they all accomplished in respectable, if not exceptional finishing times. However, during a post-race celebration supper of hot chillies and ale they made a ‘management decision’ to start up their own running club upon their return to the UK.
Thus within a matter of weeks many friends and associates joined them in this seemingly mad venture and the rapidly growing conglomeration of would-be athletes, joggers, ex-footballers and other hopefuls found themselves accepted into the AAA (UK Athletics) and we became officially registered ‘26.2 Road Runners Club of Great Britain’, with our club HQ being the Mid-Surrey Squash Club in Ruxley Lane, Ewell.
Now over two decades later, we can reflect upon a successful ‘career’ as a running club with an impressive C.V. proudly claiming an actual membership of over hovering around 200 current members with approximately 60% of us being active runners.
Wednesday evenings is our main club night where many of us can be seen running the paths and highways around Surbiton and neighbouring environs as part of our training run curriculum. However, we hold ‘Beginner’s Nights’ each Monday where newcomers and novices are welcomed to discover the joys and companionship that our sport affords and Sundays are normally set aside for our participation in inter-club races or rural training runs .
As a contributor/organiser of local events, we formerly staged our own 10 kilometre race from Hook Road Arena (where in the past many renown international athletes have participated amongst fields of 700 plus runners)
We also have a dedicated responsibility for arranging Surrey League Cross Country events on Epsom Downs and interclub relay races from Horton Country Park as well as our popular 3 mile open handicap races which are held throughout the year on the 1st Wednesday of the month from the front door of our Berrylands HQ.
To keep the in-club competition factor active we hold a Grand Prix championship that consists of a varied programme of mixed distance races for all age categories. This involves participation in selected events throughout the year with points being awarded on an individual basis dependent upon each runner’s performance.
On the marathon front quite a few of us older members have given this distance a bit of a rest from current activities but there are still plenty of the club faithfuls who cannot resist the challenge of completing those 26.2 miles.