Running clubs in the UK

Joining a running club can be a highly satisfying experience, with a chance to meet many people that can help you with inspiration, setting up group runs, and much more. You can find running clubs to join almost everywhere in the UK, no matter if you are a beginner or a seasoned expert. Here are a few of them, arranged by county:

• Antrim

Ballymena & Antrim AC - One of the top Track & Field clubs in Ireland, with top coaching and facilities, based at the Antrim Forum. website

• Bedfordshire

Biggleswade Athletic Club - Road running, cross country, track and field, fell, Sports Hall and social running. Junior section .Sport England ClubMark accredited. website

• Berkshire

Compton Harriers Running Club is based in the heart of the Berkshire Downs. They cater for all levels. Full details are shown on their website

• Buckinghamshire

Bearbrook Joggers. Formed in 1984 they are a sociable club and have over 100 members. They meet every Tuesday and Friday and have a broad mix of all abilities and ages. Visit their website

• Cardiff

Les Croupiers Running Club organise the Welsh Castles Relay, a foot race from North to South Wales, and can boast two London Marathon ever presents. website

• Cheshire

Tattenhall Runners is a friendly club for runners of all abilities. They meet Tuesdays and Thursday at 7pm, for more details please visit their website

• Cornwall

Hayle Runners Cornwall's most Westerly and sociable running club. Website at website

• Derbyshire

Clowne Roadrunners is a small friendly club that hosts a well organized 1/2 marathon every November. New members are always welcome. Visit their website for more details here

• Devon

Plymstock Road Runners is a small and friendly club, to suit runners of any/all standards. For more details see their website

• Dorset

Dorset Doddlers meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings for training. They are based at Sturminster Newton Leisure Centre. website

• Durham

Elvet Striders is a small, friendly and sociable running club based in Durham City catering for seniors of all abilities. Visit their website

• Essex

Barking Road Runners is a small friendly club with members ranging from sub 3 hour marathoners to genteel joggers. For more details see their website

• Gloucestershire

Gloucester Athletic Club provides training and competition in all forms of athletics for people of all standards and ages. They are a very friendly and successful club and have their own clubhouse next to the synthetic athletic track in Gloucester. website

• Greater Manchester

Manchester Harriers & Athletic Club Running since 1886, they welcome new members for road running, cross country or track and field at all current ability levels and ages. Visit their website here

• Herts

Fairlands Valley Spartans Good friendly atmosphere, runners of all abilities welcome. Check out their training schedule on the web right here

• Kent

Blackheath Harriers is a large (over 800 members) friendly Club with own HQ in Hayes, Bromley Kent. All sexes, abilities and ages - new comers to elite. Home track Norman Park. Road & C/C from HQ. Very good social Scene. More details here

• Lancaster

Lancaster and Morecambe Athletic Club is one of the largest athletic clubs in Lancashire, with around 300 members. It caters for athletes of all ages and abilities, but prides itself in particular on the support it gives to younger athletes. Visit the club’s website here

• Leicester

Birstall Running Club a very social and successful club catering for all abilities. website

• Lincolnshire

Grantham AC - Founded in 1974, they are a friendly and successful club, with 200 members of all age groups. They compete in Road, Track 'n' Field & Cross Country. Visit the website

• London

Wimbledon Windmilers London's second biggest club but probably the most friendly with a great social side! With over 400 members they cater for all ages and abilities. For details visit their website

• Merseyside

Birkenhead Athletic Club BAC is a small friendly club consisting of about 50 members of both sexes who regularly train together and participate in local races. These include road races, multi-terrain and cross country events ranging from 5k right up to the Marathon. For more information visit here website

• Middlesex

West 4 Harriers is a small friendly club based along side the river Thames in Chiswick with lovely runs along the river. For details visit the website

• Midlands

TREC Roadrunners is a small, friendly and informal club based on the western side of Birmingham, catering for all runners from beginners to folks at the other end of their running careers! website

• Midlothian

Edinburgh Southern Harriers welcome runners and other athletes. For more details visit their website here

• North Yorkshire

York Acorn running club is a friendly northern running club who welcomes new runners of all abilities. Their website is here

• Nottinghamshire

Mansfield Harriers and Athletic Club are a thriving athletic club based at Berry Hill Park, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and cater for all standards and for ages 9 and over. They have competition opportunities for all athletics genres including track & field, road running, cross country, fell and multi-terrain. Their website can be found at here

• Oxfordshire

Abingdon Amblers Athletic Club caters for runners of all standards. They also have a thriving junior section. Meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at Tilsley Park Athletics Track, Dunmore Rd, Abindgon. Visit their website here

• Rutland

Rutland Running Club is a friendly club formed in 2000. Good mix of male & female members of all abilities. Meets three times per week (Tue, Thu, Sun) plus racing. More details here

• Somerset

Friendly running club with a fun attitude. Visit their website
here

• Suffolk

Haverhill Running Club. They meet every Thurs 7 pm at the Haverhill Leisure Centre. They cater for all runners and welcome beginners who are looked after by a friendly runner. For details visit their website

• Surrey

Farnham Runners are a small, friendly club based in south-west Surrey. Their members have a wide range of abilities and aspirations and can be found at a wide variety of races - from 5km all the way to half and full marathon distances. For more information visit the website

• Staffordshire

City of Stoke AC offers coaching for all ages and abilities, and competition at the highest level. More info here

• Strathclyde

Springburn Harriers - a Glasgow running club based in >Bishopbriggs. All welcome on Tues/Thurs @ 7 at Huntershill or at LeisureDrome on Sun @ 9:30am. For more details visit their website here

• Torfaen

Griffithstown Harriers. Relaxed social club with a running habit. They cater for all abilities, in all disciplines (except track/field). Beginners always very welcome. Their website is here

• West Yorkshire

Baildon Runners. Friendly club catering for all abilities. They meet on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. They also have a beginners' session on Sunday mornings. Visit their website here

• Wiltshire

Avon Valley Runners are a Road Running club that meet three times a week at their training venues in either Trowbridge or Bradford-on-Avon. For more information visit their website

Most of these clubs specialize in or welcome beginners and informal/social runners, but they are certainly not the only ones to be found out there! There are many more advanced clubs for all levels and categories. A good place to start looking is the UK RunnersWeb webpage