On Saturday 19th July we took our run club to Newcastle, meeting at Davey's on Market Street for a 5K along the Quayside. No entry fee, no qualifying time, no pressure. Just coffee at 9am, a run at 9:30, and a proper breakfast afterwards. Around 37 people turned up, and we ran it alongside Heart and Soul Racing, Davey's and HYCO.
The format was deliberately simple. Everyone arrived at Davey's from 9am for coffee and a chance to talk before anyone had to do anything. At 9:30 we walked down towards the Quayside together, ran a group warm-up, then set off on an out and back 5K along the river. Out and back suits a mixed group. Nobody gets dropped, nobody gets lost, and we all check-in at the half-way mark.
The pace range was wide. Our youngest runner on the day was under ten years old, and he finished just short of his 5K personal best.
Back at Davey's, the team had put on a running themed menu built for the occasion, including the Chasing PBs burger: sausage patties, eggs, peanut butter, chilli jam and sauce, alongside a set of speciality coffees. HYCO were on site handing out electrolytes to everyone coming back through the door. That second half matters as much as the run.
Most people came on their own and left having spoken to strangers for an hour, which is the actual point of a run club. We host these across the North East without a fixed schedule, so the best way to catch the next one is to follow us or join the mailing list.
