This is the Benfleet Running Club’s new runner FAQ. Hopefully it will answer a lot of the questions that you might have about running with Benfleet Running Club. If your question isn’t answered here please send it to the webmaster.
General
- What’s the purpose of the club?
The clubs main aim is to get people running in a friendly atmosphere while training for events like the London Marathon or for health and fitness. We promote all local races in our on–line diary and offer training, coaching and guidance to new and old members.
Our members take part in road races, trail runs, cross–country, ultra distance races, mountain marathons, orienteering, duathlons and triathlons.
- What kit do I need / where can I get it?
Whatever you’d normally go running in is fine. The most important part of the kit is the running shoes and we’d recommend that you buy these at a shop that specialises in running so that you get a pair that are right for you.
Recommended shops for running kit:
- Benfleet Physio, 28 High Road, Benfleet, Essex SS7 5LH. Tel: 01268 751181.
You can get a local map here. They stock a range of running shoes, and clothes as well as being the sole supplier of our club kit. They have a very experienced staff who can advise you on the shoes that would suit your running style.
- Runners Edge, 185 London Road, Southend–on–Sea, SS1 1PW. Tel: 01702 433054 (Mention Benfleet Running Club for a discount !)
- Ron Hill kit, marketed by O.C.S — Magic Mountain, have sponsored the Benfleet 15 for the past 15 years and do a good mail order service.
On–line Shops are useful (once you know what you want to buy). There are a lot of them out there and it pays to search to find the most competitive prices. As a club we purchase various items from Fastrax and get a good service.
- The Sweatshop has both real shops and is on–line.
- girls run too has a lot of women specific sportswear.
- Start Fitness has all the usual sports brands including Innov8 Trail Shoes.
- Benfleet Physio, 28 High Road, Benfleet, Essex SS7 5LH. Tel: 01268 751181.
- Should I wait until I’m fit before coming along?
We have plenty of beginners (and occasionally members recovering from an injury) and a group is always available for those that are still finding their fitness. However we do recommend that you do some running before you come if possible. Please note it is always a good idea to get your doctors OK before starting an activity like running.
- I’d like to know how far I’m running, can you help?
All our club run routes are pretty accurately measured (some of the club have fancy GPS running gadgets) and these mileages are listed on the clubs on–line training schedule.
If you’d like to measure your own routes there are several ways of doing this.
- If you have a bike with a correctly adjusted computer this is a great way to accurately measure your route.
- Alternately Google can come to the rescue on–line using it’s pedometer, you can even save your routes if required.
- Using a good old fashioned OS Map and a piece of paper or string (your Geography teacher would be proud).
- You could buy a fancy GPS running gadget or pedometer.
- Measuring your route using a cars odometer might seem like an easy option but most cars are fairly inaccurate over short distances (and it's generally frowned upon to try to get a car down a bridleway ;-)
- I’m training for a triathlon. Can I still be a member?
Certainly. We are affiliated to the British Triathlon Association and have quite a few members who are active triathletes. Some of our running qualified coaches are also experienced triathletes and are using their experience to coach new–comers interested in triathlons.
- Do you have women in the club?
The pregnancy rate among members is probably average. Oh you meant female membership, yes there is about 58% men to 42% women.
Club Nights
- What day does the club meet?
The club meets for training every Tuesday and Thursday (except for Christmas Day and Boxing Day) between 7:00 — 7:20pm for a 7:30pm start.
- Where does the club meet?
The club meets in the Pavilion at the end of Brook Road, Benfleet. A map is available here, the Pavilion is marked by the number 1. Parking is available. The club sometimes starts the run at another venue for a bit of variety but this is mentioned on the homepage, on the on–line training schedule and on the run before the change of venue.
- Can I just turn up on a club night?
Yes. You don’t need to make a booking!
- Do you have set routes on certain days?
Not really. There are many routes that the club takes depending on the time of year, weather conditions and to give a bit of variety to the training. It is usual for Tuesdays to be a ‘quality’ session — this means that the leaders of the groups that day ensure their runners put a bit more effort than usual into the run. Thursdays is more of a general run. See the on–line training schedule for more information.
- Are the club night runs really fast and do you leave people behind?
The club has many members and so has a wide range of different running paces. There will always be someone willing to go running at your pace. We never leave any runner alone that is new to the club or is unfamiliar with the route.
- What happens on a club night?
Once in the Pavilion:
- you get changed (if you decided not to come in running kit)
- go into the main room at the far end of the Pavilion
- pay the person behind the counter (usually Vic) the nights training fee (if necessary see ‘Costs’)
Then people mill around chatting and looking at the notice boards for news or to put their names down for any races that are coming up that they fancy entering.
At about 7:25pm a call to order is made and news of previous events is announced and information for future events is given out. The nights run is explained by one of the coaches. Once that is done you get into the group that is likely to be around your pace and off you go.
- What if I don't know what my pace is?
If you are unsure of your pace you will be pointed in the direction of a qualified coach who will ascertain what group would be most suitable. It is likely that you will be in a steady group to start off with but once you’ve had a few runs out it could be you’ll end up in a different group. This can mean that you get to run with quite a few different people over the first few weeks so you’ll get to know a lot of different people. We never leave any runner alone that is new to the club or is unfamiliar with the route.
Facilities
- Are there changing facilities at the Pavilion?
Yes. There are changing rooms for men and women as well as showers / toilets. Please note the showers / toilets near the entrance are for ‘Ladies’ no matter what is painted on the door!
- Can clothes be left at the Pavilion when I’m out running?
Yes. There will either be someone in the Pavilion or it is locked when the club are out.
- Is drinking water available at the Pavilion?
Water is available but most members bring there own bottled water. Also squash, tea, coffee and drinking chocolate can be purchased together with Mars™ bars, biscuits, etc. at the end of your run. (If it is someone’s “special” birthday you might even be lucky and get a bit of birthday cake).
Costs
- How much does it cost to become a member?
The annual club fee is:
- £7.50 per adult,
- £5.00 per child or
- £15.00 for a family.
There is a small (50p) charge for each training run. You don’t pay anything during your first four club nights so that you can see if we meet your expectations before parting with your money.
- What are the benefits of membership i.e. what do I get for my money?
The most obvious benefit is that you will have plenty of like minded, supportive people around you. If you are new to the sport then you will learn a lot more quickly and hopefully avoid the common pitfalls.
On the financial side being a member of an affiliated club means that most races you enter will be cheaper. If you enter an event through the club then you don’t even have to get an envelope or stamp as the entries will be sent by the club in bulk. See the Races page. If you have a competitive year the annual fee will easily be repaid!
Non–affiliated runners have to pay an extra £2.00 to enter races that hold a permit and are run under SEAA / UK Athletics rules.
All this and you get to wear the club colours when in competition.
- Do I have to get club running kit?
Once you are a member we would like you to be proud enough of the club to wear the club kit. Club kit is sold at cost therefore it compares favorably with like items of kit. This kit is only available from Benfleet Physio, 28 High Road, Benfleet, Essex SS7 5LH. Tel: 01268 751181. Please see this page for pictures and prices.
NB. It is a rule of the SEAA that any affiliated club member taking part in a race holding a permit must wear club colours. Anyone not abiding by this rule can be disqualified.
Merit table
- What’s this Merit table about?
The club merit table is drafted by Mike Jordan. He has explained the workings on this page.
- OK so what’s it’s purpose?
The aim of the merit table is to demonstrate whose running has improved the most over the current season, regardless of age, gender, or race pace. The season runs from the end of Feb/beginning of Mar to Jan 1st.
The winner at the end of the year gets a lovely trophy and lots of applause at the Club Presentation Night.
- So how do I win?
If you can better your PB or stay reasonably consistent over the five Merit Table distances you gain more points and go up the table. The more you compete in merit table distances the more points you can gain (the six best results for each individual are counted). It is a clever system and is even ‘handicapped’ to allow for veterans natural slowing.
- What are the Merit table distances?
The Merit table distances are:
- 5k (just over 3 miles)
- 5 miles (about 8k)
- 10k (6.2 miles)
- 10 miles (about 16k)
- ½ marathon (13.1 miles or 21k)
These are all standard road–race distances and there are many available to enter during the year.
Glossary
Below are some terms (in alphabetical order) that you may see around the site but may not know what they mean.
- Aerobic
- In a running context this means that you aren’t breathing hard and your muscles are getting the necessary oxygen to continue to work well. Most training should be done aerobically (unless you're a sprinter).
- Anaerobic
- This is the opposite of aerobic. This is when you run hard, flat–out or are sprinting to the finish of a race ;-). This sort of running cannot be continued for very long without some form of failure (generally you run out of breath).
- Fartlek
- Swedish word meaning ‘Speed Play’. It’s a type of training devised by Gösta Holmér (a Swedish coach) in the 1930s so has been well tested! It involves running at an effort beyond normal race pace for short bursts and having respites in–between. It differs from intervals in that it is not so regimented and it is usually up to the runner to see when they want to push themselves again.
Benefits include increased aerobic and anaerobic conditioning i.e. it gets easier to breath when going faster than you would normally. - Hill training or just plain ‘Hills’
- A form of resistance training that plays out similar to Intervals. You basically run up and down a hill for a certain amount of times. It works the muscles differently to running on a flat course and this conditioning will always help when racing a course that is hilly. It can improve, the less worried about but actually quite tricky, downhill technique.
- Intervals
- Similar to the Fartlek method of training, Intervals are more formalised and have definite anaerobic sessions and are more likely to be run on a measured course (like a track). You have a set time to run hard, followed by a recuperative phase, followed by another hard run and so on until the end of the session.
Benefits include increased aerobic and anaerobic conditioning i.e. it gets easier to breath when going faster than you would normally. - Zig-zags
- Home grown form of Fartlek using the parallel streets around the local Benfleet area. Being Benfleet includes some quite reasonable inclines ;-)