One highlight of the year for Clapham Runners is participating in competitions against other running clubs. We usually take part in two events each year, the weekend long Greenbelt Relay in May and the smaller River Relay in September, both of which are organised by the Stragglers Running Club.
The River Relay is a 26-mile-long race along the banks of the Thames. Starting near Windsor and ending at the Hawker Centre in Kingston, the event is divided into five stages, ranging from 4 to 6 miles in length, all of which are manageable and easy to navigate. Unlike the Greenbelt Relay the event makes use of a baton and so this creates a different tone to the event, as the field spreads out after the first leg and teams have the chance to overtake each other. This can also make it logistically interesting – at one stage one of our runners finished a leg before the next person had arrived to receive the baton!
We were pleased to enter three teams this year, one more than normal. Some members ran two legs (some ran more unofficially for marathon training or to try and hit a yearly distance target, but that is for another blog), and it was great to have a mix of long-standing and newer members taking part. The small nature of our club means that all members have the chance to participate in events and it is a fun and enjoyable way to get to know others better and test yourself against a wide field in a different environment to normal.
Out of a field of 52 teams we came in 18th, 32nd and 36th. We were delighted with these results as we were competing against clubs with far greater membership numbers. A big thank you to all everyone who took part.
If you are interested in joining our club please came along to either Battersea Park at 8pm on a Tuesday or Clapham Common at 7pm on a Thursday. You are welcome to try out our sessions for free to see it is for you or not. We welcome all levels of experience and it is a great way to practice and improve at running, keep fit and meet new people.
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Clapham Runners 