We know you may have questions – find answers to the ones that crop up most often here!
Where is HARC based?
HARC HQ is in Bedale, and our members are mostly centred around Northallerton and Bedale.
What sessions do you have each week?
We have up to eight organized sessions each week:
- Tuesday Speed intervals (6.15pm).
- Thursday Social Runs (6.15pm) – usually two routes, one between 3 and 4 miles and the other 5 to 7 miles.
- Sunday Athletics (9.30am) – sprints, throws and jumps (track & field). These sessions run through the summer season only (due to light and weather in the winter), and are not every Sunday due to clashes with other events.
- Sunday Cross Country (typically around 10am) – we compete in the North Yorks. South Durham Cross Country League which is a series of events monthly through the winter.
- The third Monday of each month (7pm) – Athletics track speed endurance and technical training.
- Our “Couch to 5k programmes” (which we run approximately three times per year) include three coached session per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
About once a month we do a Sunday trail run outing – usually two routes a bit farther afield (but still in or around our Hambleton home), one around 4 – 5 miles and the other 6 – 8 miles. We often follow this with a pub lunch or cafe snack.
As well as our sessions, we encourage our members to take part in Parkrun (Saturday, 9am for seniors and Sunday, 9am for juniors) and of course events throughout the year. We are members of the North Yorks South Durham Harriers League and take part in the summer track and field and winter cross-country leagues.
Where are the sessions?
Tuesday and Thursday sessions alternate between Bedale (usually meeting at the Dales Centre) and Northallerton Leisure Centre.
Monthly Track Night is at Catterick Athletics Stadium.
Sunday athletics is normally in Bedale in the high school fields, and approximately once a month at the Darlington Eastbourne or Middlesbrough Sports Village athletics tracks.
Saturday Parkruns are usually one of Northallerton, Darlington South Park, Thorpe Perrow or Fountains Abbey, with occasional ‘away runs’ farther afield. Sunday Junior Parkruns are at Northallerton or Richmond.
Do I have to go to all the sessions?
No! Come along whenever you want to – we know people have busy lives and things happen, so you can come whenever you like.
Do I have to be a runner, thrower or jumper already?
No – we recommend beginners join one of our beginner groups – for example, new runners should do one of the Couch to 5k programmes we offer. To join in the main running sessions, you should be able to run 5k continuously, but any pace is ok. All abilities are catered for in our athletics section, from beginner to national standard.
How fast/good do I have to be?
You don’t! All of our sessions are designed to accommodate a wide range of abilities. Whether it is our speed interval sessions or our longer Sunday runs, social Thursdays or Sunday athletics, our leaders are all trained to make sure everyone is included and no one is left behind and that everyone – fast or slow, long or short, high or low – gets to have a great run, throw or jump that works for them.
What kind of support and advice will I get?
We are a very friendly club and our members love to support each other. In fact, the most common feedback we hear from our members is how welcoming, friendly and supportive the club is.
As an England Athletics affiliated club, we also have trained and qualified coaches, leaders and welfare officers, as well as mental health champions.
You will be able to get technical guidance and tips from the coaches on Mondays, Tuesdays and Sundays, and you are welcome to speak to the coaching team about any advice you want or concerns you have. This could be anything from niggles and injuries, getting faster, running farther, or preparing for a major goal like your first marathon.
Do you do athletics or just running?
Most of our members are road and trail endurance runners, but around a quarter of our members are more focused on the track & field events – throws, jumps, sprints, and endurance. We provide athletics sessions through the summer season and get out on the track & field for athletics once per month in the summer (and occasionally at other times weather permitting). Our track runners often also take part in the winter cross country leagues, and throughout the year we have monthly speed endurance track night and weekly speed interval sessions.
Can under 18s join?
Yes – we welcome under 18s and have two junior sections: under 12 and 12-18. To find out more, visit our Juniors, Parents and Carers page.
Our juniors and seniors train together, both supporting and encouraging each other! Sundays (athletics) tend to be mostly juniors; Tuesdays (speed intervals) is more mixed.
Which sessions can under 18s come to?
Juniors aged 12 and up can come to any of our sessions, depending only on the membership option chosen. If they choose an athletics membership, then all sessions are open to them; if they choose a running membership, then they can come to Monday, Tuesday, Thursdays and Sunday away runs, but not Sunday Athletics.
Juniors aged under 12 can come along to Monday, Tuesday and Sunday sessions, but not – generally – Thursdays. However, the Thursday shorter runs may be suitable for some under 12s, so if this is something they would be interested in, please talk to one of our coaching team. Under 12s may need to be accompanied.
How do I join?
Find out about membership on our membership page. You’ll have to register first (so we know which age categories you fall within) and then you can see the specific membership options open to you – just visit the membership page and it will walk you through the process.
Junior members will need to complete and pass our Junior Induction Programme, which introduces the club ethos and expectations (aligned with the England Athletics club standards) and also to make sure they understand how to take part in the sport safely.
If you would like to add a junior member, you can do this by first registering yourself (so you can log-in to the website), and then visiting the membership page where you will find a button to ‘register a junior or someone else’.