History
The South West Road Runners were formed in 1984 primarily as a road running club. Since its' move to the old Clifton Hill track and then to the new synthetic track at the Exeter Arena in 1992 there has been a steady broadening of the Club’s activities into track and some field disciplines as well as cross country and trail running and the relatively new sport of Triathlon.
About Us
The Club now has more than 300 members, roughly half men and half ladies. We take runners from the age of eight years of age, although the great majority of members are now approaching their athletic 'maturity'! Despite our name we don't just specialise in running on the roads. Many of our members can be found competing in cross country or taking part in mult-terrain events or fell races. We also welcome a whole range of abilities, from those who want nothing more than a social jog around town, right up to county representatives and international Age Group duathletes and triathletes.We're also the only club in Devon and Cornwall to regularly enter a team into the prestigious Welsh Castles Relay Race.
VENUE: The Exeter Arena, Summer lane, Exeter. (Click here for maps and more information about the arena)
CLUB NIGHT: Wednesday 6.40 to 8.30 p.m. Meet at the Pavilion.
FRIDAY SESSION: 6.00 to 7.00 p.m. Meet on the track-side.
SUNDAY RUN: An informal morning run of about one and a half hours.
The Club is split into three Groups. The Children's Section takes youngsters aged between 8 and 11/12, the Junior Section from 11/12 to 16/17 and the Seniors from 16 years upwards. Each Group has a number of uk athletic qualified coaches and a Manager or Captain to run its activities and to organise training.
Wednesday Nights
Our main training night is Wednesday from 6.40 p.m. until about 8.30 p.m. The Children’s and Junior Groups are usually coached within the Athletic Stadium and take part in all forms of track and field disciplines. The Seniors usually split into a number of groups, either staying on the track or else ventruing onto the roads and paths around the eastern edges of Exeter. There is always a coached speed/endurance type of track session overseen by one of the Club’s two Level 4 Senior Coaches, as well as several standards of road groups ranging from people going out for a gentle 3 or 4 mile jog/walk , through 5 or 6 mile steady running right up to the 10 mile 'head-bangers'. In the summer months many of these groups prefer to head off-road into the nearby countryside and hills.
Friday Track Sessions
A second training evening is on Friday night, again at the Exeter Arena, between 6.00 and 7.00 p.m.. This is a coached track session which is a little more “laid back” than the Wednesday Club Night. Sessions vary throughout the year but usually begin with a speed session for the junior sprinters and then change to speed/endurance work for the middle and longer distance road runners. In Winter months, sessions are more focused on strength and stability through circuit-training style workouts.
Sunday Runs
On Sunday mornings, usually around 9:30am, a dozen or so club members meet up for an informal long run. These are usually off-road where possible, with the venue being agreed upon in the pub on a Wednesday night, and details published on the website soon after. The group usualy goes out for about an hour and a half, with lots of breaks to stop, re-group and admire the scenery! Most Sunday Runs take place within half an hour's drive of Exeter. Non-members are welcome to come along. Click on the Sunday Run section on the left of the website to see where we're meeting this weekend.
Our Races
South West Road Runners organise four races throughout the year. These are the First Chance 10K - A fast, flat 10k route around Exeter Quay, The Broadclyst Bimble - a tough hilly, muddy multi-terrain half marathon, The Killerton Kanter - an undulating cross-country 10k around the grounds of Killerton House, and The Drogo - a demanding 10 mile multi-terrain run around the Teign Valley with some stunning views and infamous hills - voted 'Devon race of the Year - 2006'!
Social Events
The Club also has always had an active social life. These include group running on Dartmoor, mountain biking, quiz nights, and other 'do's'. There's also a chance for a pint and a chat down the pub on a Wednesday evening after training. At the moment the Imperial on New North Road is the hostelry of choice - any time from 8:45 to 10pm.
Children
The Children’s Section and Juniors compete in the local Sportshall Events as well as the Devon track and Field League. The Club runs its own Award Scheme to encourage youngsters to try lots of different athletic disciplines and to give recognition to improvement in their performance.
If you are interested in knowing more about the South West Road Runners you can either get in touch with any of the people listed in our contacts section, or simply turn up on a Wednesday night and speak to one of the coaches or Phil Saywood who will be on the desk collecting track fees. First-timers get a free taster session, and then a few weeks to try us out before they have to join the Club, so come along and see what we are like!