The next course will now start on Tuesday 14 May 2024 – please see details below or simply email webmaster@stalbansstriders.com when you are ready to sign up.

What is Run With Striders?

Fitter, Faster, Further

Our course is for runners who are relatively new or returning to running,* who want to meet other runners of their level and pick up some ideas and tips to improve their running. It’s also a gentle introduction to St Albans Striders running club, we help take the worry out of getting started by offering:

• Organised runs led by a group of experienced runners

• Different runs to suit different paces

• Activity and technique-based sessions (hills/track/pacing)

• Basic running psychology to help your runs and performance

• A safe and sociable environment to run around our great city & countryside

• Additional weekend social runs, including a parkrun breakfast

• All this, free entry to St Albans Striders' Solstice 10k race (20 June 2024) and Striders Club membership until March 2025 (worth £55), for just £75.

* We ask that you are currently running at least 5k distance within 35 minutes.

When and where is the course?

Our next course starts on 14 May 2024 and will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays, for a total of 5 weeks, from 7pm to 8pm. We will meet at the Abbey View Track, Westminster Lodge, St Albans, AL1 2DL, at the start of the sessions.

Who is it for?

The course is for any runners already running at least 5k (to enable us to group effectively we do recommend that your 5k can be completed in 35 minutes). If you are interested in joining the club but apprehensive about 'turning up', would like to improve your running, or simply want to run in a sociable environment and make friends, this course is perfect for you.

250 people have already joined St Albans Striders through previous courses, and our groups have varied from people who have just run their first 5k through to those who have been running for a long time and gone on to complete marathons. We cater for slower and speedy runners as we split into smaller groups accordingly.

The course is also a perfect training program for anybody who is entering the St Albans half marathon.

Run with Striders Course Details

• 2 x 1 hour evening sessions per week (Tuesdays & Thursdays, 7-8pm)

• Friendly Striders members volunteer to accompany your runs

• Runs around the beautiful Verulamium Park and surrounding area

• Progress at your own pace until you feel OK to try a run with our existing Striders groups

• Training on warm-ups, cool-downs and stretching

For your own benefit, try to come along to all the sessions. Lots of us struggle to leave work on time, find childcare or battle with delayed trains! Having said that, it’s much easier to get to training if you put those sessions in your calendar now and let people know you have a commitment on those nights. You will receive an email before the course starts providing information on where to meet etc.

What will I need?

• Running trainers

• Comfortable running clothes

• Water for during and after the session

How can I sign up?

In order to register you first need to set up an account on the St Albans Striders webpage.

First, email webmaster@stalbansstriders.com mentioning Run With Striders in the subject. You will receive an email with further instructions of how to activate your account.

If you have already activated your website account (and you are signed in), you can sign up directly for Run With Striders here:

>> Sign up here for Run With Striders 2024 <<

You will need to tell us how long it takes you to run 5k. If you don’t know your 5k time, you can take part in a local parkrun on any Saturday at 9am. These are free but you will need to register in advance. Local events include St Albans (Verulamium) and Jersey Farm. Alternatively, you could time yourself around a route that you know to be 5k.

If you have queries or difficulties signing up, please contact Andy Normile : membership@stalbansstriders.com.

We are unable to accommodate people turning up without first registering as we won't have enough run leaders to offer safe sessions.