ALDRIDGE 10k, 13 June 2027:
Early Bird Entries open HERE
Current Tuesday Schedule can be found here.
Details of summer routes here.
Tuesday runs - we meet at the Stick & Wicket at 7pm. Please make sure you wear a hi-viz top when we are running winter routes..
Details of all our current sessions can be found by members using our club app. This is where club members will find details of Tuesday club night schedules and upcoming races - don't forget to make sure that any races you have entered are logged on the app so that others can see what is available.
As well as regular steady runs we offer two additional training options, which focus more on interval-based training. The Improvement Group, led by Lucy Baker, Tom Edwards, Tom Glibbery, Jess Jungklaus, Anne Kelsall and Henry Simpson was originally set up to help people improve their 5k times but is suitable for all runners who want to improve, especially those who have never done any focussed training before. The Race Training Group sessions, led mainly by Mike Morley and Daniel Day, tend to be rather longer and more suited to more experienced runners, although all are welcome. To gain the full benefit of these groups it is advisable (but not necessary) to have a running watch and to know how to programme workouts, but there are plenty of members who will help you with this if needed. If you want to know more just speak to one of the leaders identified above. Both groups are open to all club members who want to improve their running, regardless of current performance - one benefit of running intervals around a short(ish) loop is that the whole group stays together regardless of speed.
Thursday 4-mile social runs are also available, starting at 6.30pm from the gate and a faster group usually goes out from the Whitehouse pub corner - see Michael Morley.
Details of all our current sessions can be found by members using our club app. This is where club members will find details of Tuesday club night schedules and upcoming races - don't forget to make sure that any races you have entered are logged on the app so that others can see what is available.
As well as regular steady runs we offer two additional training options, which focus more on interval-based training. The Improvement Group, led by Lucy Baker, Tom Edwards, Tom Glibbery, Jess Jungklaus, Anne Kelsall and Henry Simpson was originally set up to help people improve their 5k times but is suitable for all runners who want to improve, especially those who have never done any focussed training before. The Race Training Group sessions, led mainly by Mike Morley and Daniel Day, tend to be rather longer and more suited to more experienced runners, although all are welcome. To gain the full benefit of these groups it is advisable (but not necessary) to have a running watch and to know how to programme workouts, but there are plenty of members who will help you with this if needed. If you want to know more just speak to one of the leaders identified above. Both groups are open to all club members who want to improve their running, regardless of current performance - one benefit of running intervals around a short(ish) loop is that the whole group stays together regardless of speed.
Thursday 4-mile social runs are also available, starting at 6.30pm from the gate and a faster group usually goes out from the Whitehouse pub corner - see Michael Morley.
This week's Club News:
ARC had 65 parkrunners and walkers on Saturday July 18, with 29 at Walsall Arboretum, 1 at Sutton Park, 7at Chasewater and 1 at Beacon.
Congratulations to this week's top-ten finishers: Alex Dicken (1st), Sarah Close (2nd lady), Bruce Fanshawe (2nd), Nathan Whale (5th) and Lorraine Beesley (5th lady, 2nd Age Grade), also to those others who gained a top-ten place in the Age Graded table at their event: Tom Neal (2nd), John Pearce (3rd), Mike Morley (4th) and Mic Lee(5th)
Special congratulations to Mark O'Rourke, who completed his 250th parkrun this weekend, and to Andrew Wood, who joined the 50 parkrun club.
Our runners:
Well done also to members who took part in other events over the past week, including a good turnout for a Grand Prix race on World Cup semi-final night:
Congratulations to this week's top-ten finishers: Alex Dicken (1st), Sarah Close (2nd lady), Bruce Fanshawe (2nd), Nathan Whale (5th) and Lorraine Beesley (5th lady, 2nd Age Grade), also to those others who gained a top-ten place in the Age Graded table at their event: Tom Neal (2nd), John Pearce (3rd), Mike Morley (4th) and Mic Lee(5th)
Special congratulations to Mark O'Rourke, who completed his 250th parkrun this weekend, and to Andrew Wood, who joined the 50 parkrun club.
Our runners:
- Valentines (Ilford, East London): Pete Dimbleby, Stephen Mccann and Lisa Dimbleby.
- Walsall Arboretum: Adam Benjamin, Tom Neal, Gordon Walker, Elliott Edge, Mike Morley, Daniel Pheasant, Mark Shaw, Sarah Close, Daniel Day, Simon Rhodes, Jack Boden, Colin Nicholls, Richard Aldridge, Andrew Fisher, Emma Williams, Martin Wall, Harshad Patel, Stephen Roberts, Shelley Nicholls, Abby Wright, Geoff Card, Joanne Woods, Jane Quinn, Barinderjit Cheema, Emily Cox, Sarah Bishop, Sally Gordon, Wendy Sargeant and Jo Dulson-Cox.
- Sutton Park: Mark O'Rourke.
- Y Promenâd, Abermaw (Barmouth): Jill Hastings and Terry Hastings.
- Greenwich Peninsula: Lee Harris.
- Severn Valley Country (Bridgnorth): Simon Hudson and Jo Yarnall.
- Cannock Chase: Nathan Whale, Steve Blakemore, Steve Hammond (PB), John Pearce, Jonny Boyes, Sarah Lyons (PB) and Eamon Lyons.
- Edgbaston Reservoir: Andrew Wood and Luke White.
- Tamworth Castle Grounds: Sarah-Anne Fitzsimmons.
- Chasewater: Martin Bell (PB), Chris Boden, Melissa Emery, Mark Chapman, Nick Benton, Anita Passmore and Jo Stephens.
- Beacon: Henry Simpson.
- Clevedon Salthouse Fields (Somerset): Charlotte Small.
- Exmouth: Tony Baker.
- Watermead Country Park (Syston, Leics): Lorraine Beesley.
- Brierley Forest (Huthwaite, Notts): Sue Benzie.
- Mile End (London): Alex Dicken.
- Melksham (Wiltshire): Bruce Fanshawe.
- Perry Hall: James Nelson.
- Strathclyde: Mic Lee.
- Somerdale Pavilion (Keynsham, Bristol): Neil Mccausland.
Well done also to members who took part in other events over the past week, including a good turnout for a Grand Prix race on World Cup semi-final night:
- Staffs Knot 5 mile (GP): Ryan Noon (00:31:46), Jonathan Boyes (00:33:34), George Brizell (00:34:41), Mic Lee (00:34:44, 1st MV60), Daniel Pheasant (00:35:41), John Pearce (00:40:26), Lorraine Beesley (00:41:32), Andrew Birkbeck (00:42:37), Emily Beard (00:44:03), Joanna Stephens (00:47:29), Anne Kelsall (00:50:11, 1st FV65), Simon Hudson (00:51:15) and Catherine Birkbeck (00:51:22).
- Clevedon Swim Run (7k run over 5 sections, 1k lake swim over 4 sections): Charlotte Small (01:14:28)
2026 in (some) pictures will be built up over the year below: Hover over the main photo and press 'play' to scroll through photos of events so far this year, or click on the thumbnails.
We like to think of ARC as a friendly, supportive club and we are gaining a reputation for the enthusiasm of our support. The video clip below, taken from Cannon Hill Park, on the route of the Birmingham Marathon and Half on October 15 2017 shows us at our best. Some of the supporters had entered one of the races but had to pull out due to injury but instead of moping about it they came and cheered on all those who were running, despite the logistical difficulties of getting there with all the road closures. Well done Sarah Hinkley and crew!
Information for members:
Emergency? DIAL 999
Click here to find your nearest defibrillator
Help us give credit to all who take part in races by letting us know your achievements. Email using this link by Monday lunchtime please.
We also have a regular walking group. More details are on our About ARC page. All welcome.
We also have a regular walking group. More details are on our About ARC page. All welcome.
New Members
If you are new to running or looking to improve we can help & support you all the way. To find out more, check out the About ARC page and the New Members section.
Club Training Plans
Members of the Race Training Group generally work through programmes designed by club members, targeted at specific races/distances. These are aimed at those who have already completed the target distance and want to improve their time. They are not full training plans but they outline two 'effort' sessions a week, which can be done with others.
The current Tuesday sessions can be found on the club App each week.
When reading the plans, "off" shows the recovery between efforts, so "1k, 800m, 600m, 400m off 2mins, 3 mins
between sets" means "1k effort, 2 min recovery, 800m effort, 2 min recovery, 600m effort, 2 min recover,400m effort, 2 min recovery, 3 min rest then repeat." Recovery can be jog or walk, or a mixture, depending on individual fitness and preference. The length of recovery can also be adjusted if necessary. 'Tempo is generally defined as a pace you can comfortably keep up for about an hour.
Obviously these plans can be started at any time and/or adapted to meet individual needs. In particular, slower runners can benefit from the plans but would need to reduce the number of repetitions (sets) or the individual distances in most of the sessions. If you just want to try out some efforts sessions to make your training a bit more interesting and productive there are a good number included here that you can try.
Previous training programmes from this group are still available. Two Half-Marathon plans are here and here, whilst a 10k plan is here and a 5k training plan is here.
The current Tuesday sessions can be found on the club App each week.
When reading the plans, "off" shows the recovery between efforts, so "1k, 800m, 600m, 400m off 2mins, 3 mins
between sets" means "1k effort, 2 min recovery, 800m effort, 2 min recovery, 600m effort, 2 min recover,400m effort, 2 min recovery, 3 min rest then repeat." Recovery can be jog or walk, or a mixture, depending on individual fitness and preference. The length of recovery can also be adjusted if necessary. 'Tempo is generally defined as a pace you can comfortably keep up for about an hour.
Obviously these plans can be started at any time and/or adapted to meet individual needs. In particular, slower runners can benefit from the plans but would need to reduce the number of repetitions (sets) or the individual distances in most of the sessions. If you just want to try out some efforts sessions to make your training a bit more interesting and productive there are a good number included here that you can try.
Previous training programmes from this group are still available. Two Half-Marathon plans are here and here, whilst a 10k plan is here and a 5k training plan is here.