Orpington Road Runners

Frequently Asked Questions

1. When do you meet?

Every Tuesday - rain or shine, snow or fog, at 7:50pm for an 8pm depart!
The only exceptions are when Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Eve falls on a Tuesday.
Normally on the Last Tuesday of the Month (LTOTM) there is a social gathering in The Buff afterwards.

2. Where is your clubhouse - where do you meet?

Outside The Buff Public House, Crescent Way Orpington.

A few hundred yards south of Orpington Hospital, just off Sevenoaks Road, the A223. From the War Memorial at the end of Orpington High Street, it is about half a mile along the A223 towards Green St. Green. Crescent Way is on the right just by the pedestrian traffic lights. For safety reasons from November 2006 onwards the Club meets the other side of the hedge from its original meeting place, about 30yds along - directly in line with The Buff entrance, in the small paddock off Crescent Way. This new gathering place is also lit by a lamppost and clearly visible from both The Buff and Sevenoaks Road. There is pretty good 'side-road' parking near The Buff.

3. How do I join your club?

Firstly, you are very welcome to join us as guest on a Tuesday. Just come down and make yourself known before 8pm when we ask 'any new runners tonight?' After a few weeks running with us, you may want to consider joining the Club to enjoy the full benefits of membership.

Fees
For 2009, our annual subscription fees are Ł10.00 for first claim members or Ł5.00 for second claim members (i.e. already affiliated to UK Athletics through another club). There is also a one-off joining fee of Ł5.00 for first claim members which covers the individual affiliation fee with UK Athletics.

Payment
These can be paid by cheque made payable to "Orpington Road Runners" or via bank transfer to

Sort Code: 20-14-33,
Account No: 9069-3731,
Account Name: Orpington Road Runners.

Please use your full name as a reference. The Club's subscription year runs from January to December.

The Club is affiliated to UK Athletics and ARC (Association of Running Clubs). This means that once you are a member you will be entitled to reduced entry fees on affiliated races. In due course you will also be given a membership card which should enable you to obtain a discount on running apparel at certain local running shops.

(N.B. You must be at least 16 years of age to join ORR. If you are younger than this and you want to start running then we suggest that you contact Blackheath & Bromley Harriers who have an approved youth training programme.)

If you have any queries on this please contact the Membership Secretary:

Paula Ferguson, 42 Kedleston Drive, Orpington, Kent, BR5 2DR
Tel: 01689 810744 E-mail: Fergusons42@aol.com

4. HOW GOOD do I have to be to join the Club?

When you are able to run for about 15 minutes without a stop, we would love to see you down at The Buff on a Tuesday. We have a number of groups that cover most standards. Running with others will provide the support you need to enjoy and improve your running.

Normally there are at least four groups:

Beginners: gentle 3-4 mile runs with frequent stops to re-group
Lower-Intermediate: regular paced runs, usually 4-5 miles with occasional stops to re-group
Upper-Intermediate: 9 to 10 minute mile pace over six to seven mile courses
Long/Fast: for well-tuned runners who can complete a 10k in around 40 minutes

The routes vary from week to week depending on the leaders

5. I WANT TO START running - can I join your Club?

If you really want to start running the following steps should help you along the way and prevent you from giving up. Good luck!

Commitment - If you don’t commit yourself from the start you will fail. You need to run at least 3 times a week. Make time for running. If you are flexible and can plan ahead you will succeed.

Check with your doctor - Previously inactive? Medical condition? Over 40? It would be a good idea to check with your doctor before starting. Most doctors will be pleased you want to get fit. Just remember, take it slowly.

Establish your starting point - Dependant on your current level of fitness. Always err on the side of safety by starting off easily.

Set reasonable, but challenging, goals - We all need goals to keep ourselves motivated. What will be yours?

Select the proper equipment - Once you have started you will need to ensure that you have the right shoes. It’s worth visiting a specialist running shop the first time you buy new shoes.

Follow a sensible training program - don’t try to do too much too soon. We can help you here.

Set up a support network - partner, friends, family, club meets.

Keep motivated and stay with it - once you have struggled out of the starting blocks you will need to continually review your goals to stay motivated. Joining a club gives you a regular commitment and Orpington Road Runners will show you that running can be fun!

6. Who are you crazy Road Runners?

See some testimonials from genuine Road Runners here!

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