Unattached vs Club

Recently, I entered some races in my area where all the entries are snapped up well
before race day. This is good for running.

But when I look at the entrants list or the results. The majority are unattached  than belong to
a club. In a recent 10k I did, 70% were unattached. In a half marathon next March. The majority
are unattached too.

The latest running boom is good for races. But are the clubs missing out on something.
With so many unattached runners, these could be lured into clubs, bring revenue into running
while saving club runners money in entering races.

It would be interesting to understand what makes someone who wants to run but as a unattached runner and not join a club.

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Comments

  • RM that was hard work to read!

    Don't race organiser like unattached runners as they pay more to enter these races?, I run for a club that is not affiliated to the AFA (think that who runs this show)  but i always put them down as my club but don't get a race discount.

    I know a few people in running clubs they never seem to commit to a race till about a week before and most like races they can enter on the day.

  • Race organisers don`t mind if runners are club or not. As long as they get the money and
    places filled, they happy.

    Its great that so many want to run. But they could join a club, save a bob or two on races.
    I also think clubs are missing out on something if there are so many unattached runners.
    Or are these unattached just running a race or two and not technically `committed` to running.
  • I'm with a club but we're not affiliated, I always put our club name down for races but pay full price.  I think my nearest affiliated club is a bit of a distance away so why go to the extra effort of getting there just to be affiliated.
  • my club has a few runners who rarely train with the club due to work/family committments etc.

    However the advantage of still being  club members is  that they do save themselves £2-£3 on race entries and the cost of membership is soon recouped.

  • That is interesting that some belong to a club but its not affiliated to UK Athletics.
    I wonder if there will be a day when you can start a club or a team that doesn`t require
    UKA but maybe with UK Sport or Sport England as a affiliated sports club. Then you can
    enter not just running but other sports too.
  • 1. My only local club is on the wrong evening for me, family commitment.

    2. If your unafiliated you don't have to wear thier vest.

    3. No, unlike you, i'm not a commited runner, this year i've only done one 52.4m ultra, three marathons, one 20m race, two half marathons, a 5m race and tomorrow i'm doing a 10m one.

  • runnerman wrote (see)

    Recently, I entered some races in my area where all the entries are snapped up well
    before race day. This is good for running.

    Whilst agree it's good to have so many people who are wanting to do races, I can't agree  that is necessarily good that races fill up months in advance these days. This just leads to people swapping/selling numbers (without the permission of the organisers), with all the problems that this can lead to. (And I don't intend to go into those here, as they have been covered numerous times in this forum.) 
  • I wanted to joint a running club, both for the social side and to get some much needed advice.  The problem is that the only club near me meets at 6:15, and theres no way I would make it in time.  I don't get home from work until then and it's at least 10 minutes away by car (in the other direction).  If they could just change it to half 6 I could at least make it some of the time.

     Do most runners not have jobs? or have you just been doing it that long you've figures out how to fit it all in?

  • TNH wrote (see)

    I wanted to joint a running club, both for the social side and to get some much needed advice.  The problem is that the only club near me meets at 6:15, and theres no way I would make it in time.  I don't get home from work until then and it's at least 10 minutes away by car (in the other direction).  If they could just change it to half 6 I could at least make it some of the time.

     Do most runners not have jobs? or have you just been doing it that long you've figures out how to fit it all in?

    Why don't you try contacting them anyway ? You might find that they have some other members who would prefer to run later, or some other arrangements could be made.
  • I am unattached but have considered and looked at a number of clubs in my area. Unfortunately as others have said, any club run that starts at 6 is going to exclude a large proportion of runners.

    Most entrants to local races, have picked the race because it is a local challenge and race organizers need all the support possible to ensure they are still around next year. So I have no problem with who fills the spaces.

    The proportion of entrants that will continue to run after the event? Now that is an entirely different question.......
    And is more likely to be down to an individual's personal motivation - and I don't suppose there is much a club can do about that.
    I know I'll join a club eventually, but running must be as inclusive as possible.
  • clubs most definately do not make more money out of unaffiliated runners!!!
    that extra money gets sent to whoever gives the race it's permit
    the money is for insurance, if this was not paid the organisers would be paying out thousands to put on a race, i know because i help organise a race and we were quoted something like £3000, fortunately the TRA pick up the tab beause we are all members

    why else did you think unaffiliated runners paid more???
    and those of us who do belong to affiliated clubs pay membership fees which insures us through our clubs..

    i think some people just prefer to run on their own and train as and when they want to, different strokes for different folks.  i like belonging to a club because i like the extra support you get when you race.

  • and image

    if you look at different types of races you will find different proportions are affiliated and unaffiliated
    the race i organise is a 30 miler with a small entry - only 80 - and almost everyone belongs to a club
    a relay runs alongside it and again, that is almost 100% club members

  • I've spent a year back at my club, afetr many years off being away from it

    but, i've finshed again, as i'm that busy i just cannot get to it

    my wife when well enough has college on club nights, and as far as i'm concerend my wife's enjoyment at college far out weighy my club run

    plus when training , which isn't great now a days, i enjoy being on my own, go out when wish etc , and sometimes this way i can still get a training run in on Wednesday after wife's gone to colloge, but finshed a lot earlier than the club does

    Plus, i'm not a socialiser anyway, i don't use the bar afte and i like to shower and change at home on my own in priveacy

    so, i'm apart for Road runners club, unaffliated

    and were running all year NON stop me and phil

  • sorry to disagree lurker, but under the new licencing permit scheme, the cost of the permit is dependent on the amount of runners who enter a race, increasing on a sliding scale.

     There is an initial deposit  paid and then once the race has been run, a balance is paid dependent on how many entrants there were, but not disproportianate in favour of the licencing body.

     Once this money has been paid to the licencing body (in my clubs case UK Athletics) any money over and above that amount, gained from unattached runners, is free for the host club to keep and use as funds.

    So, the more unattached runners that enter a race, the more money a club  stands to make.

    This is a lot fairer system in favour of gaining finances at grass roots level, than the old system of sending all monies from unattached athletes directly to the licencing body

  • well no-one has told us about that - but it might explain why our club chair is having major problems filling in the forms from the last race we organised.  i don't think she or the rest of us were aware of that.
    we are running a race in a few weeks time and we are charging according to the rules as they were

    it's not really fairer - the money was to pay for insurance and it was clear that that was what it was for, so now how do we decide what to charge?
    i don't actually want to make money out of the unafilliated runners.

  • just checked
    can't believe i had not known about this
    our next committee meeting should be interesting!!!!!!!

  • lurker. wrote (see)

    well no-one has told us about that - but it might explain why our club chair is having major problems filling in the forms from the last race we organised.  i don't think she or the rest of us were aware of that.
    we are running a race in a few weeks time and we are charging according to the rules as they were

    it's not really fairer - the money was to pay for insurance and it was clear that that was what it was for, so now how do we decide what to charge?
    i don't actually want to make money out of the unafilliated runners.


    Your race organiser should have been informed of this by the local County Licence Officer. I'm surprised they weren't as the application forms spell  this out - or did they use an old version of the form ?

    In reality, it doesn't actually affect the way you charge - unattached runners still pay £2 more -  it's just that it's worded slightly differently, ie registered club members get a £2 discount, rather than unattached runners paying a £2 levy.

    For the organiser, the new system is generally a lot better, as the fee they pay to UKA usually works out far less than when the full £2 per unattached entrant was paid to UKA. The only exception is when the race has a very low percentage of unattached runners.

    The £2 differential is to encourage unattached runners to join a club. However, UKA are aware that many runners are unable or unwilling to join a 'normal' club, which is why they have created the realbuzzrunbritain running club , which allows runners to feel more a part of the sport and also claim the £2 discount.

  • I'm currently unattached because no local running clubs meet at a time suitable to me and I'm quite happy to train on my own. I'm quite self-motivating.

    I do like the idea of joining a club though, it just seems a bit pointless when I'll never attend anything.

  • Yorkshire Rob wrote (see)

    I'm currently unattached because no local running clubs meet at a time suitable to me and I'm quite happy to train on my own. I'm quite self-motivating.

    I do like the idea of joining a club though, it just seems a bit pointless when I'll never attend anything.

    It isn't compulsory to train with a club on their club nights. Many club runners train at different times of the evening on non-club nights, and you may well find find a clubmate who would be happy to have a new training partner on those nights. Being a member of a club also opens up more racing possibilities (relays, cross-country etc) 

  • afjt wrote (see)

    It isn't compulsory to train with a club on their club nights. Many club runners train at different times of the evening on non-club nights, and you may well find find a clubmate who would be happy to have a new training partner on those nights. Being a member of a club also opens up more racing possibilities (relays, cross-country etc)

    I know it's not compulsory and all that, but I doubt I would ever get time to run with the club due to work and family commitments. As for training at another time, I tend to do my running first thing in the morning about 6am, and my morning is always quite rushed so I wouldn't want to complicate things by having to meet up with another runner. I'm sure it would lead to being late for work or having to cut runs short or whatever.

    Like I said, I'm happy training on my own really. I can get out as soon as I'm ready and have exactly the sort of session that works for me, it's much more flexible this way.

  • that virtual club looks a good deal though if you enter a few races a year you will soon get back what you paid out - it's only £12 something
    look back a couple of posts, that would suit you perfectly
  • i think they could do with advertising it a bit more though as i know lots of people who do not belong to clubs and i don't think they know about this

  • no, no don't advertise it more as my club is actively looking to attract unattached runners   image

     Only joking, as we definitely need more runners in the sport to encourage race organisors to continue to stage races and perhaps stage a few new ones. There have been a lot of favourite races that have disappeared over the years and I would hate to think that there might not be any races in a few years.

  • I also prefer to train alone so don't think a club would give me anymore than I get now.  I know I don't have to train with them etc, bit I think it's a bit hypocritical to become a member of a club and not join in.  I am therefore OK with paying a couple of quid extra for some races.
  • I've been looking at joining this online running club. 

    I don't mind paying and extra couple of quid for races but what I really like the look of is the fact that the insurance cover of a UKA club also covers you while you are training.

     I take it that means anytime that I am running, even out on my own? 

  • SeelaSeela ✭✭✭

    My view, for what it is worth, is you should join a club. My club does not care a toss if you come to club nights, but we do put on 3 races a year and expect the club members to help.

     NOW if you have ever run a race organised by a club (rather than a big commercial money making organisation) you have to realise that all the helpers are volunteers and are putting something back into running by helping.

    So if you don't belong to a club, and you do run in small club organised races then if you don't help at races you are being selfish in expecting others to do that for you.

  • Yorkshire Rob wrote (see)

    I'm currently unattached because no local running clubs meet at a time suitable to me and I'm quite happy to train on my own. I'm quite self-motivating.

    I do like the idea of joining a club though, it just seems a bit pointless when I'll never attend anything.

    Pretty much that.

    Couple of local clubs run on monday nights, which after doing a long run on a sunday, is not the appealing.

    Not only that, but my closest local club is a good 30-45mins drive (round trip) away, so a quick, get home, chuck gear on, get out, get back run, turns into a bit of a long winded run with a 45min drive chucked in.

    I've toyed with the idea numerous times, but always come to the same conclusion.

    I can't agree that I am selfish because I don't join a club.

  • SeelaSeela ✭✭✭
    Yes you are. You take but you don't give.
  • I am part of a club, but have to put unaffiliated on race entries as we are not a UKA club we are ARC.
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