Tring Running Club celebrates 40 years

Tring Running Club members will be celebrating the club’s 40th birthday year with a variety of running-focused events, including a 40-mile relay and a ‘Treasure Hunt’ Score Challenge.

With its founding club run on 14 April 1981, ‘Tring Jogging Club’ - as it was then known - has seen many changes in its 40-year history. Perhaps the most remarkable change is its significant increase in runners.

Four decades ago, the club had 30 members; it now has over 250, and anticipates welcoming many more this year as Tring and its neighbouring villages move out of lockdown.

Adrian Fails, Tring Running Club chair, said: “One thing that hasn’t changed in the club’s 40 years is our welcoming and sociable nature.

"People join us because they’re looking for a friendly and supportive group to run with. We have a range of pace groups, so we cater for new and experienced runners alike.”

The club is well known for hosting its annual Midsummer Fun Run - a family-friendly festival to encourage children and adults to get into running.

Over the 20 years of hosting the Fun Run, the club has handed out 10,000 medals to children in the junior races and has raised close to £100,000 for local charities.

The 40th birthday celebrations include a Score Challenge, which involves running around Tring to visit as many checkpoints — and thereby collect as many points — as possible, within two hours.

Members will also join together in the Autumn to run a 40-mile relay and enjoy a slice of birthday cake.

Club members are delighted to be able to run together again in small groups (in line with restrictions easing), to mark this significant anniversary.

Adrian added: “It is fantastic to be running together as a club again after everything that’s happened recently, and we are especially pleased to be amongst friends to celebrate such a significant milestone.”