About Athletics and Running Club

About The Club:

The University of York Athletics and Running Club aims to provide a fun and welcoming environment for athletes of all abilities and disciplines! The club provides a variety of training sessions which take place over the duration of the week – this includes access to one coached track session, one student-led session, and a strength and conditioning session each week!  These sessions take place at York Athletics Stadium and include personalised advice from our knowledgeable coach and track captains!  Club runs take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays; these student-only runs take place around the roads and trails of York and are led by our fantastic long distance captains! Club run provides a fantastic opportunity to get mileage whilst socialising with other members of the club! We provide different groups of varying speeds and distances, meaning everyone has someone to run with!  During the winter season we compete at two major inter-university relays in Leeds and Manchester, providing much-needed preparation for our biggest event in the calendar: the BUCS Cross-Country Championships in February! In second semester, our focus shifts to track season, where we put together strong teams for both BUCS Indoors and BUCS Outdoors track competitions. Also, City of York hosts a summer league series of open meetings held at the athletics track, which are great opportunities to improve times and have a go at new events!  In terms of road racing, we are fortunate to have the York and District 10k Road Race League, which takes place over the summer holidays! Other popular road events include the Brass Monkey Half Marathon (held in York in January), as well as the Yorkshire Marathon and 10 Mile in October. The Evensplits 5k Series also takes place on the East Campus Cycle Track on the first Friday of every month of the year!

Weekly schedule:

Monday - Strength and conditioning session @ 16:00 – 18:00

Tuesday - Club Run @ 19:00

Wednesday - Coached track session @ 16:00 – 18:00

Thursday - Club Run @ 19:00

Friday - Well-being activity (usually a walk or yoga ????)

Saturday - Student-led track/grass/hill session @ 9:00 – 11:00

Sunday - Long run @ 10/10:30

Description of runs

Strength and conditioning sessions:

• These student-led sessions take place every Monday 16:00-18:00 at the track and are new to our schedule from 2023! Our track captains will lead plyometric exercises, circuits with weights and resistance exercises, as well as strength exercises focussing on mobility and flexibility. This is usually accompanied by some drills and strides focussed on form and posture. The idea of these sessions is to improve our strength as athletes and decrease chances of injury.

Club Runs:

• These student-led runs take place every Tuesday and Thursday at 19:00 – we meet outside the Sports Centre on Campus West (near James College). We split into various groups at a range of paces and distances, to ensure everyone is comfortable and has someone to run with. Each group is led by an experienced run leader, so that nobody is left behind. If possible, try and dress brightly in the dark winter months.

Coached track sessions:

• These sessions take place once a week on Wednesdays at 16:00 and are delivered by our highly experienced coach Ian. These sessions are suitable for athletes of all abilities, with specific training specialised for different disciplines. There is also opportunity for bespoke training advice tailored to your individual needs as an athlete.

Student-led track sessions:

• Student-led track session/tempo/grass session/hill session takes place on Saturdays 9:00 – 11:00. Again, our experienced track captains work together with our qualified coach to set separate plans for different disciplines.

Well-being activities:

• Our amazing well-being secretaries organise weekly activities free for all members to attend!  Recently this has been peaceful walks around the countryside, yoga, or just a meal out!  Usually starts at 16:00 on Fridays but this can be subject to change and will be posted on our Instagram/group chats.

Sunday long run:

• This student-led long run, meeting the Sports Centre on Campus West every Sunday morning usually at 10/10:30. The longer group tends to run approx 16km/10miles @ 5min/km however this is subject to change depending on numbers and ability, sometimes with some groups running shorter distances/slower pace! Long distance captains lead these runs and post updates on our social media and group chats.

City of York Sessions:

• City of York athletics club train on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 19:00 with sprint and middle/long distance groups, as well as groups specialising in field event training.
• To know more about COYAC training sessions, please send an email to secretary.coyac@hotmail.co.uk

Key Competitions:

First Semester

• Yorkshire Marathon and 10 Mile (15th Oct)
• West Yorkshire Cross-Country League (Oct-Dec)
• Manchester XC Relays (last weekend of Oct)
• Leeds XC Relays (first weekend of Dec)
• Brass Monkey Half Marathon (14th Jan)

Second Semester

• BUCS Cross-Country Championships (first weekend of Feb)
• BUCS indoors (last weekend of Feb)
• Roses 5k XC (weekend mid-Apr)
• BUCS outdoors (last weekend of Apr)
• York Summer open track league (Apr-Jul)
• York and District 10k summer Road Racing League (May-Jul)

Memberships:

• ANNUAL GOLD TIER MEMBERSHIP: (£70) This includes full access to all races for the university, as well as coached training sessions with our fully qualified athletics coach Ian! This includes personalised coaching and specialised training plans tailored to your specific goal races and targets!  Also provides full access to club runs and long runs, and all of our socials and well-being events throughout the year!

• GOLD TIER MEMBERSHIP SEMESTER 1: (£40) Gold tier membership valid until 11/12/2023

• GOLD TIER MEMBERSHIP SEMESTER 2: (£40) Gold tier membership valid from 8/01/2024 to 11/06/2024

• ANNUAL SILVER TIER MEMBERSHIP: (£30) This includes full access to all races for the university, as well as club runs and long runs.  Also includes full access to all our socials and well-being events throughout the year!

• OFF-SITE MEMBERSHIP: (£10) This membership is for off-site students who want to compete in uni competitions with the club.

Get Involved!

All students are always welcome to get involved with the Athletics and Running Club! During the opening weeks of first semester, all sessions are trial sessions, meaning you can decide if our club is right for you without having to commit to purchasing the membership. Note that membership can be purchased in semester instalments, for athletes wishing to split the cost of Gold Tier membership. For more information on the various memberships we offer, see the membership page. We are an all-inclusive club for everyone!  Feel free to contact any of the committee members through our Instagram, Facebook or email (athletics@yusu.org) – we are always happy to help and are looking forward to meeting you all!

AU Fee:

This club is a Black tier sports club. You must purchase a Black tier membership (£20) with your club membership on the YUSU website (it should add automatically).