Your First Session: What to Expect

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Walking into a running club for the first time feels like a big step. Here is exactly what happens on your first night with Stockton Striders, so there are no surprises.

Before you come

We do things properly rather than leaving you to turn up and hope for the best. Fill in the short enquiry form and we will get back to you within a few days to book you in for a Tuesday or Thursday club night. We will also send you our membership form to complete beforehand, so when you arrive everything is ready and you can just run.

One thing worth knowing up front: we are an adults-only club, so you need to be 18 or over to join.

When you arrive

We meet at Stockton Town FC on Bishopton Road West at 6:30pm, and there is parking on site. On your booked night, Sue will meet you and take you through a short induction. It is friendly rather than formal. She will explain how the club works, answer your questions, and help you pick the right group for your first run.

The groups

This is the bit that surprises people. We do not all charge off together at one pace. Sessions run in groups, from a relaxed steady group at a chatty pace through to quicker tempo and interval work, and a beginner-friendly group that mixes running and walking. Nobody gets left behind and nobody gets dropped on their first night. A coach leads each group, so there is always someone looking out for you.

Your first run

Your first session is completely free. You run with your group, you see how it feels, and that is it. No commitment, no pressure, no awkward hard sell at the end. Most people are surprised by how quickly the nerves disappear once you are moving and chatting.

If you decide to join

Members get access to our online members area, which honestly does more than most club websites. You book your place on sessions in a couple of taps, pay for sessions from an online balance you top up by card, keep track of your personal bests from parkrun to marathon, follow club news, and even build a training plan around club nights. It is all designed so the admin never gets in the way of the running.

What to bring

• Comfortable running shoes. They do not need to be fancy.
• Clothes you can move in, with a layer for the weather.
• Water if you like to have it, though most sessions are under an hour.
• Nothing else. Seriously, that is it.