Our training sessions

The club training sessions are held at 7:15pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Details of the sessions are contained within our training diary and training schedule. We generally meet in the car park in Hampson Park. The postcode is SG1 5QU. This gives us easy access to the wide network of cycleways in the Stevenage.  Once a month on Wednesday we train on the athletics track at a Ridlins, Woodcock Road.

We also get together on a Sunday morning for a longer (slower) training run. This usually covers a distance of at least 7 miles, with options to run up to 10 – 11 miles. The runs are social, with regular regrouping so that we stay together and support each other. The meeting point and routes for the Sunday runs vary each week and use a combination of road and off road routes in and outside of Stevenage. Details can be found on the club training diary.

Our training sessions use a combination of traditional interval training, fartlek runs and steady/tempo training. Our interval training has a twist!!! Conventional interval training often uses periods of fairly static recoveries. At the Striders we use active ‘roll on/roll off’ recoveries. More beneficial and less risk of causing injury.

Speed endurance

After an appropriate warm up we use a series of timed intervals (efforts) where we run harder/faster before running slowly (recovery period). During the recovery period we all re-group before starting the next effort….and so on. The training groups cover a route of about 4-7 miles and are based on pace groupings. Each group is named after a type of deer! Muntjacs, roes, fallows and gazelles! Runners need to be able to run at least 5km (within 45mins) continuously to take part in these training sessions.

Interval, hill or tempo paced training

These sessions tend to focus on developing your running technique and pace. They tend to operate over a confined area using shorter measured intervals (such as 400m, 800m). We also used mixed hills and tempo runs. The training sessions are suitable for anyone who can run at least 5km continuously. Your running pace does not matter!!! Taking part in these sessions will radically improve your running!!

The speed endurance session and hill/interval based sessions are featured on alternating Tuesdays and Thursdays so all runners can get a balance in their training even if they can only come along each Tuesday or each Thursday.

Wednesday training

Once a month we meet at Ridlins track in Stevenage for our training session. This is a structured session that focusses on technique and pace on a more forgiving and flexible surface, for all abilities. Runners should be able to run at least 5km continuously before taking on our track sessions. They are a great way of developing your speed and technique.

Zero to 5k starter group 

Our zero to 5k starter group complete a 10 week programme that progresses from short run/walk efforts to completing a 5k parkrun. Look out for the dates of the next programme on our training diary. Graduation from the Zero to 5K training group enables runners to take part in the whole range of other weekday training sessions offered by the club.

Sundays

Our Sunday morning runs are a great excuse for exploring the local countryside outside of Stevenage. We usually have two groups who meet. One covers a distance of 5-7 miles whilst the other offers a run of between 9 and 12 miles. The groups vary the running routes and starting points and often go out of Stevenage exploring the surrounding countryside. They all have one thing in common – they are run at a slower, long run pace where the focus is on building endurance and having a social run. We should be able to talk and run!! Look out for the meeting point and start time on the club diary.