Welcome To WRC
A warm welcome to Washington Running Club!

Here you’ll find useful information and advice about the club, who we are and what we do.

As a member it’s important that you adhere to the club’s rules and & guides to make it a safe and welcoming environment for all.

Washington Running Club is based at Columbia Grange School, Oxclose Road, Washington NE38 7NY

Club Sessions

Thursday 6.30pm: An hour-long session aimed at improving performance, usually arranged around four groups according to pace.

Sunday 9am: More often a sociable run split into groups according to distance and pace.

We also have a monthly Monday track session, at Monkton Stadium in Jarrow from 7pm, and have introduced a weekly strength and condition class on three Mondays per month.

There’s also a choice of unofficial club social runs held on Tuesday nights.

Runs are organised in four different groups based around pace with Group 1 quickest filtering down to Group 2, 3 and 4. Details are shared via our closed Facebook group and the Connect My Club app.

Note: Hi-viz/reflective clothing must be worn during winter training sessions during the darker nights, and a head torch is also recommended.

Membership Fees

Adults: £36 + £19 England Athletics affiliation, both payable 1st April annually.

If joining from 1st October onwards the fee is £18 through to 31st March.

Juniors: Payable annually by direct debit. Email wrcjuniorclub@gmail.com to enquire about availability.

To run as a member of the club and receive discount on race entries, signing up as an England Athletics affiliated runner (currently £19) has other benefits including discounts at Start Fitness (10%), New Balance (10%), Intercontinental Hotels (including Holiday Inn and Holiday Inn Express) and others.

Unlike other clubs, we do not charge session fees.

Visit our club website is www.washingtonrunningclub.com for more information.

APP: Connect My Club is free to download app. It makes the club accessible to all.

Sign up via https://app.connectmyclub.co.uk/clubs/new_members/65008c99 (the club code is 65008c99).

Training details are on the app and runners are asked to sign up in advance for each session.

STRAVA: The club is a big advocate of the app, which is free to download and compatible with most makes of GPS watch. A subscription version is available, but the free app covers everything you need to get started.

The majority of club runners use Strava and, in turn, appear in our group runs. You’ll then receive comments, support and kudos.

Strava segments are saved sections that appear on running routes, and measures your performance, while creating league tables based on gender, age, etc.

We have our own Washington Running Club club on Strava where you’ll see other club members and our weekly leaderboards.

SOCIAL MEDIA: The club has an official Facebook page www.facebook.com/washingtonrunclub/ for public updates and information.

For paid members we have a members-only closed Facebook group where runners can post questions, ask for advice, organise runs, sell running related things etc at www.facebook.com/groups/washingtonrunclub

Generally the Facebook page is the place to see official communications from the club to the wider public and the group is the best place for club updates to members or for members to post or ask questions of one another.

We are also on Instagram as washington_running_club.

COACHES: We recognise the value in having UK Athletics qualified coaches as part of our team and are always willing to invest in members who want to develop and, in turn, pass on their knowledge.

We also have many trained run leaders and first aiders.

WRC KIT: Registered club colours are a blue vest displaying the club name and crest on the front, with red and white side stripes.

Runners are encouraged to wear club vests or T-shirts for races, available from kit officer Derek Trueman or through the club app’s shop.

WRC training gear is available at https://kits4all.co.uk/product-category/washington-running-club/ Order direct for delivery.

ACTIVITIES: Members take part in a WIDE variety of races across all distances throughout the year, from fun 5K’s through to marathons and beyond.

Many local events feature a big turnout from the club and the camaraderie and support adds to the experience – there is nothing like running your first event in the club vest!

A fine opportunity for your first run with the club is a parkrun, and the club organises visits to local parkruns in addition to our home one at Herrington.

They are free to attend, at 9am every Saturday across the North East, UK and beyond.

Register online, print out your barcode to take along on the day and you are a park runner.

EVENTS: The club also competes in the Start Fitness North Eastern Harrier League, a series of cross country races across the north east in autumn and winter. They are a great team event where every runner helps earn points for the club in a season-long league table.

The Harrier League is free for all club runners. Ladies run 4 miles and men 6.

The club also holds its own 5K trail race, the Bottoms Up Cup, each summer in memory of Stephen Bottoms who was a member of the original Washington Running Club in the 1970s. Stephen was capable of running a half marathon in under 80 minutes, and three of his daughters are members of the club.

In 2018 we launched our own Grand Prix, a club championship running until late November across three divisions based on ability.

It gives runners the opportunity to compete across a number of events – parkruns, races up to 10K, endurance races and cross country – with select best results counting towards your placing. This is an opt in event.

Our monthly summer handicap takes place on a fast and flat two-mile loop that rewards the most improved runners, rather than the fastest.

As previously mentioned, there’s also the monthly track sessions, social club runs and our regular planned sessions.

CODE OF CONDUCT: Club rules exist for all members to respect and follow.

Any issues should be raised with a Welfare Officer. They will investigate and report back to you as soon as possible.  

Enter  Our WRC Bottoms Up Cup

Bottoms Up Cup


Our own hosted 5k run