You are welcome to join us for up to three taster sessions. Please look at the ‘Our Runs’ page to see what might suit you and then come down and see how things work.

Your obligations are to book onto the run via our RunTogether page.

Be in the right place ready to run on time. The locations of the training sessions are published under training. If you cannot work out where to go then read training. Did I mention looking at training?

Come dressed sensibly for the weather and season. Don’t come on a dark rainy night dressed head to toe in black with no torch. In the darker months wear high viz, flashing light bands and bring a head torch if you have one.

Talk to the Run Leaders. Make sure they know you are a guest and what your limitations are. They will be able to advise you on how things are done and which of the options on offer might be suitable for you.

Talk to people. Talk to as many people as you can, introduce yourself and make sure you find out who the run leaders are. Make friends.

Listen to what people say especially if you are warned to get off the road or run in a single file. You are responsible for your own safety.

Be courteous to other road and path users. You are running with the club and your behaviour reflects on us. Be wary of pedestrians, dog walkers, cyclists, bins left out for collection and cars, especially when crossing junctions and driveways.

Be accepting of everyone’s level. We all began somewhere. If you are just beginning then do not be embarrassed.

Do not try too hard or overextend yourself. If you do you risk hurting yourself and you won’t be back next week. Increase your pace and distance slowly and incrementally.

Have fun, smile, do your best and enjoy it all.

Click this link here to see our Red Rose Road Runners club membership details.

Yes, the current fees are described on our membership page.

Do please tell your friends about the club and encourage them to come along for up to three taster sessions, we would ask them to also register via RunTogether – we are always seeking new members.

The club does not issue any membership numbers. Instead, we use the member’s URN (Unique Runner’s Number) which is assigned by England Athletics. Sometimes this is called your EA number. Your URN does not change from year to year. In fact, if it does then there is something wrong and you should contact the club’s Membership Secretary by email.

You can contact the club Membership Secretary via this link.

You can find all the information you need via the England Athletics website, click here.

England Athletics define the rules of competition for athletics clubs generally and running clubs in particular. Most, but not all, road races in England are run under the England Athletics rules. Don’t argue, it is just a fact of life.

Under the rules an athlete may compete for up to two clubs. One of these is known as the First Claim Club and the other optional club is the Second Claim Club. Only the athlete’s First Claim Club can pay the athlete’s affiliation fee to England Athletics.

You can only have a Second Claim Club if you are affiliated by your First Claim Club. More on that later.

If you compete in a race in which your First and Second Claim Clubs are in contention then you must represent your First Claim Club. If the competition does not offer a team prize then you may compete for either club.

This is most important for the Interclub and Cross Country races where there are team prizes but may affect other events.

England Athletics allow a period of 12 months grace from the date your affiliation lapses in the hope your First Claim Club will renew your affiliation. After this time they will remove your record from both your First and Second Claim Club’s England Athletics Club Portal.

You need to do the following:

1. Log onto your account on the England Athletics myATHLETICS portal using your URN as your username and start the change process using the appropriate menu item.
2. The portal and the form both say you need to send a cheque for £10 payable to England Athletics. If you were last affiliated more than two full seasons ago then it is worth phoning England Athletics to ask if the fee is applicable. For example, if you last joined your previous First Claim club in May 2013 and they affiliated you then your affiliation would have lapsed on 31st March 2014 If you then wanted to change your First Claim Club to Red Rose after 1st April 2016 then two full seasons would have passed and the fee should not be charged. Phone put your case to them and hope you are successful.
3. Applications received by England Athletics are often processed in a few days. If you want more information on timescales then please contact England Athletics directly.
4. If you do not hear from England Athletics then phone them to understand why. If you do hear from them then please let the club’s Membership Secretary know. England Athletics sometimes tell us but sometimes they forget. If they forget and you do not tell us then we will not affiliate you.

In the past, you hardly ever needed the number. Some race organisers use the runbritain online entry system which is available to any race that obtains its UKA Race Licence through runbritain.

The online entry system asks for a runner’s unique runner number (URN) which is then automatically checked through the England Athletics database to ensure that a runner is genuinely affiliated to the governing body.

This is important from a race organiser’s perspective because it ensures that the price difference between affiliated and unaffiliated runners (usually £2 as of 2019) goes to the race. Organisers are increasingly likely to use this system to check runner’s affiliation status.

Call England Athletics on 01213 476543

A few weeks after England Athletics receives your affiliation fee from your First Claim Club, England Athletics will send you an information pack which includes a card known as your Competition Licence. This card has your Universal Runners Number (URN) on it.

In our experience, it is the number that you need when entering races and not the card. The number is increasingly being used by race organisers to clamp down on abuse of the discount on race entry offered to affiliated runners. Keep the card safe.

If you lose your card and want a replacement then please log onto your account at England Athletics using the myATHLETICS portal and print another.

Failing that then please contact Membership Services via email or call England Athletics on 01213 476543.

This is really important. Follow that famous slogan. “Just do it”

Update your information on the England Athletics myATHLETICS portal. Your username is your URN which was sent in your Welcome email. You can set/reset the password from the portal.

You can help the club in many ways including:

Volunteering your time to help run the club

Being an active member, racing, training and socialising with your Red Rose friends

Running in your Red Rose vest at races

Encouraging and helping others

Representing the club at the Interclub and Cross Country

Being welcoming to other members

Bringing other people along and introducing them to running

Being the best you can be

Marshalling at events

Helping out with providing something for the buffet at the Interclub

The club is only as good as its members.

Look twice before crossing roads and on country lanes make sure you can be seen on blind corners. If you run in the dark then wear something bright and reflective. If you have one wear a running torch.

Dress appropriately on track and trail runs and carry sensible kit. Remember that the weather and your circumstances can change suddenly. If you are out in the countryside or on the hills and you get even a minor injury then you may risk hypothermia.

Race organisers are following the England Athletics rules of competition and banning the use of headphones on safety grounds. The logic is that you are far less likely to hear traffic, instructions from marshals and warnings from other runners.

“RULE 240 S 5 UKA SUPPLEMENT – HEADPHONES

The wearing of headphones, or similar devices, (other than those medically prescribed), is not permitted in races on any single-carriageway road that is not wholly closed to traffic. This restriction does not apply to races held on dual carriageways provided that there are clear, structured separations between the separate carriageways. Competition Providers of races held entirely on roads closed to traffic may apply this condition where appropriate to local circumstances.”

When you are on your own then it is your choice but for safety, we think there are good grounds for not using them if you are running in areas where you may encounter cycles or vehicles.

You can reach the club’s Membership Secretary by email.

Each club affiliated with England Athletics can have access to the details of its registered members through a web browser. Using the ‘Portal’ authorised officials of the club can access and update the details of club members as well as pay the affiliation fees for their First Claim Club members.

Athletes can access their records using the myATHLETICS Athlete’s Portal. Use your URN as your username.

Update your information on the England Athletics myATHLETICS Portal using your URN as your username.

If you do not keep your postal address up to date then you risk your England Athletics pack going astray.

If you do not keep your email address then you will not receive any club information, newsletters, reminders etc.

If you do not keep your telephone numbers up to date then we have no means of contacting you if your email address fails.

We prefer to communicate electronically using email, the website and social media.

The club’s website has all sorts of useful club information including the normal times of training sessions, club calendar and competition results and advice.

The club has a Facebook page which we use to communicate official club notices. Please go there and click ‘Like’, we do like to be liked!

The Facebook page has the latest news about training events and races You can find the link at the bottom of the page.

We also have our Facebook Group Red Rose Road Runners PRESTON. This is the members’ forum which has many lively conversations on it as well as some great pictures.

We also have a Twitter account, the link is also at the bottom of the page.

The club has several email lists that it uses to send information emails to the membership.

We expect our members to conduct themselves appropriately when using electronic communication to share information with other members or when posting material on public websites connected to the club. We do not tolerate disrespectful comment. See the club constitution section 4.

Do think about running in club races and competitions but please remember that if you do, you must wear a club vest and keep it in full view of other competitors at all times in the race if your results are to be taken into consideration in club competitions. Exceptions to this rule may be made if foul weather encountered during fell races mandates the use of weather proof outer clothing.

I really can’t stress the need to wear your club colours enough! Club competitions are run by rules and this is an important one – you must declare your club colours to the other competitors.

By a club competition I mean those on the Red Rose race calendar. If you are not sure then please feel free to ask a member of the committee.

We encourage you to wear your club vest at other competitions to promote the club.

The club purchases running vests from a supplier and then sells them at cost to members. If you would like to buy a vest then see our Club Kit for more details.

You can read all about the club competitions here.

The Interclub races are competitions between several local clubs with team and individual prizes. There are two sets of Interclub races, the Road Series and the Fell Series.

You can read more about the Interclubs and the other competitions here.

Each year is a little different. We normally arrange a number for all eligible club members. The best thing is to follow Facebook and ask what the current arrangements are a month before the first race. You can find all the races on the club calendar.

We normally will distribute numbers at training sessions and before each Interclub road race. Please, only pick up a number if you intend to race.

Arrive early if you wish to pick up your number before a race. You must wear a Red Rose vest and have your number on it. It is your responsibility to keep your number safe through the entire season and to remember to bring it and some safety pins with you to the races.