top of page
New & Potential Member FAQs

​

Can I come along and join in for a session before I join as a member?

Of course, just drop a note to our men's or ladies captain and they will make sure someone is there to meet and greet you. We normally recommend coming along to one of our Tuesday training sessions first to get a taster of one of our coached sessions. If you want to come along to further sessions, we ask that you then sign up for membership as a fully-fledged Datchet Dasher.

 

I really want to start running with a club but I’m not sure if I’m fast enough or can run far enough to.

We pride ourselves in being an inclusive and multi-talented club. We cater for all ages and abilities and ensure that our training sessions can be undertaken by everyone We also offer shorter and longer routes on our Thursday runs to cater for everyone’s needs, our Thursday run will always have a tail runner (who stays with the last runner) so no one is left behind. Every new or potential member asks us this question and after one session realises there was nothing to worry about so please do get in touch.
 

Is there a minimum age for becoming a member?

Our members need to be a minimum of 18 years old, there is no maximum age limit!

​

Where and when do you meet? Can I park there?

Our training runs are on a Tuesday meeting at 7.10pm at the clubhouse (details on the website), on Thursday we meet at the same time & place for a long-ish run (between 6-8 miles). Details of all our sessions and events are on our Club Calendar. Dashers can obtain a parking pass which covers parking during our sessions in the sports club areas.

 
I’ve recently moved into the local area and am looking for a place to meet new people as well as keep fit, is there a social element to the club?

We may be biased but we believe we are probably one of the most sociable sports clubs…ever. Many of our runs are followed by a trip to a local pub, café, coffee shop or restaurant and we are also prone to getting dressed up and having the odd evening out. Every year we hold our presentation evening where our members can come along, no lycra allowed, and spend an evening together celebrating the successes of our members over the previous 12 months.
 

I’m looking to get into running but don’t know where to start, do you have anything specifically for beginners?

 

We don’t currently have a beginner’s course planned for the next year, however there are many ways you can get into running and start to build your running confidence. There are a number of ways with more information and links listed below:

       https://www.nhs.uk/livewell/c25k/pages/couch-to-5k.aspx

Once you’ve got your confidence up come along and join us, we promise you won’t regret it and we will well and truly give you the running bug.

​

I’ve just signed up for my first 5k/10k/half marathon/marathon, are there any training sessions that will help me in my training?

Most of us are training for something and our fantastic coaches tend to plan our training sessions on Tuesday around marathon season and our 5k summer series. Our Thursday runs are always between 5-9 miles, many of which we also put on a shorter loop for those not wishing to run as far. It’s also a good way of doing a long run (for those crazy marathon training people) so you can do part of it with other runners.

​

I’m worried I won’t know anyone, is there anyone I can meet the first time I come down?

We’re a very friendly club and love to welcome new members. Our ladies captain Emily and men’s captains Chris & Rob try to be at the club for most sessions, so if you let them know using the email addresses below when you’re thinking of coming and they’ll make sure that they or another member of the committee are there to meet you and introduce you to other runners at a similar pace to you.
​
Chris Hunt & Rob Foster: Mens.Captain@datchetdashers.com
Emily Gow: Ladies.Captain@datchetdashers.com


I am staying in the local area for a few weeks, can I join just for that timeframe?

Depending on the timescales we are happy to welcome guests and visiting runners, if you contact our chairman or ladies/men's captains they can advise as how best to come along and join in.

​
I can’t always make the Tuesday and Thursday runs, are there any other sessions I could join?

The formal club sessions are every Tuesday and Thursday. Our wonderful coaches have been known to put on some track sessions at our local track at Thames Valley Athletic Centre (usually Monday evenings) as well as the odd circuits session. We also have a Facebook group for our members where barely a day or so passes by without an offer of a group run or someone looking for a running partner. Quite often we also arrange runs from the clubhouse on a Sunday morning.

 

Do you take part in any organised tournaments or leagues?

During the summer we participate in a 5k summer series attended by a number of our neighbouring clubs who each take it in turn to host and provide free cake at the end. During winter we participate in the Thames Valley Cross Country league where each club takes it in turn to host a hilly, muddy and sometimes wet cross country run followed by… free cake (you may see a trend here). We have also participated in a number of local relay events as well as County and even UK-wide championships – and we've not done too badly either!

 

Is there a joining fee?

There is no joining fee. There is an annual membership fee that is the same for new members or existing members.

 

When are annual membership fees due?

Membership fees are due 1st April each year.

​

Is there a reduced membership fee if I join mid-year?

Members joining mid-year (between October and March) will pay a reduced fee (half of the annual membership fee). Members joining between October and March will still be required to pay the full membership fee on 1 st April the following year irrespective of the date of joining.

​

Do I have to have EA affiliation as part of becoming a member?

No it is optional. If you wish to purchase EA affiliation you can opt for this at the point when you join or renew membership.

​

bottom of page