Unattached vs Club

Recently, I entered some races in my area where all the entries are snapped up well
before race day. This is good for running.

But when I look at the entrants list or the results. The majority are unattached  than belong to
a club. In a recent 10k I did, 70% were unattached. In a half marathon next March. The majority
are unattached too.

The latest running boom is good for races. But are the clubs missing out on something.
With so many unattached runners, these could be lured into clubs, bring revenue into running
while saving club runners money in entering races.

It would be interesting to understand what makes someone who wants to run but as a unattached runner and not join a club.

RM that was hard work to read!

Don't race organiser like unattached runners as they pay more to enter these races?, I run for a club that is not affiliated to the AFA (think that who runs this show)  but i always put them down as my club but don't get a race discount.

I know a few people in running clubs they never seem to commit to a race till about a week before and most like races they can enter on the day.

my club has a few runners who rarely train with the club due to work/family committments etc.

However the advantage of still being  club members is  that they do save themselves £2-£3 on race entries and the cost of membership is soon recouped.

1. My only local club is on the wrong evening for me, family commitment.

2. If your unafiliated you don't have to wear thier vest.

3. No, unlike you, i'm not a commited runner, this year i've only done one 52.4m ultra, three marathons, one 20m race, two half marathons, a 5m race and tomorrow i'm doing a 10m one.

runnerman wrote (see)

Recently, I entered some races in my area where all the entries are snapped up well
before race day. This is good for running.

I wanted to joint a running club, both for the social side and to get some much needed advice.  The problem is that the only club near me meets at 6:15, and theres no way I would make it in time.  I don't get home from work until then and it's at least 10 minutes away by car (in the other direction).  If they could just change it to half 6 I could at least make it some of the time.

 Do most runners not have jobs? or have you just been doing it that long you've figures out how to fit it all in?

TNH wrote (see)

I wanted to joint a running club, both for the social side and to get some much needed advice.  The problem is that the only club near me meets at 6:15, and theres no way I would make it in time.  I don't get home from work until then and it's at least 10 minutes away by car (in the other direction).  If they could just change it to half 6 I could at least make it some of the time.

 Do most runners not have jobs? or have you just been doing it that long you've figures out how to fit it all in?

clubs most definately do not make more money out of unaffiliated runners!!!
that extra money gets sent to whoever gives the race it's permit
the money is for insurance, if this was not paid the organisers would be paying out thousands to put on a race, i know because i help organise a race and we were quoted something like £3000, fortunately the TRA pick up the tab beause we are all members

why else did you think unaffiliated runners paid more???
and those of us who do belong to affiliated clubs pay membership fees which insures us through our clubs..

i think some people just prefer to run on their own and train as and when they want to, different strokes for different folks.  i like belonging to a club because i like the extra support you get when you race.

and

if you look at different types of races you will find different proportions are affiliated and unaffiliated
the race i organise is a 30 miler with a small entry - only 80 - and almost everyone belongs to a club
a relay runs alongside it and again, that is almost 100% club members

I've spent a year back at my club, afetr many years off being away from it

but, i've finshed again, as i'm that busy i just cannot get to it

my wife when well enough has college on club nights, and as far as i'm concerend my wife's enjoyment at college far out weighy my club run

plus when training , which isn't great now a days, i enjoy being on my own, go out when wish etc , and sometimes this way i can still get a training run in on Wednesday after wife's gone to colloge, but finshed a lot earlier than the club does

Plus, i'm not a socialiser anyway, i don't use the bar afte and i like to shower and change at home on my own in priveacy

so, i'm apart for Road runners club, unaffliated

and were running all year NON stop me and phil

sorry to disagree lurker, but under the new licencing permit scheme, the cost of the permit is dependent on the amount of runners who enter a race, increasing on a sliding scale.

 There is an initial deposit  paid and then once the race has been run, a balance is paid dependent on how many entrants there were, but not disproportianate in favour of the licencing body.

 Once this money has been paid to the licencing body (in my clubs case UK Athletics) any money over and above that amount, gained from unattached runners, is free for the host club to keep and use as funds.

So, the more unattached runners that enter a race, the more money a club  stands to make.

This is a lot fairer system in favour of gaining finances at grass roots level, than the old system of sending all monies from unattached athletes directly to the licencing body

well no-one has told us about that - but it might explain why our club chair is having major problems filling in the forms from the last race we organised.  i don't think she or the rest of us were aware of that.
we are running a race in a few weeks time and we are charging according to the rules as they were

it's not really fairer - the money was to pay for insurance and it was clear that that was what it was for, so now how do we decide what to charge?
i don't actually want to make money out of the unafilliated runners.

just checked
can't believe i had not known about this
our next committee meeting should be interesting!!!!!!!

lurker. wrote (see)

well no-one has told us about that - but it might explain why our club chair is having major problems filling in the forms from the last race we organised.  i don't think she or the rest of us were aware of that.
we are running a race in a few weeks time and we are charging according to the rules as they were

it's not really fairer - the money was to pay for insurance and it was clear that that was what it was for, so now how do we decide what to charge?
i don't actually want to make money out of the unafilliated runners.

Your race organiser should have been informed of this by the local County Licence Officer. I'm surprised they weren't as the application forms spell  this out - or did they use an old version of the form ?

In reality, it doesn't actually affect the way you charge - unattached runners still pay £2 more -  it's just that it's worded slightly differently, ie registered club members get a £2 discount, rather than unattached runners paying a £2 levy.

For the organiser, the new system is generally a lot better, as the fee they pay to UKA usually works out far less than when the full £2 per unattached entrant was paid to UKA. The only exception is when the race has a very low percentage of unattached runners.

The £2 differential is to encourage unattached runners to join a club. However, UKA are aware that many runners are unable or unwilling to join a 'normal' club, which is why they have created the realbuzzrunbritain running club , which allows runners to feel more a part of the sport and also claim the £2 discount.

I'm currently unattached because no local running clubs meet at a time suitable to me and I'm quite happy to train on my own. I'm quite self-motivating.

I do like the idea of joining a club though, it just seems a bit pointless when I'll never attend anything.

Yorkshire Rob wrote (see)

I'm currently unattached because no local running clubs meet at a time suitable to me and I'm quite happy to train on my own. I'm quite self-motivating.

I do like the idea of joining a club though, it just seems a bit pointless when I'll never attend anything.

It isn't compulsory to train with a club on their club nights. Many club runners train at different times of the evening on non-club nights, and you may well find find a clubmate who would be happy to have a new training partner on those nights. Being a member of a club also opens up more racing possibilities (relays, cross-country etc)