Bedford Harriers was formed in 1985 by around a dozen people who got together to organise a road race (The Bedford Marathon). Since then, the club has grown steadily and we now have over 450 members including over 30 qualified coaches. The Harriers are primarily an adult running club with ages ranging from 17 upwards; there is no upper age limit. The male – female split is around 50-50. We meet every Monday and Wednesday evening at 6.30pm and following a combined warm up session which involves the whole club, the members split into around ten groups of varying abilities. These training sessions are typically attended by over 100 members and usually last around 75 minutes. In addition to our coaching and running activities, we also stage a number of road races each year including the Wootton Half Marathon and the Oakley 20 which together races attract over 3000 entrants. Our social side is also important and both the club and the individual groups frequently organise social events of various types.
Your questions answered!
Where can I find you?
We meet at Bedford International Athletic Stadium, Barkers Lane, Bedford
What training do you do?
Our main training nights are Monday and Wednesday evening. Each of our groups has their own training schedule and these displayed on the club’s notice board and published on our website. The training sessions are updated on a monthly basis and structured to prepare for upcoming races.
We also organise track and circuit sessions every Friday evening which all members are welcome to attend. In addition to these club events, many members organise long runs on a Saturday or Sunday as part of their training for the London marathon and other races.
Can I turn up or do I have to join first?
People interested in joining us can come along to the Club on any Monday or Wednesday evening and just join in. We offer one month's free trial and coaching. For those who are new to running we also offer an 'Absolute Beginners Night' in May each year. On this night we provide information about the club, about running in general and the programme of training that the beginners will undertake over the following three months.
I am only looking to train for the Virgin London Marathon, how will I find others to train with?
We always have 20 or so runners in the London Marathon whose pace varies from 2h40m to over 5 hours. You are very welcome to come along and join in with these groups. Our members are a friendly bunch and we will introduce you to people of similar ability and training for the Virgin London Marathon.
