Frequently Asked
Questions
CONTENTS
When/where do you run?
Our club's main activities are our social runs on Thursday and Saturday. The Thursday evening run sets off from Sugden Sports Centre, and takes in one of two urban routes (depending on the season).
The Saturday morning run sets off from near the car park outside Trafford AC's track in Longford Park near Chorlton, and takes in a mixed road/trail route down by the River Mersey.
We also have a Tuesday track session focusing on interval training for races at Manchester Regional Arena near the Ethiad Stadium. Please see the respective run pages on our website for more details.
Are there changing facilities and lockers I can use?
For our Tuesday track sessions, lockers and changing rooms are available within the Manchester Regional Arena. Please bring a pound coin for lockers.
For our Thursday run, lockers and changing rooms are available at Sugden Sports Centre for a small card-only fee of £2. Please bring a pound coin or a small padlock for lockers.
For our Saturday run, we may not always have access to lockers and showers at the track at Longford Park (particularly in winter), so we would advise you to turn up ready to run. However, at least one person will normally come by car, and we often use their boot to store things.
Are the changing facilities trans/NB-friendly?
As an LGBTQ+ running club, we want all our members to be able to access the mental and physical benefits of running, no matter what their sexuality or gender identity.
The sports centres where our runs are based have changing rooms that are gendered male and female. We understand that this may not be ideal, but they do support trans and non-binary people using whichever changing rooms that they feel most comfortable with.
There are disabled shower cubicles in the changing rooms at the Sugden Sports Centre and Longford Park track that offer some more privacy if needed.
How do I join?
We recommend that you try a few of our Thursday or Saturday sessions before officially joining us to see if we’re the right club for you. For more information on how to join our running club in Manchester, head to our New Runners page.
Can I just turn up to one of your runs?
If you’ve never been with us before, please email our co-chairs (co-chairs@manchesterfrontrunners.org) so that we can add you to our attendance and registration app Spond. Once you have Spond, you’ll get reoccurring invitations to our runs.
What should I wear?
We recommend that you wear running trainers plus any suitable running or fitness attire of your choice, bearing in mind factors such as the weather. We also strongly advise you to wear some sort of high-visibility clothing (e.g., neon running top, items with reflective elements) on our Thursday evening routes during the autumn/winter months, as it will improve your safety in the dark.
Where can I get club-branded kit?
Upon officially joining Manchester Frontrunners, you will receive a complimentary unisex running vest. We also have a range of additional items for members to purchase; please see the page on club kit for more details.
I don’t think I’m a very fast runner. Can I still join?
Absolutely! We have a varied membership who run at a wide array of paces and distances. Furthermore, on your first few runs with us, you will be paired up with a buddy (an existing club member), who will run at your chosen pace and distance (between 5 and 10 km). If you are familiar with the route but still want a buddy to run with you, ask the run leader to see if they can run with you or pair you off with a buddy.
I’m new to running and/or want to start running. Can I join?
All we ask is that you can run at least 5 km continuously. If you want to start running, we recommend undertaking a “Couch to 5K” programme. We run in the autumn ourselves, but outside of this time, we can recommend some free apps to get you running up to 5 km and beyond, from the NHS’ own app to the wacky “Zombies, Run!” that adds a creative, videogame-type aspect to training.
I can’t come all the time. Can I still join?
Many of our members can only commit to running with us on certain days of the week, and some can only occasionally attend due to other commitments. Please do not feel that you can’t join the club simply because you can’t commit to certain runs or to coming every single week.
Do you put on any social events?
There is definitely a social side to the club. We go for complimentary pizza at Via on Canal Street after our Thursday run, and we frequently go for brunch in Chorlton after our Saturday runs. There is no obligation for you to have run beforehand to attend these, though do let us know via the Spond events if you plan on joining us (for Saturdays in particular, let us know before Friday lunchtime).
We also frequently host other socials, particularly after local races that many members will have been involved in (e.g., Great Manchester Run, Manchester Marathon). However, there is no obligation for you to have run in these races to attend these social events. You can read more about all the different social events at our LGBTQ+ running club in Manchester here.
I'm a social runner who doesn't like races. Is this the right club for me?
The ultimate purpose of any running club is to enjoy the sport among like-minded people. While many of us at Manchester Frontrunners enjoy taking part in races,, you shouldn't feel pressured into doing so if you don't want to.
Moreover, our core Thursday and Saturday runs are essentially social runs where you can chat and run at the same time. Equally, some members go to our harder Tuesday track sessions not as training for any races but as a different type of workout.
Is this club only for LGBTQ+ people?
We welcome any members regardless of their sexuality or gender identity, so long as they respect this core ethos. As one of our aims to encourage and promote running among LGBTQ+ people, most of our members ultimately identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community in Manchester, though we do have some members who are straight allies.