Junior Section (Ages 8+)

We are an inclusive training group committed to providing a welcoming environment. Our junior group provides a fun, positive environment for athletes to develop a lifelong love of running and achieve their full potential.

We want to take you on a journey where you enjoy your running, develop and become a happy and successful senior runner potentially. There are five age categories for Junior athletes:

• Under 11
• Under 13
• Under 15
• Under 17
• Under 20

After age 20, athletes are categorised as Senior and train with our adult groups (see here)

Seasons

Our training and competitive focus varies by season:

• Winter – Cross-country – We race in the local cross-country leagues and The Hampshire, Southern and National Cross Country Championships.  Our athletes also compete for their school in the local, county level and National Schools Cross Country Championships.
• Summer – Track and road racing – We compete in open meets both locally and further afield, including British Miler Club races, the Hampshire Championships on the track and Southern and National road relays. Our athletes also compete for their schools on the track in the 800m, 1500m and 3000m races.

Training

We train on grass all year round on the beautiful Winchester College fields, which are very safe and well-maintained. Training on grass has many positive benefits, including being really good for young legs and young athlete development, as it reduces the risk of injury. Additional track sessions are planned as and when required in the spring and summer. We sometimes use other loops and routes in Winchester to train on hills or pathways in preparation for different racing events. Our weekly schedule is:

• Tuesday – 5:45 – 7:00 pm at Gaterfield, Garnier Road  – Focusing on repitition and speed work
• Thuesday – 5:45 – 7:00 pm at Gaterfield, Garnier Road – Focusing on threshold pace and endurance
• Saturdays (not all)—Time and location vary – Hill, track or event-specific training as required. 

Training is led by our experienced coaches, Nick Anderson and Andy Parkinson, and supported by our Assistant Coaches, James Bailey and Ken Holt. You can read more about their experience and background here.

If you or your child are interested in joining, we recommend you come to one of our training sessions above so you can meet other athletes and their parents and get a feel for the club.  

So that we can ensure that someone is looking out for you, please email membership@winchesterrunningclub.org.uk to let us know which session(s) you plan to attend. We will then let you know what to bring and ensure someone there is looking out for you.

If, after a few sessions, you want to join the club or compete in club events, you will need to complete our registration process and pay an annual membership fee, which includes affiliation to England Athletics. You can learn more about the benefits of membership and the fees here.