leyton.org

Update - 23/June/08 - Things continue to progress, right now I’m really hoping to get a few other keen runners together to help get things started. If you’re interested, drop me a note, post a comment here, or Join the new Google Group (link). There’s also a topic on fetcheveryone (link). Or call. 07788 674494.

I’m currently trying to build support for Glasgow to get it’s own regular, fun, free, sociable 5k time trial in the UKTT model that’s been such a success down south. If you’re a runner, you may already be familiar with the Bushy Park Time Trial, Richmond Park Time Trial and the follow-on events that have been growing over the last year or two. You can find out more about each them at the UKTT website.

The time trials are a series of small, friendly, weekly running events. Athletes of all abilities are encouraged - from beginners through to Olympians, and from juniors through to pensioners. You can never be too slow, but you can also never be too quick! It uses the same course every week, and encourages a friendly level of competition. In short it offers the athletes the opportunity to track progress over weeks, months, seasons and years.

It is also free, a huge amount of fun, and run by volunteers using a very simple system. I’ve run in a couple of the events myself when I’ve been down in London (See my BPTT and RPTT posts for more). From a total of 12 runners on the first event, the original Busy Park Time Trial is now regularly featuring several hundred participants. There are also new time trials in London, Leeds, and Brighton.

Runner’s World magazine also recently featured a special article on the phenomena here, and they’re spreading. Perhaps even to Glasgow, with your help.

What’s also special about the events is the atmosphere: Largely because it is run by volunteers (often runners who’re racing later in the day, or are taking it easy, or perhaps have an injury, and want to stay involved), and uses a simple system which keeps stress and organisation overheads to a minimum. Plus that it builds a community of like-minded people, across clubs, running groups, and people involved in sports. It appeals to runners, and encourages people into exercise. As well as the running, there’s always coffee and cake at a nearby cafe afterwards!

So what about Glasgow then?

I approached the UK Time Trial people last year to find out if there had been any enquires or developments about one starting up in Glasgow. I had thought it was rather inevitable, but, well, turns out I was the first to ask. So I’ve started to work on it. I’ve now approached Glasgow Culture and Sports via my very helpful local councillor. Surprisingly, certainly for a cynic like me, the Culture and Sports people have come back to me with some very positive noises, and have got in touch with UKTT themselves: In short, they’re taking it seriously.

So it’s still under discussion there. It’s no done deal. So I’m now hoping the running community in Glasgow could lend a hand and help make it a reality.

All I’d like to do is ask you if you let me know if they think the idea is a good one, and whether you’d be interested in supporting it in some way, from taking part, coming along to cheer people, or even to help volunteer in the first few weeks.

Certainly the more people - runners and non-runners alike - from the Glasgow region that express an interest, the more likely it is to happen.

Pop your details in a comment below, or drop an e-mail to me: richard@LEYTON.ORG - I’ll keep you posted on developments.

Also please feel free to mention it at any running club or group you may belong to. I’ll hopefully be getting in touch with many of them myself quite soon, but it’d be better coming from club members. Feel free to print this post out, or mention it. It can be easily found: Just tell people to type “Glasgow Time Trial” into Google!

Update

I’ve setup a Google Group for anybody interested in staying informed:

Glasgow Time Trial

Visit this group