The Club had its official birth in June 1982, but the origins stem from September 1981 when the Westcroft Leisure Centre advertised for runners to join a training scheme aimed at the 1982 London Marathon. This group, entitled the ‘Marathon Quest’, attracted about 40 men and women and, at the first meeting in November 1981, a training run of 4 miles was the longest distance that anyone had attempted and left them all feeling rather feeble!
However, 20 runners successfully completed the London Marathon five months later as well as various other races during the training period. At this time Westcroft decided not to continue the group and suggested that they join local clubs. However, they had got used to running together and so 16 of them decided in June 1982 to form a club to be called ‘Sutton Runners’ rather than amalgamate with an established local club.
In February 1983 they affiliated with the Amateur Athletic Association and our club colours of yellow and black began to be seen regularly at local runs from fun-runs to marathons. They had established their objective of providing companionable running at all standards from beginner to accomplished runner, as well as organizing regular social functions.
Until October 1986 the Club met at the Westcroft car park, which was all very well in the summer, but after a long run on a cold winter’s day it was not very easy to stay around to socialise. The Club then moved to Hill House on Bishopsford Road (St Helier Youth Centre) and then from there to Rosehill Pavilion, before moving to our present location at Sutton Arena Leisure Centre. Here we enjoy pre and post run chatter as well as having a board to display Club notices.
Membership has gradually expanded and the Club formula of providing sociable running facilities pitched in the niche between the solo-runner and the true athletics club seems to have hit a popular cord.