Senior Athletes
Training times: 6:45 PM to 8:00 PM (Tuesday and Thursday)
We welcome senior athletes of all ages from 16 upwards, whether you’re an experienced runner or a beginner, regardless of your pace. We currently have three groups which run at different speeds.
Our club offers more than just training; you’ll find friendship, encouragement, and plenty of motivation. As a member, you’ll be automatically registered with England Athletics, which provides benefits such as reduced entry fees for races. For relay races and cross country, the club covers all costs so you can compete against other local runners for free.
If you fancy giving cross country a go, you’ll take part in the highly popular Start Fitness North Eastern Harrier League —get ready to embrace the mud!
To foster friendly competition and give you goals to strive for, we host an annual Cross Country Grand Prix and Road Running Grand Prix. We also have a Club Handicap series on the first Tuesday of every month to keep you motivated. Links to current standings for all competitions can be found on the Downloads page.
Junior Athletes
Training times: 6.00 PM to 7:00 PM (Monday) and 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM (Thursday)
Our junior athletes participate in a wide range of track & field events – running, jumping and throwing – where they learn new skills and have fun amidst healthy, friendly and respectful competition. Coaches emphasise the importance, to every youngster, of achieving their ‘personal best’.
In spring and summer, older athletes compete on the track in the North East Youth Development League (NEYDL), the North East Grand Prix (NEGP) series, North Eastern championships and various open competitions. Autumn and winter brings cross-country in the North Eastern Harrier League (NEHL). Under-11s (U11) meanwhile, compete separately in competitions hosted by North of Tyne Athletics Network (NOTAN) during spring and summer.
The Durham Association of Boys & Girls Clubs (DABGC) also organises athletics and cross-country events – at Middlesbrough and Birtley – as well as activity adventure days, go-karting and first-aid courses. County Durham Athletics Network (CDAN) provides track & field competition in spring and summer at Shildon and Maiden Castle.
We also participate in sports hall athletics: U11’s compete at Sedgefield while U13 and U15 competitions are held at North Durham Academy (NDA) in Stanley. Athletes are able to gain selection to represent County Durham in regional finals from where several DAC athletes have gone on to compete at the UK national final in Manchester – we’ve even had a national champion!
Ability Group
Training times: 6:30 PM to 7:30 PM (Tuesday)
Our Ability Group is dedicated to children and young adults who are neurodivergent or have physical and/or learning disabilities.
We teach a range of athletic skills, including running, jumping, and throwing activities. Most of our sessions are held in the sports hall, but during the summer, we take advantage of the good weather to use the school field.
This group provides an excellent opportunity for young people to stay active and make new friends. Our coach, a qualified physiotherapist, understands and caters to the unique physical needs of our athletes. We organise in-club competitions to motivate our athletes, helping them reach their goals and celebrating their achievements. Additionally, we can guide interested athletes to external competitions.
Parents are encouraged to stay during sessions to watch, as well as chat and connect with other parents.
If you would like more information or wish to speak to our coach, please get in touch.
