2026 Member Survey: What You Told Us
A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our recent member survey. Your feedback is incredibly valuable in helping the committee shape the future of Alton Runners.
We are thrilled to share a high-level summary of what you love about the club, alongside some exciting new training additions that have been launched as a direct response to your suggestions!
The Big Headlines
1. It’s All About the People
The single biggest highlight across the board was our community. You overwhelmingly told us that the best thing about being an Alton Runner is the friendships, the welcoming atmosphere, and the encouragement you receive from fellow members. Whether you are running at the front of the pack or just starting out, you feel included and proud to wear the club vest.
2. Love for Our Leaders
There was fantastic praise for our coaching team and run leaders. You highly value the structure and variety of our Tuesday and Thursday sessions, with many noting a real improvement in their fitness, pace, and running confidence since joining.
You Listened, We Acted: New Sessions Added!
You gave us some brilliant food for thought regarding how we can improve, particularly around session variety, timings, and supporting different running goals.
Jenny, our Coaching Coordinator, recently announced that the coaching team has already listened and added several new regular sessions to the schedule:
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Daytime, Trail & Long Runs: You will have already seen that Vanessa Kellie has answered the call for daytime, trail, and long slow runs with her brilliant Wednesday runs.
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Thursday Evening Long Slow Run: Pippa has added a monthly long slow run on a Thursday evening for those who want to go a bit further but are unable to cover the distance within the time constraints of the usual hour-ish Thursday sessions. If this is supported, it could become a regular addition throughout the summer months!
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Mileage Boosters: Fran has brought back her popular mileage booster sessions, designed to get you back to running confidently with a view to joining the regular Thursday groups.
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Thursday Walking Group: For those who are unable to run or just want to get out for some exercise, fresh air, and good company, we have introduced a 3-mile walking group on Thursdays.
Looking to the Future: Your Creative Ideas
Beyond the training schedule, you shared some fantastic "wildcard" ideas for if you were in charge for a day. Suggestions ranged from launching a summer Club Handicap Series and team treasure hunts to organising junior running sessions and social "away days".
The committee is currently reviewing these in detail to see how we can bring more of your ideas to life over the coming months.
Help Spread the Load: Join the Coaching Team!
We are only able to offer these amazing new sessions because of our incredible team of leaders and coaches who give up their time to plan and lead them.
To keep this momentum going and bring even more variety to the club, we would love to welcome some new members to the coaching team to help spread the load. If you would like to join the team and feel able to dedicate some time to leading a couple of sessions a month, please DM Jenny directly for more information.
As one member beautifully put it in the survey: "Thank you for all your hard work, it's a great club to be part of."
See you at training!
Happy running
The Alton Runners Committee