Birmingham Swifts Running Club

I was once in the Fetch Everyone Running Club to get reduced entry fees (England Athletics affiliates save two quid on race fees).  When I stopped racing after the Ridgeway Challenge, this seemed pointless (although I almost stayed in because friends in the Hash House Harriers always referred to it as Feltch Everyone).

There are several running clubs in town but none especially convenient to get to for midweek training/social runs.  I started looking for one a little more seriously this month ahead of the impending (and, to be cautious, only still likely) move out to West Bromwich but even the so-called “West Bromwich” (and not “Walsall”) Harriers do their runs at a permanent location in Walsall … good if you are a driver but not so much on public transport from work in south Birmingham then home after.

The Birmingham Swifts turned out (or perhaps “came out” is more appropriate) to be as good as I could hope for.  The Thursday runs start a mere 2½ mile jog from the lab (with some pubs to explore beforehand nearby) and are a direct bus ride home (now) and a direct tram ride home (post-move).

Plus, they go to the bar after the Thursday run.  I think I might fit in.  However, I expected more innuendo from this group than once during the stretches (“reach up…breathe…and bend over”) and the other time at the beer garden regarding the sandwiches as I selected a cheese. and tomato after the last burger was gone (“oh…you missed out on the meat”).