5 FACTS THAT WILL CHANGE HOW YOU THINK ABOUT LONDON CITY RUNNERS…
- londoncityrunners
- Mar 14, 2018
- 2 min read
Updated: Apr 18, 2022
This is a guest post courtesy of Duncan.
Sorry about the Buzzfeed headline, but at least it got you looking! Some of you may remember that last November and December we ran our first ever survey of our members.
We wanted to know more about you so we could think about how to make the club better.
We had just over 100 responders, mostly active runners, and here are some of the things we discovered*…
1. WE LOVE TRAIL RUNS MORE THAN GOING ON HOLIDAY
OK, this one really surprised me. But then I have a deep, deep loathing of Cross Country (almost as deep as the mud).
21% of us wanted international holidays. Or at least international running holidays. That’s pretty good! Sun. Sea. Serious sporting endeavour.
But 32% of us thought we’d like to do trail runs. Mud. That’s all I can think of…. Runners are a weird bunch.
2. You don’t have to be super fast to be a good runner
Although there are many a speedy runner (we’ve all been overtaken on a Tuesday night by someone who is both fast, and inexplicably not showing any effort at all) over 15% of us are running 5Ks in over 30 minutes.
We can be proud that all of us are beating those tourists we shoulder past! And having far more fun than the people running on treadmills in the gyms on the North Bank of the Thames…
3. We’re a club that’s led by women
You have probably noticed this in the Marquis: there are a load of strong women in our club. Over 55% of the respondents to the questionnaire were women, and they led every age group until the over 45s.
From our excellent Couch to 5k group to the great supporters network, and the fantastic volunteers at our intervals sessions, women are key to our success!
Sorry Tim, your time is numbered…
Age vs gender for our club
4. Location, location, location
We come from all over London to run (or in many cases go home to places all over London!). But we also have a wide range of visitors, both from across the UK and internationally.
London is a truly international city, and LCR certainly reflects this…
How far away do you live?
5. Marathoners vs Half-Marathoners
Finally we’ll leave you with an odd one. People who have completed a marathon are considerably** less likely to stay at the Marquis to socialise than those who have only completed a Half-Marathon.
How often do you stay at the Marquis after a session vs Longest distance run
*100 responders is what we in the data trade call “absolutely fine, no question” although if you look at it in much detail that becomes “err, well we wouldn’t want to read too much into it”.
**I fully accept that this might not meet with a p<0.05 interpretation…
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Duncan Ross is Director of Data and Analytics for Times Higher Education. He is also Chair of Trustees of DataKind UK, a charity that supports other charities to do clever data stuff. He has been running with LCR for about three years, and has actually completed an ultra (slowly), although he tries not to mention this more than twice a day. He lives in London during the week, and in Ashby de la Zouch (yes, it’s a real place) at weekends.
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Reading the post really hits home for anyone who’s ever turned up for a run in London with zero plan and somehow ended up doing way more (or less) than expected. That mix of structure and freedom is exactly what makes running groups feel so addictive—you don’t just clock kilometres, you end up discovering the city, people, and your own limits in the process. It’s similar to how students juggle deadlines and learning styles; sometimes you need a bit of guidance to keep things on track, especially when balancing studies with fitness or work. I’ve even noticed people relying on services like a Java Assignment Writing Service when they’re overloaded, just to stay organised while still making time for things…
What a brilliant read — and honestly, the trail runs stat had me laughing because it's so true! There's something about swapping a sun lounger for muddy trails that just makes sense once you're properly bitten by the running bug. The point about not needing to be super fast really resonates too — so many people hold back from joining a running club because they think they're "not fast enough," when in reality, the community is what keeps you coming back, not your pace. And the women-led angle is genuinely refreshing to see celebrated rather than just quietly acknowledged. It's a bit like when you're studying or working on a big project and you finally find the Best Assignment Help…
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It is amazing to learn how this club grew from just a few people to such a massive community with its own clubhouse. I remember when I first moved to the city and felt so isolated until I found a local group to join. Back then, I was under so much pressure that I even considered whether to buy PhD thesis online UK just to save time for my hobbies. This post is a great reminder that finding your tribe is what really makes a place feel like home.