Membership

Why join Durham Fell Runners?  If you have already read  “About Us”, you know how and when the Club was formed and how big the Club is. You will also have a broad idea of its composition and range of ages. It can be hard sometimes to keep motivated when running and training alone. The Club offers the company of others of like mind, who enjoy running in a variety of natural environment. You will find  informal runs at the weekend, training nights once a week and organised races.    

The core activity of the Club is the DFR series of races, organised and master-minded by Gerry Hehir, and weekly Thursday evening training, organised by Stuart Ferguson. You will meet other members at these events and talk about our common interest and love of running in the hills. DFR members are also  represented in most of the races in the North East, the Lake District, the North York Moors, the Pennines and beyond. If you see the purple and white vest, approach them and start a conversation!

For those of us who don’t have ambitions for championships but enjoy the hills and running in open country or forest trails, come along to the Training Nights or Club Races as a start. On the other hand, if you enjoy competition, contact Andrew Minister to run as a  team member in a wide range of races. 

Regular training nights are the ideal way of meeting other members socially. There is a wide range of ability at the Thursday Training Nights and we share the aim of maintaining or improving our fitness and running technique. Stuart Ferguson, the Club Coach, and Gerry Hehir devise a variety of ways to keep training interesting and focussed. Training Nights go on all the year round – with head torches when necessary. Running in the dark under clear skies is a wonderful experience.

For Social Evenings or Club Dinners and Prize giving and the date of the AGM, keep an eye on the web site for announcements.

The Fell Runner’s Association offers a wider view of the world of fell running. DFR races are ‘permitted’ and insured by the FRA and many of our members are also FRA members. The FRA Calendar and Handbook is an invaluable source of information,  background and where a wide range of races are being held.. We all feel the responsibility of good behaviour in the hills, of the need to set an example to runners new to fell running. This includes respecting the requirements of race organisers for safety equipment to be carried, as defined by the FRA.

If you want to compete in “partner” events such as the OMM, LAMM or Saunders, there are plenty of enthusiasts in DFR to join with. If you are  interested in biathlons, triathlons or orienteering events, there are DFR members to offer advice.

Our main sponsor, Track and Terrain, offers 10% discount for DFR members, as well as providing vouchers for DFR race winners.

To join us, a membership application form can be downloaded, or use the “Contact Us” section of this web site to be sent one.