A NEW running club is celebrating its first birthday.

Run Sandymoor started with a few friends going out each week and now has more than 400 members.

Founder Carl Stewart, from Sandymoor, said: “I’d previously started running to help lose weight as I had always played football.”

The 44-year-old, who runs an electronic security company, is keen to encourage more people to join.

This community group brings people together to run and have fun.

Fast, slow or somewhere in between, he says all are welcome regardless of where you live.

“We have men, women and very occasionally children above 11,” he said.

“Our runners span all age groups from teenagers right through to people in their late 50s and early 60s.

“We have scheduled runs each week and we have a beginners couch to 5k session plus a Sunday morning group.”

Carl only started running in 2015 and yet he has already completed several half marathons, two full marathons and an ultra marathon of 40 miles.

Club members attend races as a group, ranging from park runs to longer distances.

Carl said: “None of this would have been possible without the support of the group and its members who continually push each other and provide motivation when it may be needed.

“They go out of their way to make newcomers feel welcome.”

Beginners have been amazed by what they can achieve.

“Usually people don’t notice the distance they’ve covered when running with us,” added Carl.

“I’ve heard on more than one occasion new members saying they’ve run their furthest distance on their first fun with us!

“The health benefits are obvious but the social benefits are there too, meeting new people and the chance to run and chat.”

Runners meet at Sandymoor Hall car park at 7pm on Monday and Wednesday, 6.30am on Friday.

The weekly couch to 5k run starts at 8.25am on Sunday, followed by a social run at 9am.

Visit facebook.com/groups.runsandymoor for more details.