ECFC running club celebrates 10K success

Seven members of Exeter City FC’s running club are celebrating after completing their first event as a team. All the runners - some of whom have only been running a few months - completed the AgeUK Wrap Up and Run 10K race, which started in Princesshay and finished on the Quay on Sunday, in under 70 minutes, which surprised one member, Bernadette Coates.

“I was hoping for about 75 minutes,” she said. “It was great - much better than I expected. I first joined because it had been about 18 months since I had done any jogging or running and I wanted to get back into some structure and disciplined exercise,” said Bernadette, 40, an Exeter City FC fan who is also a member of the club’s Supporters’ Trust board.

“I have a desk-based job and wanted to get out and about a bit more and lose some weight and gain some fitness. It could have been very intimidating turning up that first time with a group of strangers, but everyone was very honest about their goals and we all became very supportive of each other very quickly. It’s been a good social group, too.

“I find it very challenging, but Jamie Town and Jamie Vittles, who run the club, are very understanding that we are all at different levels. They encourage us to push ourselves and to keep on improving and they have been very supportive in our quest to run a 10K. So we will see where the next challenge takes us.”

The running group, which is run by the club’s Football in the Community Trust, meets every Thursday at St James Park at 6.30pm and new members are always welcome, no matter what their level of running ability.

“I was delighted for all the club members that the run went so well,” said Jamie Vittles, who also took part in the event. “We only had one person who was unable to run because of illness, but it was great to see everyone coming over the finish line smiling.

“They are a great advert for how commitment to regular exercise can really make a huge difference to your health and fitness levels in a relatively short period of time.”

For more information and to enrol in the club, contact Jamie Vittles on 01392 255611, email jamie.vittles@exetercityfc.co.uk