Norristown Running Club Gains Momentum

The Runners of Norristown/Norriton Area Club has been around for a few years, but it has largely been a loosely organized group.

That changed on Wednesday, when the club held its first public group run at the Norristown Farm Park.

The club plans to meet regularly on Wednesday nights from now on at parking lot number 3 at the end of Upper Farm Road.

Club co-founder Rich Rogers said that the starting distance is 5 miles, but that different groups will go different distances depending on the experience of the runners that show up.

Rogers also noted the mission of the club:

To support, promote, and instill love for running, fitness, nutrition and healthy productive lifestyles, in a safe, supportive, encouraging, informative, cooperative environment for the benefit of group members and social/charitable organizations working for change and betterment of the human condition.

Another goal of the club is to give runners an opportunity to engage with other members of the community and to make their Wednesday run a social event, rather than having to run alone.

Rogers is a long time member and chairman of the Ambler Area Running Club and said that his experience with that club inspired him to launch a “sister organization” in his hometown of Norristown.

The club is part of the Road Runners Club of America.

Although the road running scene is fledgling and just beginning to take off in Norristown, there is no shortage of running culture for the area.

Norristown Area High School is a perennial contender in track and field. Their girls 4x100 placed sixth in the Penn Relays Championship of America final this past spring.

Both the Farm Park and the Schuylkill River Trail, meanwhile, offer safe and scenic running routes of any distance.

And while there are no running specialty stores in Norristown, Phoenixville’s All Kinds of Fast, the North Wales Running Company, and Collegeville’s Valley Forge Running Company are close by.

The goals of the Norristown club are elucidated more extensively on their website:

• Develop and operate weekly Run Run schedule with Fun Run leaders.
• Adopt ByLaws and Form a non-profit group under the blanket of Road Runners Clubs of America (RRCA).
• Form a functional Board of Directors and elect officers.
• Produce our own RUNNORR road races to raise money for Board selected charitable organizations and RUNNORR’s operation.
• Function as positive contributors to greater Norristown/Norriton area.
• Meet great new friends and support and grow the running community.
• Develop worthwhile and enjoyable activities for members that support the mission of RUNNORR.

Training programs, local race schedules, and other running information for the Norristown area is available on their website.