The Peterborough running club formed to help a journalist produce a magazine!

All this changed in the early 1980s as when Peterborugh expanded the local running scene took off.

Werrington Joggers were one of several clubs formed to serve the new communities, and they have been thriving ever since.

The club was founded in unusual circumstances. In 1984 locally-based publishers EMAP decided to launch a new monthly magazine designed to cater for the huge number of people who were taking up running in what was a boom period for the sport.

EMAP asked Peterborough based journalist Alan Haines to help produce the first edition and he decided the best way to launch the magazine would be to base it on a running club.

Without a suitable club he formed one himself, and Werrington Joggers were born.

The first meeting was attended by seven people, but numbers quickly grew.

The club were founder members of the Today’s Runner League, which later became the hugely popular Frostbite Friendly League.

Werrington won the senior league five times in the early years and have finished in the top three on numerous other occasions. Their juniors have also been consistent performers.

Werrington have also enjoyed plenty of success in The Cambridgeshire Road League, winning the men’s team title three times and the ladies title on six occasions.

They have also experienced individual success in the league with Michael Moore taking the senior men’s trophy in 2011 and 2013, following triumphs for John Herbert in 2010 and Paul Halford in 2009. Yvonne Scarrott won the ladies title in 2007.

Halford has been a loyal Werrington member for many years and at one stage was probably the fastest ‘jogger’ in the country.

Halford’s greatest achievement to date came at the Virgin London Marathon in 2013. His time of 2:28.03 saw him become the Welsh Marathon Champion as he finished in 33rd position.

Since their formation Werrington Joggers have only had two chairmen, Haines from 1984 to 1999, and Tim Cook since then.

“With a membership of over 250 the future is looking rosy” said Cook.

“ Within the junior ranks we have Olivia and Erin Walker, who’s grandfather Graham Walker graced the Peterborough running scene for many years with Nene Valley.

They are both showing great promise as is Holly Crosby who has recently moved from the junior frostbite team to the senior.”

Werrington are looking forward to the eventual return of racing, but they have made the most of the current situation.

Chairman Cook explained: “The recent lockdown has made us, like everyone else, reconsider what we do.

“Roz Hamlyn, one of our senior coaches, has been suggesting training ideas via Facebook. We have been running our regular summer handicap series virtually and had 25 runners take part in the recent virtual Green Wheel Relay.”

*More on the star Werrington runners to follow.

*Membership enquiries can be made to club secretary Sue Merritt at [email protected].

The club website is werringtonjoggers.co.uk.