About us

How it all started

In February 1986 Mark Beresford and Dave Whelan met with their old Scout Master Mr R G Walker to discuss starting a running club in the locality.  It was decided to have a meeting on 12th February at Mr Walker’s home.  There were 12 people present and ‘Caergybi Striders’ was formed with Raymond (Digger) Walker as Chairman and Margaret Beresford as Secretary.  During this meeting it was decided to join the AAA and a constitution was drafted. Annual adult fees were set at £3.

On 27th February 1986 a general meeting was held in the Town Hall with 9 committee members and 33 others present.  The Club name ws changed to ‘CYBI STRIDERS’ and Maarssen, Mill Road would be the headquarters, by March there were social events, races, club vests and membership of the AAA all being organised.

On 1st March 1987 (St David’s Day) the first Cybi Striders race (over 10 miles) was organised, also in 1987 11 club members were accepted in the London Marathon and Junior members were admitted.  The first Annual General Meeting was held on 23rd March in Holyhead Town Hall.  This was an exciting and busy era in the young club’s history.

Keith Williams of Holyhead was a keen and popular committee member, unfortunately Keith died whilst running the Snowdonia marathon in October 1987 leaving a young family.  The club’s10 mile road race was re-named ‘The Keith Williams 10 mile road race – Holyhead” in his memory.

 

By 1989 there were 53 adults and 65 juniors in the Club.  During these early years many races were organised including fundraising events for local charities.  In 1996 it was decided to change the club colours from grey with a white hoop to the blue and white that we still have today.

From 1997 onwards interest in the Club waned and some races had to be cancelled, only 11 members attended the 1998 AGM.

Under threat of closing the Club down the 2007 AGM generated more interest and the ending of the Club was considered and rejected.  During this meeting Margaret Beresford and Trevor Selby stood down after 21 and 18 years service respectively, their work over the years is much appreciated.

The new Committee, under the guidance of John Lyon, energetically and enthusiastically set out to attract new and old members and slowly numbers grew until now the membership averages out each year at 100.  We have a FACEBOOK page and a new website at cybistriders.co.uk The new logo features a map of both the Isle of Anglesey and Holy Island to illustrate the growth of the Club throughout the County and not in Holyhead only.

FAQs

Membership

How do I become a member?

To become a member of Cybi Striders running club you must fill out a simple online please click here

How much does it cost to become a member?

£35 from April to March

Does membership include Welsh Athletics Affiliation?

Yes. Being affiliated gives you good discounts off most races. If you enter 8 or more races a year then it is probably worth being affiliated because the cost will be paid off from the discount given on the races you enter. 

Do I have to become a member to run with you? No. Anyone and everyone is welcome to run with us, whether a member or not. It would be nice to have more members and there are benefits of being an affiliated runner, however, no one will ever put pressure upon you to become a member of Cybi Striders.

NB. If your membership has expired then you must enter any races as UNAFFILIATED. The Welsh Athletics Affiliation are really strict with persons falsely claiming to be affiliated to get entry fee’s at a cheaper race.

Training

What distance is covered on a training run?

Between 4-6 miles on a Wednesday night. We split into different groups to cater for all abilities. Slightly longer on Sunday morning social runs however, we welcome beginners who can cover 3 miles – there is always someone to train with.
All runs are posted on Spond and social media  showing distances and other information

Should I wait until I am fit enough before coming along to training?

We have plenty of beginners (and occasionally members recovering from an injury) and a group is always available for those that are still finding their fitness. However we do suggest that you do some running before you come if possible and it is recommended to get your doctors approval before starting an activity like running.

What day does the club meet?

During the winter when the sun sets early, there are three locations the club meets for training which alternate in turn each week. Morrisons car park in Holyhead, Pet Place in Llangefni and Ysgol David Hughes Menai Bridge all at 6:30pm. In spring when the clocks go forward and it is lighter in the evenings, we add in other locations. All runs are posted on Spond and social media.

If you are on Facebook, Cybi Striders page gives regular updates where and when the club are meeting up next.

Sunday training is usually determined on the Wednesday run.

Are the club night runs really fast and do you leave people behind? The club has many members and so has a wide range of different running paces. There will always be someone willing to go running at your pace. We never leave any runner alone that is new to the club or is unfamiliar with our training routes.

Do I have to attend every training run? Not at all! You can come when you can make it and if you feel like it, there is no pressure to attend every week.

Club Merchandise

Do I have to get club running kit? If you decide to become a member we would like you to be proud enough of the club to wear the club kit but it is your choice whether to purchase or not. If you are hoping to enter races many say club vests must be worn if in an affiliated club.

General

If I am injured can I swop my race number with someone else? This is not recommended unless you contact the race organisers first. In a small race it could just be a simple phone call and a switch of names, but in big events they may have very strict rules about number swopping and could result in the people involved being banned from WA (and affiliated clubs) for 12 months. Some big races will have transfer windows about a month before the race, some will offer automatic entry into the following years race if you cannot run this one.

Racing

I am unable to compete in an upcoming race, what do I do with my race number? Some races allow competitors to swap numbers so long as the organisers are informed. Number swapping is otherwise strictly not permitted as it undermines not only the accurate recording of results and prizes but, in the case of a medical emergency, presents major issues for the treatment and (contacting next of kin) of a misidentified runner. Race organisers are taking an increasingly firm line in this area.

If in doubt, contact the race director as soon as possible.

The Club Constitution

As a Welsh Athletics affiliated Club, Cybi Striders has a formal Club Constitution, a link for which can be found below. This was adopted by the Club Chairman and Club Secretary at the Annual General Meeting at the Iorweth Arms, Bryngwran on the 13th April 2018.

Cybi Striders Club Constitution

Cybi Striders Club Rules

Constitution Rules shall always take precedence over Club Rules wherever there are any disputes or confusion. The committee will decide any issues. These club rules can only be altered or amended by the Committee or at an AGM

  1. Any member(s) bringing the club into disrepute, whether verbally, in written form or via social media will be subject to disciplinary action as per the Constitution (paragraph 12).
  1. Any member undertaking club business, for example attending the Borders League AGM, will be eligible for expenses as decided by the Committee at the time. No one will receive funding if they are in receipt of payment from other source, for example Welsh Athletics. Receipts for expenses should be presented to the Treasurer before payment is given, unless pre-agreed with the Treasurer.
  1. Administration rights to the club’s social media accounts will only be granted to a limited number of committee members (not ordinary club members), and will follow Welsh Athletics guidance on administrating the content. 2 factor authentication will be used where possible.
    Anyone leaving the Committee will have these rights removed.
  1. Club Kit – All club members are encouraged to wear club kit at all events wherever practical. Club kit must be worn at North Wales Cross Country League races and Borders League races.
  1. The club’s London Marathon place
    To apply for the club’s allocated place members must have:
    1. Applied for the ballot and not got a place in the marathon. Evidence must be provided of unsuccessful application.
    2. Been full members of the club for at least 12 months.
    3. Not had the club’s allocated place in previous years.
    4. All eligible members’ names will be placed into a draw
    5. If no members fit criteria 1-3 then rule 3 can be removed and all eligible members entered into the draw.
    6. If no members fit criteria 1 and 3 then all full members that have been in the club for at least 12 months may be entered into the draw at their request.
    7. Club kit must also be worn by the member that is given the club’s London Marathon place.
  1. The Club Championship will be held annually. The format will be agreed prior to its commencement. Trophies will be awarded at the Christmas Party/Presentation Night.