Wednesday 18 November 2009

Should we have a Sunday run?

sunday run

The Sunday run doesn't appear to be popular with members but I'm constantly getting requests from prospective members who want to take part in the ride. So much so that 5 non members turned up last Sunday with no-one from the club participating.

We promote the ride on the website but if none or few members attend then is it worth doing so? Should the format be changed? Or is there simply not the demand for a regular Sunday run?

I need to be able to advise prospective members whether or not it is worth making the effort to turn up on a Sunday.

Let me know if you want the club to promote the ride or have any constructive views on how it can be improved or even better, why not go along for a lovely 'Social' ride.

All the details on our website: www.westlothianclarion.co.uk/clubruns

email: secretery[AT]westlothianclarion.co.uk

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was one of the five, but I know in the past when I have appeared no-one else has shown up for a Sunday.
Because it's a social cycle I think the website attracts the not so serious and it would be a shame to lose it.
Perhaps an e-mail each week to ensure at least one or two members show up ?

Steve

Anonymous said...

Its good to be able to head down and see if anyone else is up for a ride on a Sunday especially as folk can't always get out on the Saturday ride. However, I understand the problem if a new rider turns up and nobody else is there.

Do we know if those who head out on the Sunday ride more often than others keep any eye on the Forum/Blog? If not then maybe we need to find a way of including them in the conversation before a decision is made - maybe the reason why there has been little response to the question as of yet.

Mike

Matthew Ball said...

Hi Mike

I have emailed every member about the Sunday runs and you are the first member to respond.

There is no reason why people can't still turn up at the Cross informally but without a commitment from the membership to ride the Sunday runs or anyone to champion them it makes it very difficult for me to promote the rides on the website.

If new riders make the effort to turn up there is an expectation that club members will be there to accompany them on a ride.

At the moment there is no consistency, which is key for a run to succeed. I can't guarantee at least one member will turn up, so unless I see some enthusiasm for the runs form the membership or ideas on how they can be improved I will have no alternative but to stop promoting them on the site.

Ideally a Clarionista or group of Clarionistas would offer to champion the Sunday run and make sure someone is always present at the meet point, in the way Neil Greer has done rather successfully with the East Calder Saturday ride.

We may have simply organised one too many rides for a young club like ours. And at a later date if there is more enthusiasm we can restart the 'official' run again

Obviously if I hear different from the membership I will be quite happy to promote the Sunday ride.

No decision has been made yet.