Testimonials

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I joined DDRC on a dark cold night in March 2024 as part of the Couch to 5k programme. 

Despite feeling nervous about lacing up my trainers after a long hiatus from running, in only 6 months I have progressed from not being able to run for 60 seconds to learning to love running again, I have met an incredible bunch of people and made some great friends. I now run regularly and have progressed to group 2, I take part in parkruns and have even signed up for a couple of 10k races, none of which would have been possible without the support of the club, its members, its run leaders and its community. 

DDRC is not just a running club. Their commitment to inclusion, community, member safety, championing others when self-doubt starts to creep in, recognising when someone might not be themselves and taking time to ask if they are ok, keeping you going when you are thinking of giving up through to their social and community commitments. All of which are provided free of charge and without judgement  is testament to this club and its members and I am proud to wear my club colours with pride. 

If you are thinking of joining the club, quite simply just do it, come along, it doesn’t matter where you are on your running "journey" - no one gets left behind. I promise it will be a warm welcome and I look forward to saying Hi! 

 I have been a member of the Drighlington dynamos since it started and I have just completed my 100th run with the club. I moved to Drighlington in November 2019 and then lockdown struck. I didn't know anyone in Drig before moving here and obviously lockdown  didn't help that. Once lockdown was lifted I saw a post on Facebook about a new running club that was starting. I have been running for a number of years before moving here and thought this would be great way to meet fellow runners from the area. I had never run with a club or even more than 1 other person before so was a bit apprehensive at first. I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to keep up or feel isolated being new to the village. It took a few weeks to get to know people and feel comfortable but I am so glad I took the step to join up. I have met some great people in the club and its not always about running too (some visits to a pub are planned away from running).

The club is full of all abilities at running/walking level and you never feel like your slowing people down or anything. It's a great bunch of people who make everyone feel welcome.

I joined DDRC when the club first started in June 2021. I never thought I would be a runner or part of a running club. Prior to the club being set up, me and my friend Sarah (who is also part of the club), would go running twice a week. Our definition of running was to run a bit, stop at the bottom of a hill and a lot of walking!

We then heard that a running club was being set up and decided to join.  All I can say is, this was the best decision I’ve ever made. We turned up to the first night, there were a lot more people there than I expected and we went into 4 groups, 1 being the easier group and 4 the harder group.    

I started off in group 1, over time I have improved and I now run in group 3. This, is all thanks to the encouragement of the run leaders, making me believe in myself.

I am the fittest I’ve ever been, I never thought I would be able to run 10km, but I do this twice a week and last year completed the Dewsbury and Leeds 10km races.

Joining the club isn’t all about running and your physical health, it’s good for your mental health too. 

DDRC is a very social club, we have many get togethers throughout the year, including award nights. All the members are so friendly and easy to get on with, I’ve made so many new friends. 

I was really pleased when I received my 100th run badge at the end of last year. I was the first female to receive this and the second in the club. These little things are another reason why DDRC, is the best club.

If you’re thinking about joining DDRC do it! You won’t regret it. It doesn’t matter how fast, slow, big or small you are, or if you’re experienced or a beginner, you’ll be made welcome. They also run a C25K group twice a year and there is also a walking group, which is growing week on week.

I truly love being part of this club and the friendships I’ve made. This is down to the run leaders, the committee and the members. I’m so glad I gave it a go. 

Hi all, I joined DDRC on the first evening it met, in June 2021. Initially I went on a couple of walks but found myself looking longingly at all the people running and how happy they looked and thought ‘I wouldn’t mind giving running a try’! The C25K was announced so I put my name down, feeling nervous but excited about a new challenge. I hadn’t run since school but the welcoming support of our run leader and the lovely friends I met whilst doing the C25K was all I needed, and I found a newfound ‘love’ for running! I graduated in June 2022 so to keep motivated I signed up for Morley 10k in October. This was a huge challenge but one of the best days ever, the whole club was out supporting one another, and the atmosphere was incredible.  Abbey Dash followed soon after Morley and was another amazing day. As newbies, the run leaders ran with us on these runs which says a lot about them and how much they care. Dewsbury 10k in February 2023 was the next challenge which kept me motivated over the Christmas period and the cold nights in January! Dewsbury was fantastic and I knocked 8 minutes off my Abbey Dash time which is testament to the training and the challenges the run leaders provide to keep us improving. If you are thinking about joining a running club I cannot recommend DDRC enough, it is friendly, caring, and has its members at its heart, as well as being incredibly supportive of the local community. Everyone starts somewhere and no one is left behind – an added bonus is that Dynamos certainly know how to party!
Thanks for reading x