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Early Bird Run Crew celebrates fifth birthday

Monday, 20 May 2024 07:27

The Early Bird Run Crew in Harrogate.

A popular running club started in Harrogate is celebrating its fifth birthday.

The Early Bird Run Crew was launched by Ben Dave in 2019 as a way to benefit the physical and mental wellbeing of members.

The community group set off from Harrogate's cenotaph every weekday morning at 6am.

The group follow various 5km routes, with a second group then setting off at 6:30am.

Founder Ben Dave said:

"Half a decade of running! I’ve figured out that by running twice a day for five years, we’ve run 13,000km, which takes us nearly to Australia!

“It’s a running crew run by its members, for its members, for the benefit of everyone’s bodies and their noggins too."

Early Bird Run Crew now has more than 1,400 members on Facebook.

When asked if he could see the group being as successful as it has, Ben said:

"I had no idea. I thought it would be a flash in the pan but I think we’re here to stay now."

Ben was inspired to create the group following a 500-mile charity run around Yorkshire for the UK suicide prevention charity, the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

The ethos behind the crews is that they are "social, not competitive," with a recognition of the mental and physical wellbeing that regular exercise brings.

Find out more about the group via Facebook here.

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