Beginner's Track and Field Club Exist?

An Cuinneach

Hey guys,

Hopefully this isn't too vague or silly but here goes.

Are there any track and field clubs in Dublin where you could go as a complete beginner and try out sports like sprinting, triple jump, javelin, etc?

I'm trying to find a regular fitness activity and I've tried a few different sports, activities and classes but they haven't been great. Trying out different athletic events was my favourite part of PE in school, even though I wasn't sensational in any of them, I found them interesting and I think that's what would keep me going back every week.

I know a few long distance running groups, but after checking online I can't find anything that's more varied. I'm not looking to compete in the Olympics here, just looking to try out some interesting sports.

Thanks a lot for any help!
Brian-

ecoli

An Cuinneach wrote: »

Hey guys,

Hopefully this isn't too vague or silly but here goes.

Are there any track and field clubs in Dublin where you could go as a complete beginner and try out sports like sprinting, triple jump, javelin, etc?

I'm trying to find a regular fitness activity and I've tried a few different sports, activities and classes but they haven't been great. Trying out different athletic events was my favourite part of PE in school, even though I wasn't sensational in any of them, I found them interesting and I think that's what would keep me going back every week.

I know a few long distance running groups, but after checking online I can't find anything that's more varied. I'm not looking to compete in the Olympics here, just looking to try out some interesting sports.

Thanks a lot for any help!
Brian-

What area are you in?

Most clubs welcome new comers for all events though depending on the club not all have the coaching resources or facilities which is why many people are funnelled into distance running for the most part.

I know many clubs would welcome anyone who is interested in trying out other events.

I know in my own club we had an athlete come down about 2 years ago who wanted to take up multi eventing. Are coaches were delighted to have him on board and coached as best as they could in the events they knew and the ones they didnt have the knowledge or facilities for they managed to find coaches and training partners who welcomed him

Since then he has managed quite a few masters titles in a range of events so it should be noted that the usual perception that you need to have started these technical events when you were a child is very much debunked

Timmaay

I'd agree with everything ecoli said here, none of the clubs are in anyway "against" field eventers, its just the age old problem of most the club coaches are usually too busy with the more in demand groups of actual runners to dedicate enough time to the field events. However most of the clubs will have access to a track with the full facilities, you will just have to do some of the work youself, and get the coaches to help you out, as oppose to showing up yourself and expecting to be guided the whole way yourself! If the club is totally unwilling to help you out, it probably means that they are genuinely just too stretched to cater for you and don't want to string you along, just move along to another club in this case!

As well as that, there are a decent few workshops on the more specialized events, which would be hosted at provincial and national level, usually by the local RDOs. How suited these are to pure beginners I'm unsure of though!

RayCun

Chiming in with the guys above, distance running is just less coaching-intensive. You can see just from this forum, there are loads of people who started distance running as adults and were basically self-trained (maybe reading up in books and online too). Most training sessions require very little guidance - it doesn't take long to explain x distance at y pace - and you don't need the same level of feedback on technique as you would in throwing, or sprint plyometrics.

It is something we're trying to work on though, to integrate the older distance runners with the juvenile multi-discipline groups, and give people a chance to try out different things...