Nottingham Frontrunners is more than running
On a wet Tuesday night, more than 80 people came for a run — and stayed for something more important.
Tuesday may have been dark, wet, and sometimes cold, but there were no miserable faces during the warm-up before the 5.6km run around the outskirts of the Park and down the canal. Adam led the group in bounces, stretches, and dance moves that may have been more for fun than warming up, backed by Don't Stop Me Now on a boombox. By the time the crowd of more than 80 people were running away from the Robin Hood statue and up past the castle, it barely mattered that there was a slight smattering of rain.
After the run, the Morning Briefing managed to borrow Adam Bown and Pete Young, two of the three founders of the running group to ask them a few questions. (Marc Faulder is also one of the founders, who was unable to make the run).
Frontrunners itself is an international collection of independent, queer-inclusive running clubs, who each take on the Frontrunner mantle. Nottingham Frontrunners was started by the three after meeting each other at another running club. "We noticed each other at another running group because we had rainbow laces. That started the conversation. Then we became good friends."
The three aren't just regular runners. "We wanted to do the Paris marathon in under three hours. We saw the best and worst of one another whilst training for that." For reference, under four hours is considered quite an achievement.
The organisation isn't just about long distance running.
Most runners come along for the 5.6km run on Tuesdays, which is far more accessible than 42.2 kilometres of a marathon. If a full 5K sounds like too much of a push, they have started a Couch to 5K programme in January. (Now in week 4.)
"Couch to 5K has been a real gateway for new runners to see themselves in a smaller group and feel quite supported. We publish our plan for that, so people can see that it's not too intense."
"As long as you can put on some trainers, it's quite accessible," Pete suggested, but he went on to explain that there are often more emotional barriers to joining a run. Suffering through PE at school has left many people with a bad taste in their mouth. "People have shared stories of their experiences about sport in their life, through school and whatnot. 'Me? A runner? What!' Events like this really break that down and gives people a lot of fulfilment. A bit of closure about a period of your life as a teenager or as a kid where you felt really outside of groups."
There are social barriers too: joining a group of strangers is intimidating. How does this being an LGBTQAI+ inclusive run help with that? Adam had some thoughts:
"A lot of us have shared experiences that you would only have if you are queer. Coming out, for instance. We all have that in common. We've all done those certain things. That draws us together."
A fellow runner, when asked why they came to this running group in particular said this: "It's difficult turning up as a stranger to these things, but with NFR, it's like I've already been welcomed. We're a part of a community, even if we don't know each other yet."
For a shy, queer person, the photos on Instagram hopefully show that there are people on these runs that look, dress, or act like them. The hope is that with more diversity, the more welcoming the group is for everyone. One founder said, "we've been putting a lot of work into increasing diversity. We've always got to push for more. Nottingham is a real multicultural city, and we don't represent that yet. There's work to do." Alongside the popular Tuesday nights, there is also a FLINTA* group that runs on Thursdays.
The run is a minor event in an NFR meet-up for some people, and the main attraction is chatting with friends made along the way. Non-running group events include a recent trip to Sherwood Observatory and hikes with the Nottingham Hurricanes, a queer rugby club.
"It's a social network," Pete told us. "Nightlife has changed so drastically. Nottingham doesn't really have a dedicated scene now. Attitudes towards alcohol and going out generally are very different. The newer generation of people are not quite so accustomed to going out in the way we all did. Running is a common interest that is quite accessible."
Back in the pub, after our run, the atmosphere was cosy and friendly with people who had only just met today chatting with each other. Many of these people wouldn't have felt comfortable enough to come to this run without the runners before them turning up, proudly wearing rainbow laces.
