One Life Racing
Club Secretary:- Paul JonesClub Website - http://www.makeitcount.org.uk/index.htm
Founded in 2004 and based in Druridge Bay Country Park, Northumberland, One Life Racing is a British Triathlon - sanctioned team dedicated to helping North East cyclists & triathletes. One Life is affiliated to: British Triathlon; Cycling Time Trials & British Cycling. From 2006 the club will be affiliated to the governing body for athletics too.
Our members include novices looking for support before completing their first triathlon, to veterans of Ironman competition. The club is run by the members; they organize all the activities, social events, and workouts. Workouts are geared to multi-sport athletes of all abilities.
One Life has been identified as an outlet for kids in schools who are interested in cycling & triathlon by Northumberland County Council. This means the kids club is coming fast and will be up and running in March. Initially the plan is to have a two hour session once a fortnight (more if the interest is there). One Life is looking for volunteers to help with the club and get involved.
Training. Run Sessions are at 2pm on Saturdays at Druridge Bay (Lakeside Car Park). Run for about an hour, slow and easy. Cycle session is at 9am Sunday mornings from the same place for about 3hours, steady ride.
The club organises the annual Northumberland Triathlon Festival which this year (2007) is on the weekend of 15th/16th September with the Kids Duathlon and the One Life Super-Sprint Team Time Trial on Saturday and the One Life Standard Distance Triathlon – the regional championships - on the Sunday.
In February 2007 One Life achieved a landmark by receiving its 100th membership form. The club which was set up originally for two people to go and race for themselves has grown to become one of the biggest in the North East.
What is particularly pleasing is the number of families which are involved in the club. One Life Kids has over 40 juniors. The club, based in Hexham, has a really strong committee which has a development plan to make sure it continues to grow in a sustainable way and develop links with local communities.
Paul Jones, one of the original two, said, "When I set One Life up it was just for me and a friend, a couple more came and asked to join, they brought a few friends and then this winter it’s gone mental. It wouldn't have grown as quick without the dedication from its club members who have set up some great triathlon activities in Northumberland.
Barry and Judith Jameson with Tim Wylie, Matt Binns and others have been doing some fantastic work over in Hexham. The club has three swim sessions (plus a new open water session on Mondays in Talkin Tarn), two cycle sessions, two run sessions and several children's sessions. However, One Life couldn't have done what it has without the support of its members, parents and the committee.
What's really important is the links we have made to Leisure Tynedale, local schools, Hexham swimming pool and the Wentworth Centre to help the club to grow in a sustainable fashion. One Life, in addition to running several Open events including the Northumberland Triathlon Festival (see the website: www.makeitcount.org.uk) runs fundraising club events such as winter aquathlons, club days, bag packing to name a few."
One Life is definitely not an elite club, it's a club for families, children, parents and anybody who is interested in a fantastic sport and that is why it has developed the membership that it has.