On Saturday, London celebrates Pride with its annual parade. While most of those taking part or watching from the crowded streets will be doing so with a drink in hand and plenty of glitter, the London Frontrunners will be running the route. Followed up, of course, by brunch and a big old party.
The Frontrunners are Europe’s largest LGBT+ sports club, with more than 400 members taking part in their runs, trips to international races and busy social calendar. Mary Cormack, their publicity officer, whom I met during Monday’s 10km from Elephant & Castle to Battersea Park, tells me that the 80 wristbands to run in the Pride Parade went faster than Usain Bolt.
I asked several of the runners what drew them to the Frontrunners, rather than one of the hundreds of other running groups in the city. For most it was the appeal of making new friends within the LGBT+ community and not having to worry about any kind of prejudice or lack of awareness that could perhaps still linger in the locker rooms of more traditional running clubs. Mary explained: “It wasn’t actually until I found an LGBT-friendly club that I realised it does actually make a difference.”
Joining a running club can be pretty daunting in the first place. Turning up and seeing a huge group of whippet-thin, Lycra-clad runners who rack up insanely fast times can be really intimidating if you’re just getting into the sport. This is definitely not the case with the Frontrunners. On arrival several people come up to say “Hi” and, before the main run starts, session leader Christos invites newbies to say hello before talking the 40-strong group through today’s route and some upcoming social events.
The London branch of Frontrunners was established in 1995, but the original San Francisco Frontrunners was started in 1974 by Jack Baker and Gardner Pond. Now there are Frontrunners chapters across the globe, from Canada to China, Australia to Israel
For more read the full of article at The Guardian
