Heath Massive: The friendly running club founded by Cardiff and Vale UHB colleagues

A social running club founded by Cardiff and Vale UHB employees almost a decade ago is on the hunt for new members.

Heath Massive Run Club, which meets three times a week at Heath Park car park, was founded in 2015 by a group of people who were keen to improve their fitness levels.

The club, which is not exclusive to Health Board staff, prides itself on its “friendly, non-judgemental” atmosphere for runners over the age of 18.

“We are a very inclusive group, and we all run together,” explained Spiro Pezaros, the founder of Heath Massive and a qualified Welsh Athletics coach. “The social aspect of the club is what is most important - we have a lot of laughs.”

New members who feel they can’t comfortably run 5k without stopping are urged to download the NHS Couch to 5k training plan before joining the group sessions.

Then on Tuesday evenings, two separate running groups set off at 6.15pm – one for 5k runners and the other for 8k runners.

There are also two sessions on a Sunday – one at 8am which covers distances of 10k or more, and one at 9am which is a more relaxed, social 5k.

“We do a lot of ‘looping’ which means the faster runners go as far as the eye can see and then come back and join the back of the group,” added Spiro, who works as a Digital Lead Coordinator in PCIC. “Running in a group is definitely safer than on your own, particularly when it’s dark.”

Just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Heath Massive had around 80 members, but after a drop-off in membership the group is now back up to around 54 members.

“There are a lot of people who come to the club and notice a huge improvement in a short space of time, thanks in part to the encouragement of other runners,” Spiro added. “We’ve had members who started on the Couch to 5k and gone on to complete the Cardiff Half Marathon.”

In addition, the club organises a number of other events, including:

Speed Sessions: Held on the first Tuesday of every month. These include hill sprints and general speed work, designed to help runners build strength, stamina, and speed.

Coffee Mornings: Held on the last Sunday of each month. The coffee mornings are held immediately after the run, adding a further social element to the routine.

Wellbeing Walks and Runs: Ad-hoc walks and trail runs focus on mental health awareness and fostering community through the social side of running.

Heath Massive has received funding from Cardiff & Vale Health Charity over the years, and a new banner is set to be erected between the University Hospital of Wales and the entrance to Heath Park car park to promote the club.

For more information on Heath Massive, please visit their website