Life at CAAC: Senior Endurance Squad

🏃 Quick Snapshot

Who it’s for: Adult runners looking to train consistently and improve
Focus: Road racing and cross country (with track used for training)
Training style: Structured sessions with pace-based groups
Typical commitment: 2 – 5 runs per week
Typical level: Approx. 5km times ranging from 18 to 25 minutes
Progression from: Craic Squad
Progression to: Performance Endurance Squads: Moray or Kara

🧠 About the Group

The Senior Endurance Squad is CAAC’s core adult training group for runners who want to train with purpose and improve their performance.

Led by a rotation of qualified run leaders, athletes in this group are typically working towards personal bests across a range of distances, from 5km through to the half marathon and marathon.

Many members balance running with work and family commitments, and the group provides a flexible but purposeful environment to support that. It’s common for parents to train while their children are involved in CAAC’s junior sessions, making this a practical and sustainable way to stay involved in the club.

🏃 What Training Looks Like

Training is structured, varied, and balances a social side with achieving personal goals. Sessions typically include:

Interval training (at the track in the Summer, but not track-specific)
Tempo and threshold runs
Endurance focused sessions
Race preparation for road and cross country events

During workouts, the squad often splits up into pace-based groups, ensuring sessions are appropriately challenging while maintaining a strong group environment.

Training takes place across a mix of environments, including track, road routes, and cross country terrain, helping athletes build well-rounded endurance and race readiness.

📈 Progression & Pathway

The Senior Endurance Squad plays a central role in the CAAC pathway.

Many athletes join this group to move beyond casual running and begin training more consistently. Over time, there are opportunities to:

Progress into performance-focused squads for higher training volume and intensity
Improve race times across a range of distances
Compete more regularly in road races and cross country events

For some, this group also provides a long-term training environment, offering structured training that fits alongside other commitments.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Culture & Atmosphere

The group has supportive atmosphere, with athletes encouraging each other to improve while respecting different starting points and goals. Training is purposeful, but remains welcoming and inclusive.

Many members arrange to take part in common races, supporting each other, and contributing to CAAC’s wider community.