THE Launceston Athletic Club has made what has been the tough decision to rebrand itself as the Launceston Running Club to help stamp out the belief that it only caters for elite athletes.
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As it prepares for its race this weekend, publicity officer Karen Boxhall said the group wanted to present itself as open to runners of all ages and ability.
``We're for everyone, from someone who wants to try out a five-kilometre run for the first time, to someone like Josh Harris who is preparing for an elite race,'' Boxhall said.
The club is also keen to cash in on the popularity of ``amateur' runners, with programs such as parkrun an example of this.
Despite the change in name, Boxhall promised the group would still acknowledge its history.
The group caters for junior and senior runners, with handicaps in place, running over various distances.
The Launceston Running Club's first race (over five kilometres) will be held on Saturday, starting at the Riverside Pool.
The junior race will start at 10am and the senior race at 11am.
Competitors must be registered 15 minutes before the race.