The WesternRunner team
The site started out as a travel service offering the SW runner tours to events big and small around the UK , as a team we have been to events as diverse as the Bideford Half Marathon to the New York Marathon to the D Day 10K.

The site has now grown through feedback from runners and running clubs and will continue to grow. I do the info compiling and keep the site up-to-date. So this site has the accuracy of a running magazine, but in an web style.

This is important to me.  The site now may have huge traffic, but it is still a personal site, following a cohesive Running logic, and hopefully one you know you can trust. My aim is to keep consistent my own standards of WesternRunner and explanation.

Terms and Conditions of Use
It's important to let you know information on this site does not constitute running advice. All information is based on journalistic research and analysis rather than tailored advice aimed for individuals.  Decisions on events and situations should be taken only after considering the effects of all specific circumstances.

The Sites Finances
What does 'non-profit driven' mean?

The site was never set up as a money making exercise.  My original idea was to help build my own reputation for my Internet and writing work.  After all that’s what I do, I’m a runner and web developer.

For the first year there were no revenue generating features and it was fine without, yet the vast growth and sheer number of hours put into it means it became too expensive. I wrestled long and hard with the ethics and finally found a few very 'clean' ways.

The core is that the site is still free, completely free to use, unbiased, independent and focused delivering real benefit - these are its binding principles. 

I like to think of the site as ‘non-profit driven’.  This doesn’t mean it doesn't make money, but that profit isn't the driving force. All articles and features are completely editorially independent from revenue making means.  Revenue raising is only considered if it's still the best way to save money and doesn't add anything to your costs.

Also, anything generating revenue is flagged up, you'll always know when it does (you'd be surprised how many sites have paid links, but don't tell you - to check, right click the link, look at properties; if it has a referral code, then they're profiting!)

How exactly does the site generate revenue?

Affiliated Links

Some articles include product links or banners via commercial organisations like Play or Opodo.  If these companies generate revenue (i.e. you buy for a product from them) they then give this site some of that income.

These never impact the recommendations, don’t ever add any cost to the products and, unlike most commercial websites, products and links are included even if they can't generate revenue for WesternRunner.

And even if the methodology is right, they must be best of breed, e.g. WesternRunner’s Race product directory comparison is recommended, its clubs listings aren’t.