Club Update September 2020
Evening Striders,
The Committee have met this week and previously in early September to discuss the way forward as a club. We had hoped that we would be able to have some form of running from Inspire as things began to open up, but alas the current situation, both nationally and at Inspire does not allow us. Therefore, after discussions, trialing and writing of Risk Assessments, we are ready to move the club forward in this new normal.
We will be using an App, that some other clubs use, called Spond. There will be two types of runs available on this App for runners to join; one being ‘Social Runs’, the other ‘Coached Sessions’. Maria Petts will be giving more information about the coached sessions later this week.
We ask members to join Spond which is available on Android or Apple devices, and register themselves on the link that will be circulated. Once registered with Stopsley Striders, it is vitally important that, in your settings section, you change your Contact Information to ‘Only Visible for Administrators’. This will ensure that only myself, Tony Green as President, Estelle Parkins as Secretary and Maria Petts as Chief Spond Coach will be able to see your email and phone number for track and trace purposes only. If you do not do this everyone will be able to see your contact details.
Social Runs will have the following rules:
1. Any member can set up a social run on Spond. This will make them the Lead Runner and their responsibilities will be to ensure that all runners have ICE details of 2 contacts with them, that runners share any injury/appropriate health details and if anyone falls ill due to Covid during or in the days after the run to notify Tony Green or myself of the case so we can notify Track and Trace at England Athletics. They will also update the register of attendance on the Spond App.
2. Runs will consist of only the Lead Runner and 5 other runners. Please make sure you add this when setting up a run on Spond. This is to abide by current UK government guidelines. These runs should be open to all members, with details of meeting place, distance and speed of run added to SPOND to notify members of the these key details.. All runners to notify the lead runner and/or Tony Green or myself of any Covid related symptoms during or after the run. Please feel free to continue your closed running groups via WhatsApp etc but please bear in mind that not all Striders have access to these types of groups.
The number of runners will be subject to change as guidelines change
3. Runs can happen at anytime but please do not run from Inspire and if there is a run on the same day from the same venue, please leave at least 15 mins between sessions. No runner should run in 2 different ‘Social Runs’ on the same day.
Note: The reference to Inspire relates to the situation that we can’t get in to hold our club night meetings prior to going out and running. You can go in your COVID safe groups to the Inspire car park and begin a run from there.
4. Remember all Coaches, Lead Runners and Committee members are volunteers. Be kind to each other, look out for your fellow Striders as you never know how much the run means to them. If you know a runner that doesn’t use Social Media or have a Smart Phone, let them know of runs and notify the lead runner that they want to join.
5. Be kind to all Striders!
It is important that we do look after and run with each other, especially for safety in winter months. This is the way the club will be for the coming months in a way that keeps us all safe. We will be able to run and meet as a club again, but for the meantime look out for your fellow Striders and Stay Safe
Please look out for the further post containing the club’s Risk Assessment and from Maria Petts regarding the ‘Coached Sessions’
Thom