Leaders guidance
Tuesday Night Run Group Leaders
Introduction
Firstly, thank you for volunteering to be a group leader on Tuesday night Club Runs. These club runs are the lifeblood of what we do as Petts Wood Runners and have proved to be exceptionally popular over the years. They underpin everything else we do as a club, from competing to socialising, so we are very grateful to everyone in the club who volunteers to help other members with getting the most from their membership, by leading or sweeping on a Tuesday evening.
As we grow in number (as of the 1st December 2025 we have 661 members), we have to remain fully cognisant of England Athletics guidelines on such activities, as well as our own duties and responsibilities towards all our members who run. This document contains guidance and requirements that we ask that you, as Group Run leaders, to adhere to, to ensure we are acting safely and responsibly at all times.
Whilst it is not compulsory for leaders to have the Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification offered by England Athletics (EA), we encourage all leaders to consider doing this. The club will refund up to 75% of the initial costs in completing the training and any ongoing costs of maintaining it. Further details are available here. We ask that, even if you are not LiRF qualified, you complete the basic First Aid Essentials in Sport and Active Leisure course which can be booked via the EA course page here.
If you have any questions regarding this guidance or in respect of leading generally, please do not hesitate to contact one of the below:
Marcus Elwes – Chair [email protected]
Mike Reeves – Head Coach [email protected]
Karen Jones & Malcolm McKen – Overall Group Run co-ordinators [email protected] [email protected]
Action required;
Please use the attached form to confirm;
Thank you
The PWR Committee
December 2025
Tuesday Night Run Group Leaders Guidance
The basics
As a Tuesday evening Club run leader, you will be allocated a group (or possibly more than one), where you have indicated you are able to lead on a regular basis. The individual group rota leader (see tab 4 of the weekly sign-up sheet) will contact you at the beginning of each month, to see what availability you have to lead on each Tuesday.
They will then populate the sign-up sheet with the respective leader’s name each week, in advance on the run.
From that point onwards, please conduct the following.
In advance of the run
During the run
After the run
Additional guidance/checklist
Pre-Run Preparation
Start of the Session
During the Run
Post-Run
Handling Incidents and Emergencies
For injuries or accidents:
If the situation is severe, consider aborting the group run.
Report all accidents and injuries to the Club’s Health & Safety Officer.
Dos and Don’ts
Do
Do not
Do Include a sprint session in your run, if you think the group are able and up for this.
Do not Do any sprint sessions close to the Rec (or wherever the location of the finish is agreed).
Do Look out for hazards and call them out to your group.
Do not Intimidate or frighten any other pavement users. Always give way.
Do Run on the pavements and paths.
Do not Run on the roads, unless safely crossing.
Do Run on well-lit paths and pavements.
Do not Run on paths/pavements which are not lit unless everyone has lights. Please consider dropping the pace in such circumstances.
Do Go into the woods if safe to do so.
Do not Go into the woods if it is dark.
Do Consider taking plasters, wipes, tissues, etc in case of tumbles.
Do not Forget your phone! You may need it in case of any emergency.
Do Cross roads at brightly lit junctions and or crossing places, giving plenty of warning in advance.
Do not Continue the run until you are certain that everyone in the Group has safely crossed the route.
Do Use lights and encourage your group to do so.
Do not Leave people without lights on their own. Spread them amongst the group.
Do Go at the pace of the slowest person in the group.
Do not Allow anyone to run in front of the leader or outpace the group.
Do Read the Club Safety procedures.
Do not Do anything which may be considered unsafe or dangerous.
Stretching
There are a number of resources available online for post run stretching such as:
https://www.verywellfit.com/essential-post-run-stretches-2911936
https://runninforsweets.com/post-run-stretches-for-runners
Otherwise, please speak to the Head Coach who can teach you some routines or speak to any of the qualified LiRF leaders who have their own suggestions. If you have run with other leaders and done their warmup routines, then try and remember two or three key ones and develop from there. There is a video on the website here with a comprehensive set of stretches form one of our experienced leaders.
Introduction
Firstly, thank you for volunteering to be a group leader on Tuesday night Club Runs. These club runs are the lifeblood of what we do as Petts Wood Runners and have proved to be exceptionally popular over the years. They underpin everything else we do as a club, from competing to socialising, so we are very grateful to everyone in the club who volunteers to help other members with getting the most from their membership, by leading or sweeping on a Tuesday evening.
As we grow in number (as of the 1st December 2025 we have 661 members), we have to remain fully cognisant of England Athletics guidelines on such activities, as well as our own duties and responsibilities towards all our members who run. This document contains guidance and requirements that we ask that you, as Group Run leaders, to adhere to, to ensure we are acting safely and responsibly at all times.
Whilst it is not compulsory for leaders to have the Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification offered by England Athletics (EA), we encourage all leaders to consider doing this. The club will refund up to 75% of the initial costs in completing the training and any ongoing costs of maintaining it. Further details are available here. We ask that, even if you are not LiRF qualified, you complete the basic First Aid Essentials in Sport and Active Leisure course which can be booked via the EA course page here.
If you have any questions regarding this guidance or in respect of leading generally, please do not hesitate to contact one of the below:
Marcus Elwes – Chair [email protected]
Mike Reeves – Head Coach [email protected]
Karen Jones & Malcolm McKen – Overall Group Run co-ordinators [email protected] [email protected]
Action required;
Please use the attached form to confirm;
- You have read and understood the guidance attached and will follow it to the best of your ability;
- You will complete the EA First Aid course in the next 12 months (costs to be reimbursed);
- Whether you have a LiRF qualification/are interested in becoming LiRF qualified/require any other training/are comfortable that you have sufficient training.
- If you are not DBS checked, that you have completed the self-certification, as attached. If you completed this as part of the process last year, this remains valid for another 12 months.
Thank you
The PWR Committee
December 2025
Tuesday Night Run Group Leaders Guidance
The basics
As a Tuesday evening Club run leader, you will be allocated a group (or possibly more than one), where you have indicated you are able to lead on a regular basis. The individual group rota leader (see tab 4 of the weekly sign-up sheet) will contact you at the beginning of each month, to see what availability you have to lead on each Tuesday.
They will then populate the sign-up sheet with the respective leader’s name each week, in advance on the run.
From that point onwards, please conduct the following.
In advance of the run
- Decide on an appropriate route for the run, considering the likely level of experience and expertise of the group. This is an absolute essential part of the leadership role and needs to be considered in good time, prior to the run. Please ensure that any route you plan is safe, in accordance with EA guidelines.
- Please indicate the route under column G of tab 1 of the sign-up sheet. By doing this, you are confirming to the club committee that you have conducted a risk assessment.
- Prior to the run, check who is on the sheet, the numbers, any known vulnerabilities and whether anybody has volunteered to sweep/be a second lead, if the number of runners exceeds 10.
- The absolute maximum number of runners allowed in any group is 20. Any group with 10 or more runners must have a second lead/sweeper nominated, either in advance or on the night.
- All runners must sign up to the sheet in advance. Any who have not signed up need to be politely turned away if the group is full, or admitted on the strict proviso that they must sign up in advance in the future. The club must maintain a register of all runners, for safety purpose, in accordance with EA guidelines.
- If dark (or getting dark), please make sure everyone has brightly coloured clothes, high-viz and/or lights, where possible. If someone does not, please ensure you advise them to do so the next time and ensure they are not at the back or front of the group on the night.
During the run
- Ensure that you are always aware of the status of all runners in your group, particularly if anybody is struggling with the pace/distance. Your second lead can assist with this. It is advisable to stop and re-gather the group regularly, to check that everyone is OK.
- Be prepared to adapt your route/pace, depending on the capabilities of the group on the evening.
- Stay at the advertised pace or below (see b) above). Do not run at above the advertised pace.
- Other guidance for the actual run follows on the next pages.
After the run
- Check on the status of the runners in your group to make sure they are ok. If they plan to leave immediately, it is wise to suggest to them that they do some basic stretches when they get home.
- Do a stretching routine with the remaining runners at the Rec (or wherever the agreed finish is). Further guidance on this is provided within.
Additional guidance/checklist
Pre-Run Preparation
- Review the sign-up sheet to note group numbers and identify any vulnerable members.
- Share your proposed route and run plan (distance, pace, stops, etc.) as required by EA guidelines.
- Carry a mobile phone for emergencies. Some leaders also carry basic first aid items like plasters and antiseptic wipes.
- Consider carrying water, especially in warmer weather.
Start of the Session
- Introduce yourself and welcome the runners. Ask if everyone is feeling well and if there are any concerns, injuries, or medical conditions to be aware of.
- For groups with more than ten runners, assign a sweeper(s) or second lead to stay at the back of the group.
- Encourage runners to wear high-visibility clothing and/or running lights, especially during darker evenings. Some Leaders Spread runners with lights evenly across their group.
During the Run
- Ensure runners stay on pavements and off roads, particularly on Crossway, which can have heavy traffic after sessions.
- Regularly check on runners and sweepers to ensure the group stays together. Pause at designated spots to regroup, especially after road crossings, turns, or changes in direction.
- Set the pace based on the slowest runner in the group not the fastest.
- Ensure all runners stay behind the leader unless explicitly instructed to run ahead to a designated stopping point.
- Highlight potential hazards during the run (e.g., pedestrians, bins, roots, uneven pavements) and encourage runners to communicate these to the group using shout-outs or hand signals. Be mindful of participants with communication challenges.
- Your run should finish at either end of Crossway, then jog back to the Rec. If not returning to the Rec (sometimes runs start/finish at other points, use the same principle).
Post-Run
- Encourage faster runners to move up a group during the monthly move-up week.
- Lead post-run stretches in the Willett Rec car park or remind those leaving early to stretch at home.
- Avoid congregating on the street outside The Rec to minimise disruption to local residents.
Handling Incidents and Emergencies
For injuries or accidents:
- Check if the runner can continue.
- If they can’t run but can walk back to The Rec, assign a chaperone to accompany them. If they are under 18, two people, including a LiRF qualified individual are to chaperone or accompany them.
- If they cannot walk but are conscious, contact their ICE representative or call 999 for emergency services. Perform first aid if needed.
If the situation is severe, consider aborting the group run.
Report all accidents and injuries to the Club’s Health & Safety Officer.
Dos and Don’ts
Do
Do not
Do Include a sprint session in your run, if you think the group are able and up for this.
Do not Do any sprint sessions close to the Rec (or wherever the location of the finish is agreed).
Do Look out for hazards and call them out to your group.
Do not Intimidate or frighten any other pavement users. Always give way.
Do Run on the pavements and paths.
Do not Run on the roads, unless safely crossing.
Do Run on well-lit paths and pavements.
Do not Run on paths/pavements which are not lit unless everyone has lights. Please consider dropping the pace in such circumstances.
Do Go into the woods if safe to do so.
Do not Go into the woods if it is dark.
Do Consider taking plasters, wipes, tissues, etc in case of tumbles.
Do not Forget your phone! You may need it in case of any emergency.
Do Cross roads at brightly lit junctions and or crossing places, giving plenty of warning in advance.
Do not Continue the run until you are certain that everyone in the Group has safely crossed the route.
Do Use lights and encourage your group to do so.
Do not Leave people without lights on their own. Spread them amongst the group.
Do Go at the pace of the slowest person in the group.
Do not Allow anyone to run in front of the leader or outpace the group.
Do Read the Club Safety procedures.
Do not Do anything which may be considered unsafe or dangerous.
Stretching
There are a number of resources available online for post run stretching such as:
https://www.verywellfit.com/essential-post-run-stretches-2911936
https://runninforsweets.com/post-run-stretches-for-runners
Otherwise, please speak to the Head Coach who can teach you some routines or speak to any of the qualified LiRF leaders who have their own suggestions. If you have run with other leaders and done their warmup routines, then try and remember two or three key ones and develop from there. There is a video on the website here with a comprehensive set of stretches form one of our experienced leaders.