Safety
Safety is everyone's responsibility and in joining Petts Wood Runners you agree to the rules of the club, including the safety rules which are set out below.
FOR RUNNERS
Before running:
1) Please ensure that you are physically fit to undertake any form of exertion. Should you feel unwell or be injured, it is better to miss a week’s run and give yourself time to recover than risk making your condition worse. Always seek medical advice prior to starting or restarting running if you have been on any form of medication or suffered an injury.
2) Please ensure that you wear suitable clothing when joining us for a run and that you have the correct footwear. Clothing should be comfortable and not restrict movement. You should wear something fluorescent or reflective, especially when running in darkness. Shoes designed for road running will normally be the most suitable for club runs. It is advisable for runners to have their running gait assessed in a specialist sports shop and to take the results into account when buying running shoes. The only form of head/ear phones permitted are those allowed by England Athletics, the bone conduction headphones, manufactured by Aftershokz. Please try not to wear them at all though, Tuesday runs are meant to be a sociable occasion!
3) Bring a drink of water, ideally in a bottle that is easy to carry whilst running. When you are training for more than 30 minutes you should always increase your fluid levels as you run.
4) Always carry some form of identification – a simple pet name barrel is a simple solution to this and can be picked up easily from any pet store.
YOUR RUN:
4) Choose a group that suits your running ability rather than any targets you may have set yourself. The club arranges regular “move-up Tuesdays” to enable runners to try a quicker group when they feel they are ready. When attending for the first time, it is advisable to run with a group that runs at a slower pace that what you believe to be your ideal level, until you are familiar with the Club and the way it operates.
5) PWR offers the opportunity to run in a group and group leaders will ensure that, when running with us, no one is left to run on their own and no individual or small group gets lost. Please do not overtake your group leader unless told to do so. It is important that runners do not run off from their group or leave individuals behind. Group leaders have been instructed to ensure that each group runs at the pace of the slowest runner and no runners try to increase that pace through “running ahead” or placing pressure on any other runner.
6) Always maintain visual contact with the runner immediately behind you and in front of you. Should you lose visual contact, communicate this immediately along the chain to ensure that the whole group stops in order to re-group.
7) Immediately report any injury or unwellness – whether affecting yourself or another runner – to a fellow runner who should then pass it along the chain to the group leader. If you have a medical condition or disability e.g. diabetes, asthma, angina etc. please carry a note with you in case you should need medical attention during the run. If someone is injured or unwell, it is the responsibility of each runner in the group to ensure that they receive prompt help and support from the group leader and other runners.
8) Always shout out a warning oncoming obstacles, obstructions or dangerous situations to other runners. Keep a look-out particularly for holes in the ground, tree roots, branches or stinging nettles and approaching cars. A simple “roots” or “car” shouted out loudly acts as a clear warning to your fellow runners. When you hear a member shout out a warning, ensure you repeat it so that the warning travels back along your whole group.
9) Respect your surroundings – don’t run over areas that are not open to the public or are private property.
End of your run:
10) Always ensure that you advise your group if you are going to “drop out” early to run home rather than return to Willett Rec. Many runners actually run past or near their homes during the latter parts of our runs and decide to go straight home. If you do this please ensure that you inform your group leader. Likewise, if you have been told that a runner is leaving early, please communicate this to the group leader.
11) Always ensure that you report any “missing” runners immediately. At the end of the run please report any runners who you think might be missing. There may be a simple explanation, but it is better to be safe than sorry.
12) After running, stretch – the easiest way to avoid injury is to stretch after your run and the best way to do this is as a group!
FOR GROUP LEADERS
Before running
13) Explain clearly the distance that you intend to go and the pace (in minutes per mile) at which the group will run. Ensure that the group does not run at a quicker pace than stipulated.
14) Welcome any new members to the group and ensure that they are confident that they can maintain the stipulated pace. If you are in doubt, suggest that they begin with a slower group.
15) Ensure that all members of the group are sufficiently warmed up before running at the stipulated pace.
16) Carry your mobile phone with you. Ensure that you also have with you a copy of the PWR Emergency Contacts card, as supplied by the Club Secretary.
17) Whilst the group is running, the slowest pace always dictates. One of the most important roles of the Club is to ensure that no one is left to run on their own and no individual or small group gets lost. Group leaders may permit faster runners to run ahead to a specified point and “loop back” to rejoin the group, but should otherwise not allow any runner to run off from their group. The group should always run at the pace of the slowest runner and should, under no circumstances, try to increase that pace through “running ahead” or placing pressure on any individual runner.
18) Never allow a runner to become tailed off such that they may lose contact with the rest of the group. If an experienced member of the group is willing to accompany a struggling runner back to Willett Rec, this should first be authorised by the group leader.
19) Always maintain a complete chain of communication. It is your responsibility to ensure that your group remains as close together as possible and that a complete ‘unbroken’ chain of communication between the last runner and the first runner is maintained throughout the run.
20) Always run on public footpaths and pavements. When crossing roads, take particular care for your own safety as well as that of your fellow runners.
21) Re-group at regular intervals – this allows runners to catch their breath and report any injuries that they may feel. It also stops the group from spreading out.
Running in the woods
22) During the summer months, runners often like to run in the woods. There is no need to discourage this provided that the club’s safety guidance is particularly closely observed. The risk of runners suffering injury or becoming separated from their group is raised whilst running in the woods and group leaders must ensure that runners remain in close proximity and shout out warnings of hazards such as tree roots.
23) If a group of more than 20 runners wishes to run in the woods and there are sufficient group leaders taking part to allow for this, the group should be split into two and run separately. All groups must be out of the woods before nightfall.
End of the run
24) Return to Willett Rec and lead runners in a warm-down, involving appropriate stretches. It is important not to neglect this as it reduces the risk of injury. Groups must not congregate at the entrances to Willett Rec but proceed through the gate into the rec.
25) Ensure that any injuries or illnesses suffered by runners and any other matters of concern are reported to the Club’s Health and Safety Officer.
FOR RUNNERS
Before running:
1) Please ensure that you are physically fit to undertake any form of exertion. Should you feel unwell or be injured, it is better to miss a week’s run and give yourself time to recover than risk making your condition worse. Always seek medical advice prior to starting or restarting running if you have been on any form of medication or suffered an injury.
2) Please ensure that you wear suitable clothing when joining us for a run and that you have the correct footwear. Clothing should be comfortable and not restrict movement. You should wear something fluorescent or reflective, especially when running in darkness. Shoes designed for road running will normally be the most suitable for club runs. It is advisable for runners to have their running gait assessed in a specialist sports shop and to take the results into account when buying running shoes. The only form of head/ear phones permitted are those allowed by England Athletics, the bone conduction headphones, manufactured by Aftershokz. Please try not to wear them at all though, Tuesday runs are meant to be a sociable occasion!
3) Bring a drink of water, ideally in a bottle that is easy to carry whilst running. When you are training for more than 30 minutes you should always increase your fluid levels as you run.
4) Always carry some form of identification – a simple pet name barrel is a simple solution to this and can be picked up easily from any pet store.
YOUR RUN:
4) Choose a group that suits your running ability rather than any targets you may have set yourself. The club arranges regular “move-up Tuesdays” to enable runners to try a quicker group when they feel they are ready. When attending for the first time, it is advisable to run with a group that runs at a slower pace that what you believe to be your ideal level, until you are familiar with the Club and the way it operates.
5) PWR offers the opportunity to run in a group and group leaders will ensure that, when running with us, no one is left to run on their own and no individual or small group gets lost. Please do not overtake your group leader unless told to do so. It is important that runners do not run off from their group or leave individuals behind. Group leaders have been instructed to ensure that each group runs at the pace of the slowest runner and no runners try to increase that pace through “running ahead” or placing pressure on any other runner.
6) Always maintain visual contact with the runner immediately behind you and in front of you. Should you lose visual contact, communicate this immediately along the chain to ensure that the whole group stops in order to re-group.
7) Immediately report any injury or unwellness – whether affecting yourself or another runner – to a fellow runner who should then pass it along the chain to the group leader. If you have a medical condition or disability e.g. diabetes, asthma, angina etc. please carry a note with you in case you should need medical attention during the run. If someone is injured or unwell, it is the responsibility of each runner in the group to ensure that they receive prompt help and support from the group leader and other runners.
8) Always shout out a warning oncoming obstacles, obstructions or dangerous situations to other runners. Keep a look-out particularly for holes in the ground, tree roots, branches or stinging nettles and approaching cars. A simple “roots” or “car” shouted out loudly acts as a clear warning to your fellow runners. When you hear a member shout out a warning, ensure you repeat it so that the warning travels back along your whole group.
9) Respect your surroundings – don’t run over areas that are not open to the public or are private property.
End of your run:
10) Always ensure that you advise your group if you are going to “drop out” early to run home rather than return to Willett Rec. Many runners actually run past or near their homes during the latter parts of our runs and decide to go straight home. If you do this please ensure that you inform your group leader. Likewise, if you have been told that a runner is leaving early, please communicate this to the group leader.
11) Always ensure that you report any “missing” runners immediately. At the end of the run please report any runners who you think might be missing. There may be a simple explanation, but it is better to be safe than sorry.
12) After running, stretch – the easiest way to avoid injury is to stretch after your run and the best way to do this is as a group!
FOR GROUP LEADERS
Before running
13) Explain clearly the distance that you intend to go and the pace (in minutes per mile) at which the group will run. Ensure that the group does not run at a quicker pace than stipulated.
14) Welcome any new members to the group and ensure that they are confident that they can maintain the stipulated pace. If you are in doubt, suggest that they begin with a slower group.
15) Ensure that all members of the group are sufficiently warmed up before running at the stipulated pace.
16) Carry your mobile phone with you. Ensure that you also have with you a copy of the PWR Emergency Contacts card, as supplied by the Club Secretary.
17) Whilst the group is running, the slowest pace always dictates. One of the most important roles of the Club is to ensure that no one is left to run on their own and no individual or small group gets lost. Group leaders may permit faster runners to run ahead to a specified point and “loop back” to rejoin the group, but should otherwise not allow any runner to run off from their group. The group should always run at the pace of the slowest runner and should, under no circumstances, try to increase that pace through “running ahead” or placing pressure on any individual runner.
18) Never allow a runner to become tailed off such that they may lose contact with the rest of the group. If an experienced member of the group is willing to accompany a struggling runner back to Willett Rec, this should first be authorised by the group leader.
19) Always maintain a complete chain of communication. It is your responsibility to ensure that your group remains as close together as possible and that a complete ‘unbroken’ chain of communication between the last runner and the first runner is maintained throughout the run.
20) Always run on public footpaths and pavements. When crossing roads, take particular care for your own safety as well as that of your fellow runners.
21) Re-group at regular intervals – this allows runners to catch their breath and report any injuries that they may feel. It also stops the group from spreading out.
Running in the woods
22) During the summer months, runners often like to run in the woods. There is no need to discourage this provided that the club’s safety guidance is particularly closely observed. The risk of runners suffering injury or becoming separated from their group is raised whilst running in the woods and group leaders must ensure that runners remain in close proximity and shout out warnings of hazards such as tree roots.
23) If a group of more than 20 runners wishes to run in the woods and there are sufficient group leaders taking part to allow for this, the group should be split into two and run separately. All groups must be out of the woods before nightfall.
End of the run
24) Return to Willett Rec and lead runners in a warm-down, involving appropriate stretches. It is important not to neglect this as it reduces the risk of injury. Groups must not congregate at the entrances to Willett Rec but proceed through the gate into the rec.
25) Ensure that any injuries or illnesses suffered by runners and any other matters of concern are reported to the Club’s Health and Safety Officer.
