All club training sessions are cancelled with the government's decision to move the area into Tier 4.

You can find details on what training is possible on the following page from England Athletics:

https://www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-27-november-2020/

So it's confirmed that the fun police have forced us to cancel all training until further notice...
However 
You can train with your household or one other person in a public outdoor space
1:1 coaching can take place in a public outdoor space following social distancing measures (Please note: We are seeking clarity on 1:1 coaching with U18s and disability athletes/runners)
Virtual training sessions can be delivered by qualified coaches
If alone please post in this group to pair up with others for social runs as allowed by the rules....
Meanwhile we shall make up some fun stuff / challenges to complete over what will be a trying month for everyone.
Stay safe everyone and if anyone wants a friendly chat/ advice, whether its to do with running or anything else, please contact any of the other committee / steering group members and i am sure between us we will help any way we can.

Hedge End Running Club – Return to Running
 
Thank you to everyone that planned, organised and attended the test session on the J track at Wyvern School on Monday 24th August. On a track setting and therefore similar to the Ageas, the session was a test of all our plans, and feedback was very positive.
 
Accordingly we are now able to release details of further sessions as we continue our slow return to normality (or as near as possible as the situation allows!)
 
Mish Mash at Wyvern School on the J Track with Steven Wood & Joanne Johnson
Mondays 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th September – 18:45 hours –
These sessions are limited to 24 members
 
Monday Maidens with Paul Marchant   - Please note new time of 19:00 hrs
Monday  7th September – 19:00 hours
This session is a test session to demonstrate that we can safely run on roads again – This session is strictly limited to 9 members.
Should this session be successful, then further sessions are planned every Monday going forward from Monday 14th September. We will release details on this next week.
                                                                                            
Tuesday Intervals at Wyvern School on the J Track with Alan Cowan and team
Tuesday  8th September – 19:00 hours
This session is a test session to demonstrate that we can safely run intervals again – This session is strictly limited to 30 members.
Should this session be successful then further Tuesday sessions will be planned, and pending a proposed return to The Ageas next month.
 
All sessions are strictly by pre-registration only via https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/hedge-end-running-club-30914518347 . Registration is open for all three of next week's sessions from 18:00 today and going forward will be at 18:00 each Wednesday.
 
The club is also developing its plans  - with the return of Monday Maidens as a start of this - for the return to Thursday night paced/group runs, with the intention that they can resume by the end of this month.  Details of these will be announced once we are ready to do so.
 
Please do not attend any session without having pre-registered as you will not be allowed to join them. We acknowledge that this formality may be unhelpful to those unable to plan that far in advance, but for as long as details of all those attending sessions is required then a booking and registration scheme will be in place.  In doing so, HERC is adhering to EA guidelines in this area.
 
We look forward to seeing you at some of these sessions!
 
On behalf of the committee and Running Steering Group
 
Richard Allen

Message from the club chairman Richard Allen:

Further to the announcement made on Thursday 6th August we are pleased to announce that a working group formed jointly of Committee members, the Running Steering Group and run leaders has been looking at how we can safely run together again.
 
I am delighted to announce that we will be running one ‘Monday Mish Mash’ test session on Monday 24th August from 645 PM to 730PM at Wyvern School on the J track in order to gauge demand from the membership and to trial and test our plans of how we will provide compliant covid-secure training going forward. 
 
Should this session be successful (and the group will hold a wash up review very shortly after the session)  then we plan to slowly roll out more test sessions, with a longer term aim of providing something like the regular sessions, when we make our anticipated return to The Ageas in October.
 
To register for this session (which is limited to 24 members) please follow this link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/hedge-end-running-club-30914518347  from 6pm on Wednesday 19th August. The registration process will collect information that is required should someone subsequently become Ill and we need to implement track and trace.
 
Separately, Will Anthes will send a communication later this week asking all members to confirm that the contact details we hold are correct. You will understand that we must re-start training in ways that both meet Government guidelines and also make all members feel safe in how we are doing so.  However we see this is a really positive step and would ask all those planning to register and come along to understand these new ways of working, whilst still  enjoying this much-welcomed opportunity.
 
 
Please take note of our "HERC COVID-19 FRAMEWORK" – This will form the basis of next weeks and any future sessions

​http://www.hedgeendrunningclub.com/news/draft-herc-covid-19-framework

Prior to Training

• All members that are attending training will need to register for the session on the club registration.  Under no circumstances should you attend a session without pre-registering.  Note: The details provided when registering will be passed on to the track and scheme in the event of somebody attending the session testing positive for COVID19 in the days following the session.
• If you are unable to attend after registering, please cancel your registration as we will be operating a wait list, which will allow others to attend in your place.  In the event of repeated non attendance sanctions will be taken against the member (TBC).
• All participants and volunteers must undergo a self-assessment for any Covid-19- symptoms. No-one should attend a HERC training session if they, or someone they live with, has any of the following: A high temperature (above 37.8°C), a new, continuous cough, a loss of, or change to, their sense of smell or taste. This check should be done prior to each training session. Should an individual have demonstrated any such symptoms, they must not participate or volunteer, and should follow relevant government guidance.
• Anyone who has already been instructed to self-isolate by a health care practitioner should continue to follow this advice and may not participate or volunteer.
• Anyone that is living in a Tier 3 area should not attend a training session which is hosted in a Tier 1 or 2 area, further guidance from England Athletics on tier restrictions can be found here.

​
Before leaving home 

• Follow all hygiene guidance including washing your hands. 
• Ensure that all arrangements have been made prior to leaving home so that any government advice on social distancing, as an example, can be maintained at any facility. 
• Coaches, leaders, and athletes should ensure they are prepared and have planned for circumstances where injuries or other accidents occur, and they have mitigating procedures and plans in place to resolve the issue while maintaining all government guidance. 
• Ensure you have enough food and hydration for the session. 
• Be aware that changing facilities and toilets may not be open

At Training

• Do not congregate before or after training, return home. 
• Ensure all hygiene guidance on use of equipment or facilities is followed
• Any areas used for pre-event gathering should maximise the available space for each participant and minimise the amount of time participants spend in proximity to each other.
• Participants are permitted to walk or run at their own pace.
• During the event, participants should walk, jog or run with an aim of making use of all available space and minimising the amount of time in close proximity to each other.
• Participants should not spit anywhere on the course, high-five anyone else, or engage in any other non-essential contact.
• Other users of the park or area of open space should be given way to at all times.

After Training

• In the event that you test positive in the two weeks after attending a training session, you should contact the run leaders or one of the committee members to inform them, so that members can be contacted and details can be prepared to inform the government track and trace scheme.

Run Leaders / Coaches

• At HERC training sessions operating under the COVID-19 Framework, the training leader of each session will act as the COVID-19 Officer(s), which means that:
• Prior to attending, they will be required to familiarise themselves with this document and confirm they have done so.
• Where possible, all sessions should be planned to limit the use of any physical items.  Where it is deemed necessary to use such items, only one person should come into contact with the item, for example the same person puts out and picks afterwards cones.  All items should be cleaned after the event.  Government advice on cleaning is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings
• Run leaders should bring the following items with them to sessions:
  • Mobile phone to be used in the event of an emergency
  • Face mask / covering to be used in the event of an emergency if social distancing cannot be maintained
  • Hand sanitiser 
• The government summarise what is required to implement a COVID Secure environment and these should be implemented for all training sessions  aside from working from home:-;
  1. Carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment 
  2. Develop cleaning, handwashing and hygiene procedures
  3. Maintain 2m social distancing, where possible
  4. Where people cannot be 2m apart, manage transmission risk

COVID Action Plan

• All HERC sessions will take place in a COVID secure environment, as defined by England Athletics.  Details can be found in this document.
• You can find the risk assessments for each of the club session here: Risk Assessments
• All members attending the sessions, will be registered using the HERC eventbrite system: HERC Eventbrite
• Details of what is expected of all members will be provided when booking a place using Eventbrite, as well as specific updates and changes being provided by email, the club Facebook group and website.
• The club COVID coordinators are Matt Gardner and Mike Bridgeman.  The run leaders taking specific sessions, will take on the role of COVID officer for that session.

Further Info

• England Athletics Guidance:​
• www.englandathletics.org/athletics-and-running/news/guidance-update-for-restricted-return-to-activity-for-coaches-leaders-athletes-runners-and-facilities-step-3/

Following the Stubbington 10k, 6 of this season's 12 HRRL races are now complete. All the season's results are here:
https://hrrl.z33.web.core.windows.net/
Now feels a good opportunity to summarise HERC's results this season to date. In terms of our teams, our current league standings are as follows:
Women's A Team - 7th (A Div 1)
Women's B Team - 7th (B Div 1)
Women's C Team - 14th (B Div1)
Men's A Team - 8th (A Div1)
Men's B Team - 9th (B Div 1)
Men's C Team - 12th (B Div 1)
Our top performing individuals are as follows (max score is 100, which would mean winning every race!)
WOMEN
Joanne Labram - 95.0
Becky Stark - 92.3
Kirsty Shannon - 91.7
MEN
Samuel Skinner - 93.3
Alun Hanford - 91.5
Peter O'Donnell - 90.9
An incredible 119 Hedgies have run 1 or more of the races this season. Those with the most appearances are as follows:
6 - Andy Taphouse
6 - Christopher Chester
6 - Jeremy Hollinshead
6 - Lisa Small
6 - Michelle Surtees
6 - Mike Bridgeman
6 - Mike Furlong
6 - Tracy Puttock
5 - Aaron Rogers
5 - Alana Williams
5 - Becky Stark
5 - Claire Cannon
5 - Joe Amber
5 - Maria Sparks
5 - Paul Vine
5 - Robert Jones
5 - Will Miller
4 - Alan Cowan
4 - Alice Fenlon
4 - Danielle Ward
4 - David Kinloch
4 - James Lathwell
4 - Jerome Bordry
4 - Kevin Rowe
4 - Marcin Kaszubowski
4 - Paula Balch
4 - Richard Moseley
4 - Robson Trendell
4 - Sarah Marszall
4 - Tracey Shepperd
4 - William Baggs
3 - Aaron Cleeve
3 - Bradley Lewis
3 - Dawn Bowen
3 - Jonathan Farrington
3 - Jordan Winbourne
3 - Keith Sheppard
3 - Michelle Jacobs
3 - Nigel Lee
3 - Paul Marchant
3 - Sarah Butler
3 - Stuart Wigginton
If you've any queries, please ask either myself or Tracy Puttock as HERC's HRRL reps. Remember all Hedgies welcome at all races!
Cheers,
Mike Bridgeman & Tracy Puttock.

Many congratulations to the 38 Hedgies who completed the Ryde 10 HRRL race this morning. Happy to be corrected but that has to be a record HERC turnout for our annual 'overseas' trip.

And many thanks to the numerous supporters who made the trip too - always helps lift the spirits, particularly on tough courses like Ryde.

Conditions were good once again, albeit a little gusty in places. Here are the provisional results:
http://www.rydeharriers.co.uk/re…/ryde_10miles_results_2020/

Not known as a PB race, but do let us know if you got one! I'm certainly aware of some excellent course PBs.
​
And many thanks to Tracy for organising all the travel arrangements once again, made it so easy for the rest of us.

September’s Member of the Month award is presented to Alan Cowan.

Alan has been an active member of the club for many years, regularly representing the club in HRRL, Lakeside 5k, CC6 and RR10 races.  

However, more recently Alan has contributed a great deal of his time to leading sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evening, including regularly standing stepping up on days when there have been a shortage of run leaders.  He then decided to go one step further, and in September completed his Coach in Run Fitness qualification, and can be seen applying all his newly acquired knowledge and skills at the Tuesday Intervals Ageas Sessions.  If that wasn’t enough, he also volunteered to become a member of the Running Steering Group Leadership Team, giving up even more free time to further the development of the club.

​Many thanks Alan for all of the time and energy to have dedicated to the club over the years.