Whilst we have not yet seen official advice from England Athletics it is expected that running session will be allowed as pre the current lockdown with a run leader and up to 12 runners. As before we expect that sessions will need to be pre booked and the previous Covid Secure guidelines will need to be followed: ie back to the new normal. Accordingly Pete will be sending round an email inviting you to book sessions from Thursday (so next week Monday and Tuesday sessions will not be run). If the guidelines were to be more restrictive we would try to accommodate the bookings by splitting groups further but if not possible some bookings would need to be cancelled. However currently we do expect that it will be as before.
We are introducing a new automated booking system which should be simpler than the previous email based process. Pete's email will include a link to a booking form and the booking schedule. Click on the link for the form and click on the session you wish to join then press submit. Provided spaces are available you will be be booked into the session. This new system is automated and real time. If you want to check you are booked please click on the link to the schedule.
The previous system was designed to work with the earlier position were there were insufficient spaces to meet all the booking requests and accordingly a booking window was used and it necessary to manually allocate people to ensure it was fair. Now with the 5k groups being supported by at least two run leaders and in particular with Sarah Doole kindly agreeing to be an additional run leader it is expected that we will usually be able to accommodate all requests: as was the case in the last few weeks before the most recent lockdowns: although on a couple of weeks the Saturday morning session was overbooked (with 14 request for 12 places for the final week)
The changes to the previous system are:
1. The system it automated you do not need to send an email to book. However you should still email
2. Bookings are now automated when you submit the form so accordingly are on a first come first served basis. If the number of available spaces is exceeded then you will be added to a waitlist: however it is only expected this may happen in relation to the Saturday morning run but probably most weeks this will be fine.
3. There is no booking window, no priority between your choices, no limit on number of sessions booked but please do not select alternatives (or you will be booked on both).
4. However if you do know what you want to book for the coming week we would still prefer you to book at the weekend:
a) it makes it easier on the run leaders if they know who many are expected: especially fi the group needs to be split
b) if a group is full then if you have booked by 4pm on Sunday you will be offered priority for the following week.
5. You can see your bookings and who else has booked at anytime by clicking on the link in Pete's email. Because you can see the bookings at any time a list will no longer be emailed or posted to Facebook on Sunday. Generally the same link will apply each week but note there may be am updated form issued from time to time in which case the link will change. I am looking at a possible update to send an email to confirm your booking.
6. Note that the online booking schedule is cleared Friday morning (a back up is taken for Covid records): so if you are booked on a weekend run please check your booking before Friday. Do not book until you receive the email from Pete or alternatively check the schedule has been cleared and date reset. If you are making a booking on Friday/Saturday for the the immediate weekend you need to book by emailing
7. If you need to cancel this is as before please send an email to