Strava Guidance for Malvern Buzzards Members

Strava is our central platform for organising club runs. Almost all of our runners use Strava as a means of recording their runs. Even if you do not wish to use Strava to record, it is worth downloading it to be able to see and join organised club runs.

Strava is completely free, and is easily downloadable through your phone App Store. If you would like help with setting up Strava, feel free to contact one of the team or post a message in one of our forums and one of our members will always help.


Accessing ‘Malvern Buzzards Running Club’ on Strava
Please email membership@malvernbuzzards.uk to show you interest and then click the link below to request to join our Strava club:




Strava also allows for members to post onto the club forum for discussions e.g. suggestions for upcoming races and equipment such as shoes and head torches. There are also other interest features like leader boards.

Strava forces run leaders who create a run to select either ‘Beginner’, ‘Intermediate’ or ‘Expert’. Don’t be put off by these labels, run leaders will try to be as descriptive as possible in order to help members decide whether they wish to join or not. If you are unsure about the run, just ask the run leader directly or in one of our other platforms (Whatsapp or Facebook). 

We will never leave a Buzzard behind on a run, but try your best to make a judgement about the distance and pace of the run and whether you feel able to do so. Run leaders will also put mandatory kit list when required e.g. head torch, water. Please ensure that you bring these.  

If you do “Click In” to a club run and then cannot make it for whatever reason (we do understand that this can happen) please make every effort to “Click Out” of the run, you can do this by going back to the run through Strava and clicking ‘I’m out’, as otherwise club members will be waiting for you (as we say, we don’t leave a Buzzard behind!). Run leaders will put their mobile number on the run page and so you can also call or text them if you need to cancel or are running a few minutes late.

Happy Buzzarding!


Privacy Notice

MALVERN BUZZARDS RUNNING CLUB are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. For any personal data you provide for the purposes of your membership, the club Secretary (Simeon Foreman) is the Data Controller and is responsible for storing and otherwise processing that data in a fair, lawful, secure and transparent way.

What personal data we hold on you:

You may give us information about you by filling in forms at an event or online, or by corresponding with us by phone, e-mail or otherwise. This includes information you provide when you register with the club, subscribe to our newsletter, or participate in discussion boards on our webs ite, Facebook and Strava etc. The information you give us may include your name, date of birth, address, e-mail address, phone number, name of the EA affiliated clubs with which you are registered and gender (Athletics Data). We may also ask for relevant health information which is classed as special category personal data.

Why we need your personal data:

The reason we need your Athletics Data is to be able to administer your membership, and provide the membership services you are signing up to when you register with the club. Our lawful basis for processing your personal is that we have a contractual obligation to you as a member to provide the services you are registering for.

Reasons we need to process your data include:

For training and competition entry

  • Sharing personal data with club coaches or officials to administer training sessions; and sharing personal data with club team managers to enter events; and
  • Sharing personal data with leagues, county associations and other competition providers for entry in events. 

For funding and reporting purposes

  • Sharing anonymised data with a funding partner as condition of grant funding e.g. Local Authority; analysing anonymised data to monitor club trends; and sending an annual club survey to improve your experience as a club member.
  • For membership and club management processing of membership forms and payments; sharing data with committee members to provide information about club activities, membership renewals or invitation to social events; club newsletter promoting club activity; and publishing of race and competition results
  • Marketing and communications (where separate consent is provided) sending information about promotions and offers from sponsors; sending information about selling club kit, merchandise or fundraising.
  • Any special category health data we hold on you is only processed for the purpose(s) of passing health data to coaches to allow the safe running of training sessions. We process this data on the lawful basis of consent. Therefore, we will also need your explicit consent to process this data, which we will ask for at the point of collecting it.
  • On occasion we may collect personal data from non-members [(e.g. such as any non-member participant who fills in a health disclaimer or form at a taster event) - enter as applicable. This information will be stored for 31 days after an event and then destroyed securely. Our lawful basis for processing data is consent. Therefore, we will also need explicit consent from non-members to process this data, which we will ask for at the point of collecting it.
  • The club has the following social media pages e.g. Facebook, Messenger, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram. All members are free to join these pages. If you join one of the Social Media pages, please note that provider of the social media platform(s) have their own privacy policies and that the club do not accept any responsibility or liability for these policies. Please check these policies before you submit any personal data on the club social media pages.

Who we share your personal data with:

When you become a member of the club you can also choose to be registered as a member of England Athletics Limited. If you would like to register as a member of England Athletics Limited, please tick the box below, and we will provide England Athletics Limited with your Athletics Data which they will use to enable access to the MyAthletics online portal. England Athletics Limited will contact you to invite you to sign into and update your MyAthletics portal. You can set and amend your privacy settings from the MyAthletics portal. If you have any questions about the continuing privacy of your personal data when it is shared with England Athletics Limited, please contact dataprotection@englandathletics.org. If you do not tick the box, the we will not share your data with England Athletics Limited. Please be aware that should you ever wish to compete in your sport you will have to register with England Athletics Limited at that time.

The club does not supply any personal data it holds for this purpose to any other third party. The club’s data processing requires your personal data to be transferred outside of the UK for the purpose of cloud hosting, OneDrive storage etc. Where the club does transfer your personal data overseas it is with the appropriate safeguards in place to ensure the security of that personal data.

How long we hold your personal data:

We will hold your personal data on file for as long as you are a member with us. Athlete data is updated every year on annual membership forms. Any personal data we hold on you will be securely destroyed after four years of inactivity on that member’s account, in line with England Athletics Limited’s retention policy. Your data is not processed for any further purposes other than those detailed in this policy.

Your rights regarding your personal data:

As a data subject you may have the right at any time to request access to, rectification or erasure of your personal data; to restrict or object to certain kinds of processing of your personal data, including direct marketing; to the portability of your personal data and to complain to the UK’s data protection supervisory authority, the Information Commissioner’s Office about the processing of your personal data.

As a data subject you are not obliged to share your personal data with the club. If you choose not to share your personal data with us we may not be able to register or administer your membership.


Health and Safety Policy

MALVERN BUZZARDS RUNNING CLUB is, through all levels of its leadership, committed to ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, that:

  • All members are safeguarded fully in respect of health, safety and welfare whilst participating in club activities
  • All reasonable risks are minimised.
  • Members of the public or visitors are not exposed to any identifiable health and safety risks.
  • No activities are carried out by the club that are liable to expose members or members of the public to hazards to health, unless suitable and sufficient assessments of risk are made and, where necessary, measures to prevent or control the risk have been introduced.

 The leadership has ultimate responsibility for the implementation of this policy and, through the leadership, will endeavour to ensure that the requirements of all health and safety legislation are established.

Objectives

The Club’s objectives are:

  • To provide conditions for all members which seek to prevent any foreseeable risk to health. This requires that risk assessments be carried out to enable hazards and risks to be identified to enable the standards of safety to be adopted and enforced.
  • To provide comprehensive information – with the objective of ensuring, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety of every member and visitor.
  • To ensure that the health, safety and welfare of all members are under continuous review by leadership at all levels.
  • To support coaches and run group leaders in development of their skills by enabling them to attend suitable England Athletics (or equivalent) approved courses

 Co-operation

 The success of this policy is largely dependent upon the total co-operation of every member and visiting runners who also have a duty to:

  • Take reasonable precautions in safeguarding the health and safety of themselves and others.
  • Observe all health and safety guidelines and procedures as laid down by the leadership.
  • Follow guidelines and any instructions given by the leadership (including Run Group Leaders) both before and during any runs.
  • Alert the leadership to any potential hazard that they have noticed and report all accidents or incidents that have led, or may lead to, injury, illness or damage. Note: this should also include making Run Group Leaders aware of any illness or injury they may be suffering from prior to the start of any run

 Policy review

 This policy will be monitored to ensure it is effective and will be regularly reviewed and revised as necessary.

Risk assessments

Generic risk assessments, applicable to all club members, including run leaders, (Buzzards), guests and occasional attendees (Guests).

REF.

Risk class

Task / Activity / Environment

Hazards that may present or be generated

Who may be harmed by the hazards?

Action to mitigate the hazards and reduce risks

Additional information and/or precautions

1.

Group Safety

Venue / location issues

Poor or no street lighting in certain areas (and especially on trails).

Buzzards and Guests

Use head torches.

Run leaders to advise on “dark” routes and advise use of head torches and high-viz clothing.

 

2.

Group Safety

Venue / location issues

Potholes, tree roots, slip and trip hazards

Buzzards and Guests

Extra care required to avoid the potholes/tree roots etc.

Walk if unsure of foot stability.

 

3.

Group Safety

Venue / location issues

Traffic and other road users / path users

Buzzards and Guests

Public / Road users

Be aware of vehicles using car park.

Wait / meet away from main traffic flows.

Look out for turning vehicles.

 

4.

Group Safety

Participant ability

Participant ability related to known medical issues and fitness levels

Buzzards and Guests

All participants should be aware that they are responsible for their own well-being. The decision whether to run or not is left to the discretion of the individual and they run at their own risk.

Those with on-going conditions (e.g. asthma or diabetes) must advise the group leader of their condition and carry their medication during each session.

Asthmatics should not run if they are suffering badly or fear an attack is imminent.      

Leaders to ensure that the health disclaimer has been completed where practical prior to an individual’s first session.

A list of individuals contact details and medical condition is to be retained and carried by group leaders.

Individuals should be referred to their GP if there is any doubt about fitness.

Participants must include a next of kin contact on registration form.

5.

Group Run Safety

Individual safety

Injury/illness unreported by participant

Buzzards and Guests

Carry out visual check and health / injury enquiry before every session.

 

 

 

6.

Group Run Safety

Individual safety

Inappropriate clothing.

Visibility of individuals and group.

Footwear.

Buzzards and Guests

Clothing should suit conditions.

given by the leader. Hi-viz or reflective tops should be worn especially in low light conditions.

Advice on footwear can be given by Run Leader

Suggested clothing to be advertised on Strava event before run starts

7.

Group Run Safety

Individual safety

Possible dehydration or low energy

Buzzards and Guests

New members should be pre-advised regarding water and food.

New participants should carry drink and snack with them until they are confident of their body’s requirements

Run leaders to have mobile phone and emergency contact list.

 

8.

Group Run Safety

Individual safety

Injury and illness during session

Buzzards and Guests

Next of kin details should be available.

First aid must only be given if currently qualified.

Injured or ill runners will be accompanied back base by a responsible participant or accompanied until assistance arrives.

Group leader to advise next of kin if hospitalisation is required.

Be aware of Defibrillator locations around Malvern. A location list can be found on the Heartstart Malvern web page below.

 

http://heartstartmalvern.org.uk/locations.htm

 

9.

Group Run Safety

Individual safety

Getting lost

Buzzards and Guests

Group leader to have a map of route (GPX, mobile device, Watch etc)

Route maps to be available (on Strava).

10.

Group Run Safety

Individual safety

Losing a runner

Buzzards and Guests

Running groups to stick together, appointed leaders to encourage mustering where front runners run back to collect those at back.

Remind runners to select a running group consistent with their ability.

 

Where possible and depending on group numbers, an experienced runner will be designated “tailend“ to accompany the back of the group.

11.

Environment

Traffic and road crossings.

All traffic, including other runners, members of the public, cyclists. Crossing roads and non-pavement roads.

Buzzards and Guests

Public / Road users

Use any and all crossings provided as a prudent pedestrian.

Cross as a group where practical to minimise the disruption to other traffic and maximise runners’ safety.

Take personal responsibility.

Respect all other road users.

Follow the Highway Code.

Reinforce traffic guidelines each week.

 

12.

Club runs

Running routes general

Various.

Buzzards and Guests

Route has been checked as suitable for the group.

Run leaders have access to maps on mobile device.

Participants forewarned of route obstacles.

Routes selected that have good lighting wherever possible.

Lights and “Hi-viz” gear to be worn on darker evenings.

Road safety rules must be adhered to.

Session for novice participants kept to appropriate time.

Intermediate and advanced sessions can be longer/ more challenging.

On-going assessment by leader, with adaption as required.

Ability of the slowest / least able sets the session time.

Risk assessment specific to route to be carried out.

13.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Environment

Weather

Variation in weather conditions making it too hot, cold, wet or slippery

Buzzards and Guests

Public / Road users

Group to decide if conditions are not conducive to an enjoyable run. Emphasis to be placed on hydration in hot conditions. In cold slippery conditions advise that foot, leg or other injuries could occur and that falls are likely.

Ensure that Hi-Viz is not obscured by outer layers.

 

14.

Under 18s

Safeguarding

Run leaders must have undergone DBS check to lead a group with 16 or 17 year olds

Buzzards under 18 years old

 

 

15.

Group Runs

Livestock and animals

Risk of injury, harm or threat from livestock or animals.

Buzzards and Guests

Pre-run briefing session to raise awareness.

Run leader to note type of ground to be encountered e.g. off road, field with cows etc.

Keep group together and move through stock following a dynamic risk assessment approach (including route variation).

 

16.

Safeguarding

Under 18s

Risk that under 18s may over exert themselves on a senior session

Under 18s

Route, distance and pace to be shared in advance.

Run leaders to check in at the start of the run to establish ability.

Limit distance of runs for under 18s joining to 10k.

 

 COVID19 UPDATE – As of June 2020

17.

 

 

 

Group Run Safety

Club members Participating in in club runs

 

Group Runs

 

 

Buzzards and Guests

1. The group is limited to six (including a LiRF), with all members adhering to the government

guidelines around social distancing.

All Club runs will be advertised on Strava which members have to click in to attend. Run Leaders will monitor the registration and adjust the description to ‘FULL’ if needed.
Situations where Club runs become more popular, run leaders will communicate with each other to organise clear groups that either split to run different routes or to stagger their start times. Routes must be planned and advertised beforehand. 

Run Leader should take in account, parking, route and abilities 

See England Athletic Guidelines https://d192th1lqal2xm.cloudfront.net/2020/07/EA-return-to-activity-guidance-coaches-leaders-step2-v10.pdf

 

All members should adhere to government guidelines personal hygiene

 

18

Group Run safety

Club members Participating in in club runs

Contact with surfaces

Buzzards and Guests

If the running route comes in contact with any gates or styles, the gate or style should be opened by one runner to limit the number of people touching the surface. If possible, runs should be designed to limit this situation. 

 

19

Travel to runs

 

Travel

Buzzards

Runners should walk/ run/ jog to the event where possible  

When using public transport, follow Gov guidelines.

Buzzard should not travel with another runner who are not part of their household

 

20

Solo Run Safety

Individual safety

To spread or contract infectious disease Covid19 - Distancing

Buzzards and Public

Solo runs to be done at runners own risk. Social distance guidelines to be followed at all times and keep a distance of at least 2 meters from everyone. Avoid unnecessary travel.

 

21

Solo Run Safety

Individual safety

To spread or contract infectious disease Covid19 – Interaction with others

Buzzards and Public

Time of day to be considered when planning a run (mornings / evenings could be quieter).

 

22

Solo Run Safety

Individual safety

To spread or contract infectious disease Covid19 – PPE

Buzzards and Public

Although running PPE is not a requirement in the UK yet, any face mask / snood would help prevent the spread of Covid19.

Caution must be taken wearing any PPE that restricts breathing during an activity, runners to use at their own discretion.

 

Last updated: April 2021