I hope that this message finds you all well and fit. Following the update in guidance from English Athletics to affiliated clubs we are able to resume limited club activities, first up will be summer runs starting on Tuesday 4th August, more details below. At this time we will not be resuming club Thursday night training sessions from Sturfit but we will be arranging club activities on Thursday evenings which may be additional social summer runs or internal club races.

I have taken on the role of club Covid -19 co-ordinator in which role I or my designated deputies will be,

• liaising with facility / landowners in relation to all maters covid related.
• If required producing site based risk assessments
• Ensuring that all necessary levels of risk mitigation are in place prior to a club activity
• Providing a plan to deal with injuries or accidents occurring with a club activity whilst mitigating the risk etc.
• Making sure that club members whatever their role in the activity adheres to the EA guidance.
• Ensuring the club complies with facility guidance and restrictions.

Summer Runs are back, click to find out more…

Thursdays

We will also be organising additional activities on Thursday evenings, these will take the form of additional summer runs led by committee members and maybe internal club races, the exact details will be announced as we go but we start on the 06th August with the John Deacon Handicap.

John Deacon Handicap

The JD handicap will be run on Thursday 06th August from Hinton St Mary as always but with an 1830 start for the slower runners as the nights are drawing in. Handicaps will be calculated from historical results which we realise may well not reflect your present fitness levels but in that respect everyone who runs will be in the same position. We will put out a FB post asking for entries soon. Past club members are welcome to run but only a paid up Doddler can win the shield.

Club Championships

We continue to invite members to run the John Deacon course during the month of July as a club championship race, you have one week left to get out there and bag some points. There will be no club championship race in August but a virtual or internal club race will be run in September and each month thereafter until the end of the year.

The Stickler

Sadly due to the ongoing pandemic we have decided not to run the Stickler in 2020 for the general public, it is considered impossible to follow the race guidelines as issued by English Athletics given the nature of the Stickler course.

However we will be running the Stickler as a internal club championship race on probably Sunday 18thOctober (date to be confirmed). So all those Doddlers who never get a chance to run the Stickler as they take on race duties, this is your year for glory.

Attendance at Club Activites

Please be aware of the following when attending a Doddler activity

• Do not attend if you feel unwell in any way
• Be aware that there will be no toilet facilities on any of our runs
• Social distance prior to, during and after the run.
• Carry a mask in case it is impossible to socially distance such as assisting an injured runner.
• Be aware that we will be recording names and contact details of those attending, these records will be destroyed after 3 weeks.
• The club Covid co-ordinator is myself David Jackson 07788 243 548, if I’m not running then the run leader / race director will act as covid co-ordinator for that event.

Club Membership

Last chance saloon for club memberships for 2020 / 2021, if you haven’t renewed and are reading this message please renew or advise Roger on membership@dorsetdoddlers.org. if you are not renewing. We would love to keep all our members.

We look forward to seeing all the Doddlers again very soon.
Dave Jackson (Chairman)