Was this so bad?

[Alloverthegrapevine]

I've been careful, all through this thing, not to do anything outside the rules and certainly not to publically flaunt them. An event was organised last night that I was really looking forward to and couldn't see any Covid issues with, but was pulled at the last minute after "someone" complained and was really quite unpleasant to the organiser.

During summer months, usually, a few of us meet and run a "time trial". It's on public woodland trails and it's in the evening, when there aren't usually many other people there.

Runners go out individually, slowest first, the idea being that everyone has someone to chase/hold off and people keep their own time on their watch.

It's not an official event, just an individual who organises it for runners she knows. No cost, no marshalls, people know the course. We haven't had one this year but someone arranged it for last night.

Usually we all turn up at the start and arrange positions there but this time, a list of starting times was sent out beforehand so there was no mass start. 25 people spaced 1-2 mins apart.

So, it's outdoors, the only "meeting" we would do is if anyone was caught and passed and then a socially distanced chat at the end, outdoors.

I know the people involved, everyone has been really good about following the rules right through this and I was more than comfortable to go but apparently there was outrage from some of the "senior" figures in the local running community about bringing the sport into disrepute and she had pressure put on to cancel.

Most of us ran anyway, it really organises itself and it was lovely. I passed 2 people and was passed by 2 others, so I had momentary contact with 4 people whilst running. At the end everyone was excellent at standing well apart for a chat. By 15 mins after the last finisher was in, everyone had left.

Right to cancel because of how it looked? Right to cancel because it was actually too risky? Right because it did breach some rule I've missed? Or an unkind thing to do to someone who'd tried to do a good thing but probably stepped on someone shoes

I suppose people in close contact, running, sweating, breathing heavily could possibly spread the virus more easily. Probably fair enough to cancel. The organiser sounds like s/he has a bit of a chip on their shoulder

But that's the whole point, in this set up there is no one running in close contact.

Where is the organiser's chip?

On thinking it was an unkind thing to do for some reason

If it’s in woodland, how close do people pass each other?

It's on wide woodland tracks so 1.5-2m I'd say but if you're being overtaken by a runner it really is only momentarily.

Would be within my comfort levels. (Well regarding corona that is, I can't run!)

JogScotland say at the moment that 5 households can run together with social distancing, maximum 15 people,
it was 3 households initially. However a few weeks I saw an outdoor boot camp group which had well over 20 people quite close together. Don't know what the guidelines are elsewhere. Maybe you could do it with a smaller group?

Even if you’re out running on your own you pass people en route. During the height of the lockdown when lots of people weren’t working I was constantly running by people out wandering about. Or cyclists were going past me on the road. Your mini time trial sounds fine to me.

I think we’re going to be living like this for a while though, with different people having different tolerances of risk, different interpretations of the guidelines... I’m glad you got out there anyway.

I think that meet up is exactly the sort that should go ahead, outdoors and healthy. And I say that as someone who has been unwell with covid for 4 months and followed all lockdown rules.

Perhaps your organiser was a bit silly not asking what local running officials thought first? and the landowner too.

I know with cycling, anything organised by any BC member, is "official" and needs to be sanctioned first by the "committee" or there will be trouble!

25 people running around a wood, then standing around chatting is just going to get the wrong sort of attention.

I don't see an issue with that

Well as running clubs are now allowed to do social runs with up to 12 runners, plus other outdoor sports, and you weren't breaking any rules, then I'd say totally not bad.

In fact guidance is no out for mass participation events, and I know of at least one race that has gone ahead, with plenty more hoping to go ahead next month.....and thats a lot more than 25 people

Seems ridiculous to me OP. My running group had new guidance from England Athletics this week that allows running in SD groups, so our evening 'social' runs are back on, as long as members run at least 2m apart. Your event sounds well within that guidance, to me and no more dangerous than just heading out for a run and having to pass other runners, walkers, etc en route.

Our club hasn't done official group runs yet, although members are organising small group runs informally. From that experience, I'd say getting a group of 12 (or 6) runners to run 2m apart is nigh on impossible.

But these runners were much more than 2m apart and not running in a group.

Sounds perfectly fine to me! You were outdoors, spaced out and kept your distance afterwards. And you kept fit!

Some people don't actually read anything about how the virus transmits. The set-up sounds fine, though the legal limit is 30 people however socially distanced you are, so keep within that.

As others have said, it appears as described legal, and I cannot see any real problem with it, it may not meet the guidance since the government guidance only applies if its held under the auspices of an NGB, but since that is actually only relevant if going beyond the legal limits ie you wanted 100 people to do it...

There may actually be a problem if you are England Athletics affiliated and run in any way under their auspices, as that would be breaking their current rules - of course most runners in the country are not EA affiliated although many running clubs are for London marathon places if nothing else.

EA's return to racing won't sanction any races until August. However such an event would trivially meet their requirements - they can sanction events with any number of racers and it will still be legal, no 30 limit for them.

I can see both sides. It sounds like this event was low risk. But if people are racing, the reality is that they are unlikely to cooperate with social distancing from others on the path, eg moving to one side, waiting for a moment to avoid meeting at a narrow point on the path etc. I know that in some areas, people have abandoned social distancing, but that's not the case everywhere. Where I live, most people will still make way when passing strangers (in a way that wouldn't have happened pre-Covid).

It either is or isn't in line with guidelines. Is the 5 households up to 15 people upthread correct? If so then it is not in line, and therefore I think it is right it didn't go ahead.

You could have organised something in line with guidelines - then no one can complain.

Guidelines are that more than 6 people from different households cannot meet outdoors (in England, you don't say where you are).

So the running bit of the event is probably fine; although as a casual pedestrian going the same way I'd be annoyed by constantly having to move to the side for runners going past.

The standing around socialising bit at the end is the problem. It's legal, but outside of current guidelines. Similar running events round here have stuck to a maximum of 6 people.