• Be prepared for a slow phase-in of return-to-activities in your community. Keep in mind state officials may say one thing, while your county or city officials may say something else based on local conditions. This is not a like a fire drill where everyone will get an "all-clear," "return to normal" directive in May.
• Take your time to work with local officials to understand when you will be allowed to host group runs and produce your race(s). You may find that communities will start to allow for small group gatherings of 10-25 people before allowing events over 100 people. This may present an opportunity to implement some small, controlled group runs to test updated sanitation efforts to implement at future events and larger group runs.
• RRCA, in Partnership with CARA, has issued Operational Perparedness Plans for Group Runs.  Download the PDF, adapt to local considerations, and implement new plans and procedures.
• As a running community leader, do everything you can to maintain/improve the nationwide example of runners being responsible while promoting physical distancing during the return to outdoor group fitness/running.
• Plan, plan, plan - utilize the "Looking Forward: Guidelines for Events" for helpful tips.  The guide, as of May 3, includes small case studies of recent evens utilizing new procedures for physical distancing and sanitation.
• Update your waivers if you do virtual runs. For all events and group runs you will host post-pandemic, we recommend addressing Covid-19 and other diseases in your waiver moving forward.

Q. Doe the RRCA's General Liability Insurance Program cover a member if someone claims they get Covid-19 from participating in an activity?

A.  The General Liability policy provided by the RRCA for its members will defend claims of negligence if someone sues an event, club, or coach saying they got Covid-19 at the event, club program/run, coached program/run. The burden of proof that an illness was actually contracted at an event will be a challenge in a lawsuit. Managing risk to avoid a clam of negligence makes it imperative for race directors and run organizers put plans in place for sanitation, physical distancing guidelines, updated waivers, etc. that are in accordance with local and state health department recommendations.  Good plans, along with waivers that specifically include Covid-19 risk acknowledgement (RRCA waiver samples are updated), are a first line of defense if an event, club or coach were to be sued for a claim of negligence if someone test positive following participation after an event or organized run or group activity.

Read more FAQs related to planning for a return to group and event running >>

Notice regarding virtual events:  Many events scheduled between now and June are moving to virtual options. There are a variety of resources available for hosting virtual events.  If converting a pre-planned event to a virtual offering, RRCA recommends updating your event waiver if you move to a virtual run and utilize an updated sign-up for capturing virtual run data/results.  If you host a virtual run, we recommend that your organization maintain insurance to cover your organization in the event of a claim of liability.  Information about insuring virtual events, including fees, can be found under each membership category.