Sports Backers 8K Training Team

Sports Backers 8k Training Team (8kTT): COVID-19 Impacts and Procedures

As we navigate our ever-changing world, our mission to inspire you to live an active lifestyle remains. Now, more than ever, the Sports Backers team wants to keep you moving, but only in a way that keeps our participants, coaches, volunteers, staff, and communities safe and healthy. Our team has been working hard to revise our training plans to meet the current social distancing requirements so that we can get back to celebrating your active lifestyles through 8k Training Team in the safest way possible.

With individual’s safety and transmission mitigation in mind, we have new training modifications and procedures that will allow us to safely operate 8kTT. These policies and procedures are in accordance with CDC guidelines and based on current recommendations for COVID-19 safety protocols and are subject to change at any time. The following does take into account vaccination status. You are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after your second dose following a 2-dose vaccine or 2 weeks following a single-dose vaccine.

What Sports Backers 8k Training Team Coaches/Staff will be doing:

• All coaches, staff, and volunteers who are not fully vaccinated will be required to wear a mask pre and post runs, including while at the stadium, parking lot, bathroom, team meeting areas, SAG stops and any other surrounding areas.
• No onsite registration, all registration must be done prior to arriving for training.
• Reducing communal surfaces.
• Hand sanitizer available for usage.

8kTT Covid-19 Safety & Procedures:

• In accordance with the CDC guidelines, all participants who are not fully vaccinated will be required to wear a mask at all times pre and post runs, including while at the stadium, parking lot, bathroom, team meeting areas and any other surrounding areas.
• All participants who are not fully vaccinated are encouraged but not required to wear a mask while running and at SAGs.
• When arriving for your teams first assigned start time, you must keep 6ft of social/physical distance between you and another person.
• We will start a limited number of participants on the route at one time, while also sending small groups of participants in different directions.
• When at a SAG do not congregate. Please consider putting on a mask if not fully vaccinated.

Our policies and procedures will continue to be updated as appropriate, all to ensure that we keep our participants, volunteers, staff, and communities safe and healthy. These procedures are subject to change at any time and we appreciate your flexibility.

Click here to view the 8k Training Team COVID 19 Impacts and Procedures and Sports Backers COVID Exposure Protocols and Policies.

• All Training Team entry fees must be received by October 3 at 11:59 p.m.
• Training Team entry fees are non-refundable and entries are non-transferable, no exceptions. Once we receive your entry, you will not receive a refund if you cannot participate. You may not defer your 2021 Sports Backers 8k Training Team entry nor your free entry in the 2021 Allianz Partners 8k to the 2022 event.
• Strollers and baby joggers are not allowed at group training sessions or in the Allianz Partners 8k.
• You must be at least 8 years of age to participate. If you are under the age of 16, you must have a parent/guardian present for all training runs.

The schedule for the weekly Saturday group run/walk at each facility is below.
Locations and time subject to change.

Training Starts on September 18, 2021. Most sites will begin at 8 a.m., but coaches will email all participants prior to the first day of training to confirm.

• East End
  • 8:00 a.m.
• Carytown/Downtown
  • 8:00 a.m.
• Chesterfield/Midlothian
  • 8:00 a.m.
• West End/Short Pump
  • 8:00 a.m.
• Traveling Team – This group will meet up at different locations each week such as…the Virginia Capital Trail, The Fan, Brown’s Island and more! You are also always welcome to train at one of the above locations any week you like!
  • 7:00 a.m.

When you arrive for the first Group Run/Walk on Saturday, September 18, you will receive a training booklet with the complete eight-week training schedule. Every Saturday you will meet at your local facility listed above. The other days of the week, you will be on your own to follow the training schedule.

Here is a sample of the first week’s training schedule:

There will be clinics held on everything from injury prevention to nutrition to shoes. A schedule of these events will be given to registered 8k Training Team members.