CHRC Community Guidelines

We are committed to creating a community of runners founded on our core values: respect, support, and fun. Foundational to that commitment are our community guidelines, which every member must agree to before they can join CHRC. 

These community guidelines apply to behavior at all club events, in all club-related forums (including on social media), and anywhere else where members may be representing Crown Heights Running Club. We ask that all club members respect and adhere to these guidelines. If a member is believed to be in violation of these guidelines, their membership will be reviewed by our Board and they may be removed from our online forums and/or club. 

We Are Welcoming 

Anyone is welcome to join Crown Heights Running Club, and we’re excited to have you! We welcome all runners regardless of age, gender, race, income, sexual orientation, gender identity, or immigration status. We’re open to runners of all paces and running abilities. There is no cost to be a member of CHRC, and the majority of our events are free to attend. 

There are several ways to connect with CHRC: 

We Respect Each Other 

We believe in a culture of mutual respect. We are a diverse club located in a diverse community, and we expect our members to appreciate and foster that diversity. We are committed to equality of treatment for our members and for the rest of the community in which we run, live, and work. 

Crown Heights Running Club has a zero tolerance policy towards bullying, hate speech, harassment, and physical violence of any kind, regardless of intent. If you are found to have committed any of these acts towards a fellow member, your club membership will be revoked. 

Examples of discriminatory or inappropriate behavior include, but are not limited to: 

  • Using hate speech 
  • Treating club members differently or excluding club members from club events based on their race, age, gender, sexual orientation, religion, gender identity, health status, or other protected status 
  • Making inappropriate advances or unwelcome comments towards club members 
  • Touching club members without their consent 

If you feel that a club member has acted inappropriately against you, please reach out to a member of the Board, the run coordinator, or the event leader as soon as reasonably possible. The Board will conduct a confidential review and take appropriate action. Please know that we will not disclose your identity to anyone during our review. 

For the safety of our members, we expect our members to participate in our online communities as themselves. Any promotional comments or “trolling” comments are subject to removal at the discretion of the Board. 

We Have Each Other’s Backs 

We believe in supporting each other, on the road and off. We cheer each other’s triumphs, support each other through injuries, and look out for one another. If you see someone – whether it’s a member of the club or not – treating a club or community member poorly, speak up. If you are not comfortable or don’t feel safe intervening, tell a member of the Board, the run leader, or the event coordinator immediately, or contact someone with the details as soon as reasonably possible.

We Play Fair

We believe in respecting the rules of a race. Whether that’s NYRR, NYCRuns, or another organization, we follow the rules set up by those organizations, and we expect our members to do the same. Frequently, that means following rules such as:

  • No selling your bib, bib swapping, giving your bib to another runner, or running using another person’s bib
  • No “banditting” (running without registering for the race) 
  • No performance enhancing drugs 
  • No course cutting or cheating 

If you are running at an organized event as a representative of Crown Heights Running Club, please familiarize yourself with the rules that the governing body of the race sets out. 

We Run Safe 

We take the safety of our runners very seriously. When running with the club, we expect our club members to follow these rules: 

  • Follow all traffic and pedestrian signals as required by law.
  • Treat other runners and cyclists with respect. This includes staying out of the cycling lane on shared paths, checking behind you before moving into a different lane, and being aware of your surroundings at all times. 
  • Listen to the CHRC run leader. Stay with the group at all times. If you plan to join the group late or need to leave early, let the run leader or another member of the group know. 
  • When running in the dark, make an effort to wear light colored clothing, reflective gear, and/or a safety light, especially if you will be running in areas where lighting is scarce. 
  • Follow the guidance set out by public health officials and any additional guidance set out by the club, including but not limited to COVID guidelines 

We Have Fun

Finally, foundational to the mission of the club is our desire to have fun, and to spread the joy of running across the community. Assume positive intent from your fellow club members, and be kind to everyone in the club. Give back as much as you get. Run hard, cheer hard, go bananas.