Avoids runners about to make a poor start (5)
I believe the answer is:
skips
'to make a poor start' is the definition.
I can't judge whether this definition defines the answer.
'avoids runners about' is the wordplay.
'avoids' becomes 'p' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'runners' becomes 'skis' (ski is a kind of runner).
'about' means one lot of letters goes inside another.
'p' inserted inside 'skis' is 'SKIPS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for skips that I've seen before include "Large containers for rubbish" , "Waste containers" .)