Wednesday Weekly CoSARC Challenge

With all Club training and competition being off the cards whilst lockdown continues the club have been helping to keep members active, motivated and connected by setting weekly challenges.

Challenges have been a mixed bag of novelty runs and more serious training activities such as speed and hill workouts. The challenges are posted using the clubs Facebook events function. Participants have a week to complete and post the challenges to that week’s challenge ‘Event’ for judging. The judges decide the winners taking into account a combination of ‘likes’ from fellow club members and creativity used. Prizes have included; novelty toilet rolls, a crocheted rainbow, England Athletics drawstring bags, all donated by club members. Participation has become increasingly popular, and entries increasingly creative, with videos, STRAVA traces and photos all being posted as proof of completion.

Club member and local GP, Jenny Hartley, was recently interviewed on BBC Radio Wiltshire (click HERE and follow from 1:42:20) where she talked about how the weekly challenges are playing their part in keeping club members fit and active during these difficult times.

For anyone who fancies having a go, the challenges to date have included the following;

· A piece of Strava/Garmin art in the shape of a shark

· 10 x 60 second hill repeats

· A compass run whereby participants had to pick a point within a mile of home and run 5 minutes in one direction (e.g north) return to the start and run 5 minutes in another direction and so on until all 4 compass points have been run

· Run (and post a selfie) wearing brightly coloured kit to represent a rainbow

· A photo scavenger hunt to plan and run a route from home that incorporates as many of the following as possible - bridge, water, post box, phone box, tarmac, trail, a local landmark, signpost of town/village in which you live, a hill and some steps.

· Progressive splits of 10 x 20 seconds sprints

· Spread the love – incorporate heart shapes into a run

· Physical/metal – run for up to an hour in as small an area as possible (e.g. garden, balcony, carpark, village green)

All club members can take part in the challenges. Simply join the clubs ‘members only’ Facebook group HERE