Newport running club's virtual relay race to make up for postponement
To make up for the postponing of a popular relay running event due to coronavirus, a Shropshire club is organising a virtual event.
Newport and District Running Club members will run their legs of the Attingham Park Relays at home this year and send the results to club publicity officer Neil Fairbrother, who also runs virtual 'socialdistancingruns' in lieu of organised parkruns.
He said: "Thursday, May 14, would have been the evening of the Attingham Park Relays, the first local relay event of the season, and, just like other events, this has been postponed.
"It occurred to me that this gives an opportunity to try something a little bit different, so, on May 14, I would like to simulate the relays virtually, in a similar vein to the way we are simulating parkruns on Saturday mornings.
"I propose the following: teams of three runners run legs of two miles per runner (six miles total per team) at any time of day on Thursday, May 14, (following social distancing rules).
"Each leg can be run however you like (treadmill, garden, out on your own, part of a longer run et cetera), and don't have to be run in order, or one after the other (but if you want to arrange your team like that, feel free).
"You can form your own teams, or enter as an individual, and I will randomly assign you to a team. Please don't meet up with team members from outside your own household – each runner can run their leg anywhere local to their home.
"Like the socialdistancingruns, these are just for fun, with no prizes, but hopefully it gives everyone the opportunity to do something a little bit different and take part in an organised, competitive (if virtual) event. A results table will be generated when everyone has done their runs on the day."
