Fran gave us another Facebook video update this week. In line with England Athletics’ advice BRR are not allowed to reconvene yet.

Here we go for another week of lockdown so to keep you all from going completely bonkers [and I know it’s a bit late for some !] here is a new list for the scavenger hunt this week;

1. A donkey [especially for you Jane Stedman
2. Ice cream van
3. Weather vane
4. Can of Carlsberg in a hedge/roadside [not just your recycling]
5. Scarecrow
6. Tractor
7. Phone box
8. Ornate Metal gates
9. Cattle grid sign
10. Magnolia tree

Happy hunting guys xx (Becky)

For a bit of fun I’m setting a scavenger hunt, this week in the course of your daily exercise I want to to try to find and the following ten items and take a photograph of them and post by 1800 hrs next Sunday 31st May.

So here’s the list;
1. A lion (can be a picture if you can’t find a real one 😉)
2. Topiary (bush trimmed into pretty shape)
3. A discarded shoe in a hedge or roadside
4. A snail
5. A footbridge
6. A stone mike marker
7. A windmill
8. An aircraft flying
9. A hubcap ( not on a car)
10. The best COVID NHS rainbow you can find

Happy hunting everyone 🧐👀📸 (Becky)

Well done everyone, some very good photos and a nice bit of creativity from some (Craig Welch). You are all winners.

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Phil “Was out running last night and couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a lion trimming a topiary bush in the shape of a discarded shoe and a hubcap! Sadly too slow to photograph”! Helen is still working out how to collate her photos, but completed the challenge.

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Summit!!! We’re virtually the highest people in the UK right now. I mean in terms of ascent, I’ve told you before not to smoke the wacky backy on the minbus! What a view though back across the scree and away over Loch Linnhe…

Anyway, really amazing effort team, that was a beast. I just about managed to drag myself up this one but felt every foot of climbing and had to extend the cutoff so I didn’t get left behind (organiser’s privilege)! 10 summiteers this week and one ‘nearly there’. If you will carry that piano around with you Ian, climbing Ben Nevis was always going to be a toughie! Great effort though. 300ft to go! We could have all come and carried you the last bit to the top, cool runnings style!

Marty Barnfield is once again King of the Mountain, geddon! You win a deep fried kebab that I found round the back of Spar on Fort William High Street. Claire Barlow is again literally on the top spot. Amazing job, you win a private gig with Susan Boyle playing the bagpipes. I think she’s got about 10 hours of material to play…

Really amazing job everyone, it’s been great running the virtual hills with you. Super impressed how above and beyond you’ve all gone. That’s it for the hill challenge for a wee while so pour yourself a dram and rest the legs now, especially you Rebecca Bateman, sorry to hear about your knee!

Scores on the doors. Let me know if I’ve missed anyone off the list.

Marty Barnfield 6735ft

Claire Barlow 6470

Anthony Boardman 6080

Gemma Vare 5825

Lesley Taphouse 5791

Jane Stedman 5538

Julie Oxenham 4951

Tom Sparkes 4506

Becky Bateman 4490

Michael Reed 4457

Ian Ringer 4127

We should definitely do a trip like this in real life. I’m happy to volunteer for the organising committee! (Tom Sparkes)

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In the excitement of yesterday’s medley I totally forgot to do a Scafell Pike roundup. A classic Lakeland fell, steep and rocky, and a crowded chaos on bank holiday weekends, hopefully the virtual version was a bit quieter! Now grab a herdwick for a souvenir and its back to the minibus, we’ll have to sneak over the border into Scotland! Marty and Lesley claim the top prizes again, but massive well done everyone, there’s not many of us still going now!

Marty Barnfield 5692ft

Lesley taphouse 5514

Claire Barlow 5446

Gemma Vare 5002

Chris Madeley 4500

Ian Ringer 4213

Rebecca Bateman 3917

Tom Sparkes 3649

Mike Reed 3250

Julie Oxenham 3106

The record for a run up and down Ben Nevis currently stands at 1h 25mins, unbroken since 1984. Good luck, it’s the last push and don’t forget your compass for getting off the top!

Sorry if I’ve missed anyone out. Latecomers welcome for this final week…

(Tom Sparkes)

“The medley relay is for some tactical racing fun and to have a laugh! The main event is the tactical trophy so each event counts. Points allocated depending on your finishing place (1 point for quickest time, 2 points for 2nd quickest time) for the event and the winning team then has the lowest Overall score. This way you can’t win by just putting your fastest runner out on the half marathon while the rest of the team socially distance on a park bench with a drink!! Remember stay alert and only run when it’s safe ” (Phil Dawber)

The teams:

1: Jane Stephens. Stephen Woodard. Dan Cox. Nicky Brenton.

2: Chris Madeley. Martin Pipet. Kerri Rowe. Claire Barlow.

3: Julie Oxenham. Andy Vosper. Katrina Verran. Phil Dawber.

4: Dee Smith. Marty Barnfield. Helen Stevenson. Ritchie Richardson.

5: Rebecca Bateman. Lisa Hawke. Vicki Sparkes. Martin Morgan.

6: Jules Atherton. Jane Stedman. John Tilley. Tom Sparkes.

7: Sean Taylor. Damian Philp. Lesley Taphouse. Gemma Vare.

8: Ian Ringer. Andrew Ross. Julie Hewitt. Craig Welch.

The Medley relay took place between 8am and 8pm on Sunday 17th May. Teams of 4, with one runner from each team running either 1 mile, 5k, 10k or a half marathon). Competing for 2 virtual trophies. One for the lowest combined time of all events, but the more prized award was the “tactical trophy”.

There was a lot of excitement on the day with the first time a 1 mile blast and in under 6 minutes!! CCTV footage was checked for the use of roller skates!

As the runners posted some fantastic times, it became clear that there were some fantastic runs with personal bests being smashed. Phil gave a live update at 3.30pm with final score football style at 8pm. Gripping stuff

Scores on the doors as follows:-

1 mile

1pt Dan Cox 5:29

2pt Tom Sparkes 5:38

3pt Damian Philp 5:55

4pt Martin Pipet 6:12 PB

5pt Katrina Verran 7:22 PB

6pt Lisa Hawke 8:10 PB

7pt Craig Welch 8:12 PB

8pt Ritchie Richardson 8:19

5k
1pt Andy Vosper 21:47 PB

2pt Vicki Sparkes 22:10

3pt Claire Barlow 24:49 PB

4pt Sean Taylor 26:15 PB

5pt Stephen Woodard 26:45 (socially isolating on a treadmill)

6pt Dee Smith 28:06

7pt Julie Hewitt 28:40

8pt Jules Atherton 32:40

10k

1pt Phil Dawber 38:11

2pt Chris Madeley 44:57

3pt Andrew Ross 46:49

4pt Rebecca Bateman 51:59

5pt Nicky Brenton 56:22

6pt Helen Stephenson 56:24

7pt John Tilley 63:15

8pt Lesley Taphouse 67:36

Half Marathon

1pt Marty Barnfield 1:43:48

2pt Kerri Rowe 1:51:09

3pt Jane Stedman 1:51:51

4pt Martin Morgan 1:54:33

5pt Julie Oxenham 2:00:49 PB

6pt Gemma Vare 2:04:31

7pt Jane Stephens 2:04:40

8pt Ian Ringer 2:49

Tactical Trophy / Team Points

Team 8 25

Team 7 21 joint 6th place

Team 4 21 joint 6th place

Team 6 20

Team 1 18

Team 5 16 3rd

Team 3 12 2nd

Team 2 11 1st

Team Times

Team 8 4:08:41

Team 7 3:44:17

Team 6 3:33:24

Team 1 3:33:16

Team 5 3:16:52

Team 4 3:16:37 3rd

Team 3 3:08:11 2nd

Team 2 3:07:07 1st

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Well done hill running team, that’s Snowdon done. Bumped into this group of lads larking about at the top, not sure what they were singing about…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMKbMrHaXBAAntony and Claire claim this weeks King and Queen of the Mountain prizes. Well done you two!

Antony Boardman 6069ft

Marty Barnfield 5734

Ian Ringer 5044

Claire Barlow 4632

Gemma Vare 4564

Lesley Taphouse 3835

Becky Bateman 2949

Tom Sparkes 2818

Chris Madeley 2546

Andrew Ross 2546

A quick hop up the M6 to Cumbria, ask for directions from a local and then knock off 3245ft to get up up and down Scafell Pike, the highest point in England. The good news is that there’s a great pub at the bottom for refuelling, I’d love a pint in a beer garden at the moment! Wrap up, its cold on the tops this week…

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I need to feel epic and hit the hills again so am going to try and do the National 3 Peaks over the next 3 weeks. Heading up Snowdon this week (by Sunday) if anyone wants to tag along.

Week 1: Snowdon 2510 ft ascent

Week 2: Scafell Pike 3245ft ascent

Week 3: Ben Nevis 4436 ft ascent

Tom Sparkes

Highlight of the week has been the Lockdown Relay with some impressive times. Well done everyone.

Lesley Taphouse and Marty Barnfield have been spurred on by Toms excellent 3 Peaks Challenge and covered the “Most mileage ever in one month, and most elevation”

Bys Vicken events continue to inspire with Laps on Lockdown. This week Phil Dawber and Craig Welch took part. https://bysvykenevents.vpweb.co.uk/v-i-laps-on-lockdown

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Fran Vosper cut Nic’s hair and could have found a new career

Jacky Tyler dressed her dog up a pirate Jess

Mike Reed is preparing for “Sparkys’ up hill down dale 3 Big Peak-y-blinders time!”

Bluebell Bliss – a gallery of lockdown bluebell runs. Fun fact – almost half the world’s bluebells are found in the UK, they’re relatively rare in the rest of the world

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The results are in, amazing running everybody, but there has to be a winner. Team 3, you are the Lockdown relay champions!

I’ve written a quick race report. You’ve got to play Chariots of Fire as background music while you read it for ultimate drama!

Thanks for joining in everyone

We’ve also raised £220 for charity! Team 3 have chosen to donate their winnings to all of the charities involved in the 2.6 challenge, through the Charities Aid Foundation (Registered Charity Number 268369). www.twopointsixchallenge.co.uk/

Final Results:

Race Report and organisation by Tom Sparkes