Running together apart

It takes more than a global lockdown to keep jogscotland down! That much has been evident from our jog groups all over the country, who – despite not being able to meet in person – have been active in recent months with virtual challenges, fundraisers, and simply looking out for one another at a distance.

Just take a look at all those smiling faces on the front and inside cover – they’re all your fellow jogscotland members, getting active with you, together apart! We know not everyone has found it easy to find the time or motivation to keep active during lockdown – as our CEO Mark Munro says on p7, it’s been a very different experience for everyone. But we would like to thank our jog leaders in particular, who have managed to come up with so many imaginative challenges to keep their groups connected and active, and to everyone who has taken time to check on their fellow joggers during this challenging spell. There’s been so much going on that we can only show you a small sample – congratulations to everyone who’s organised or taken part in a virtual challenge!

jogscotland Milngavie have taken inspiration from their locality, completing a virtual West Highland Way (96 miles) between them over one weekend. Some ran, some walked, some did a little of both, to make it as inclusive as possible. For June, they’re holding the JSM Club Challenge - 1000 Miles for SAMH. Members have pledged to run 30, 50 or 80 miles in June, then make a donation to SAMH, and are supporting each other with facebook posts as they log their mileage. The aim is to run 1000 miles in total during the month, as well as raising money for our partners, SAMH.

jogscotland Inverness have been tracking all miles jogged by their members since they stopped meeting as a group on 17 March. At the time of writing, they’d racked up 13,500 miles – half way round the equator! They’ve kept people motivated with weekly challenges, including running up as many as possible from a list of 10 infamous hills, running over or under as many bridges as possible, and running “the extra mile for JS” where members were asked to run one mile more than the furthest they have gone in a single run since lockdown started. Leaders have been overwhelmed by what Katy Hepburn Helen Murray people are achieving!

jogscotland Denny completed a Social Distancing Megathon Relay, with 29 runners covering 76.5 miles over 12 hours, each being allocated a 30 minute slot from 7am until 7pm, and handing over from one runner to the next with a distant wave rather than a baton. They raised £2,700 for Strathcarron Hospice – and all well and truly found their running mojos into the bargain!

Dundee International Women’s Centre might not be open to visitors right now, but Fatima, who leads the jog group there, has given everyone the chance to keep fit at home with a brilliant facebook video. As well as stretching and jogging on the spot, she demonstrates using items around the home to keep fit – including lifting a sack of potatoes!

JS Elgin City have taken part in a whole range of challenges. Jog leader Dawn Wood Thirkell was due to run London Marathon this year, so instead on race day members ran virtual miles with her instead. With 34 people running across the day, they racked up 199 miles – about 7 ½ marathons! Some ran on treadmills while facetiming other group members, some ran with their children, and one lady ran eight miles on her driveway because her house were in lockdown. Dawn tells us: “It’s amazing how much everyone pulled together and enjoyed it! I’m so incredibly proud of them all.” The group have also had a mini challenge to include the children, where members had to photograph colours of the rainbow either their homes, at work or outdoors, and also ran a virtual race with medals made locally, raising £225 for their local food bank.