Falkirk Victoria Harriers’ virtual races combat lockdown

The runner - and many of his fellow club runners - has been taking part in virtual challenges, adhering to the social distancing rules, until road racing can start up again.

The Vics held their own race, but also competed in national events – which turned international with entries from as far afield as Australia.

Elliot finished third in the one mile event run by Scottish Athletics, running a recorded mile in four minutes and 14 seconds and submitting the Garmin or Strava link.

More than 2000 athletes and 38 Vics took part and Elliott’s time was only eclipsed by two runners in the para classification.

The Vics’ second and third fastest males were also under five minutes, with Callan Hogarth recording 4:45, and Senior Scottish and GB&NI international sprinter, Grant Plenderleith, went “long distance” and recorded 4:54. Leading lady was Olivia Vareille, just a few seconds behind the guys with 5:04.

However the club’s road series is decidedon relative times, compared to world-class athletes, at age-group level, not simply by times. The age graded score, out of 100, tries to equalise the efforts of runners of different ages, by comparing the time run to the world’s best for that age and gender for the distance. If you run a world’s best for your age and gender, you will score 100, and if your time is, say 10 minutes and the best for your age and gender is five, then you score 50%. In excess of 90% is regarded as world class, and in excess of 80% is regarded as GB&NI class.

This scoring methodology can compare mothers and sons, husbands and wives and training partners, whatever the age gap is.

On this measure Kane retained his top club placement with a wava score of 90.63%, and Olivia was pipped for top lady by Caitlyn Christie, with 83.21%.

Hot on the heels of the one mile virtual the Vics had the club’s very first exclusive Virtual Challenge over 3000m.

Not only was this hugely popular with club members, with more than 50 entries, it also attracted entries from other clubs.

Times were affected though by rain and winds in excess of 50 mph on the three days the competition was open for, and that unsurprisingly took its toll on the number of finishers with more than 15 dropping out.

Callan Hogarth (9:41) and Grant Plenderleith (9:51) were again among the quickest finishers and fastest lady was Katy McGonigal at 12:07.

On wava scores Ray Taylor was top finisher on 80.02% and Emily Christie was top lady on 78.95%.

In the Vics’ road series four events are already passed and Grant Matheson is leading the way for the men, with an average wava over the four of 78.88%. Leading lady is Monica Anderson with an average wava, over three, of 68.46.

Next up will be the Club 5k Virtual Challenge, taking place on June 12-14 with 35 entries already. They’ll be accepted from athletes 15 and over, until June 11.

Some of the club’s younger athletes took part in a National Virtual Superteams alongside 40 other clubs across the country. Again, this event was licenced with athletes following the guidelines.

Sixteen FVH athletes from U11 to U15 entered which sees a different weekly challenge spread over four weeks. These are a 75m shuttle run. target throw, standing long jump and an 800m to finish. The athletes follow coaching videos and train for the event over the week before submitting their results.