HEREFORD Couriers have organised a virtual running race, which will take the place of the cancelled St Michael's Hospice RUN Hereford

The Couriers are using the running application Strava to organise the virtual five-kilometre, 10km and half-marathon races, the club are asking participants to raise money for the hospice while maintaining the government's social distancing guidelines.

All distances will have full race-like results along with online certificates for all finishers and prizes for first, second and third male and female over each distance.

Mike Link, chair of Hereford Couriers said: "We know all too well the St Michael’s Hospice rely on fundraising activities to keep the hospice running and with many events having to be cancelled this is the least we can do to support them.

"We have been overwhelmed by the success of the recently launched Keeping Herefordshire Running initiative so it made sense to use this platform to help raise some money for the Hospice."

To get involved and find out more visit the club website https://herefordcouriers.com/club-races/virtuallyrunninghereford/

Meanwhile the club continue to run their online #keepherefordshirerunning event.

Last week saw 72 runners compete in the 5km on tarmac & the five-mile fun one challenges.

Fastest male over the '5k on tarmac' was David Aubrey of Cheltenham Harriers in 16 minutes and 31 seconds, ahead of Hereford Couriers’ duo Ben Skinner 17.19 and Jake Underhill 17.39.

Quickest female Aoibh Clarke of Hereford Tri-Club was in 19 minutes and 20 seconds, second was Courier Izzy Axford in 21.10 and third was Croft Ambrey’s Jo Marrott 22:05.

Meanwhile, in the five-mile fun one, which was made up of four miles of road running with a mile off-road was dominated by the Hereford Couriers.

The fastest male was Andy Tyler who finished in 31 minutes and 59 seconds, Ben Skinner was second in 38.58 while Paul Jones took third in 40.16.

Aoibh Clarke made it a double challenge win, who was the quickest female in 32 minutes and 48 seconds.

She finished ahead of Daneen Hughes, Hereford Couriers, in second 36.16 just ahead of her former Wye Valley Runners team-mate Laura Tootell in third 36.37.

This week's challenge is the ‘30 minutes time trial’.