WHETHER you race for the shiny medal at the end, the adrenaline to push for a personal-best time or the social aspect of meeting fellow runners while eating all the checkpoint sausage rolls, there is something unique about running a race.

However, at a time when all non-virtual races have been either cancelled or postponed, it is a sad fact there are few competitive runs to take part in.

With this in mind, Tracey Irwin of Alton Runners came up with the idea of a team marathon as a way to recreate the excitement, challenge and spirit of ‘race day’ – without the big groups or close physical proximity.

The format of the initiative was simple: divide all competitors into small groups of equal numbers with a good mix of faster and more ‘relaxed’ pace runners. Each team had a captain whose role was to assign segments of the marathon to each runner, suggest team strategies and provide moral support along the way.

With two main prize categories up for grabs -- fastest team and the highest total elevation team members ran up – as well as the obligatory team name category – teams opted for different goals.

It came as little surprise to most club members that team Cummings & Going took the top spot as the fastest group.

Team captain Alex Hall said: “I realised quite a few other teams were going for elevation so I asked my team to go all out for speed and try to get a new PB.

“A particular highlight was seeing fellow team member Richard Scrase push himself, and junior member Alex Drysdale gain bragging rights over his dad – Steve Drysdale, who was team captain of the second-fastest team and only four minutes slower overall.

“We claimed first place with the fastest combined time of 3hr 26min.”

In total there were more than 60 participants split into 12 teams – and the overall times were close, with less than an hour separating the first and 12th-placed teams.

Bringing up the rear in terms of pace were Five Runners and a Baby, with an incredibly respectable marathon time of 4hrs 20min.

Team captain Kat Barratt said: “We had no strategy other than to have fun and enjoy it – and we did!

“To have something to motivate us to get out at the moment and feel a part of something was a real high point – along with achieving some distance with my extra belly!”

Kat ran 7.5km while being six months pregnant – hence the team name – earning her team a very special extra prize, and huge amounts of respect from fellow teammates and club members.

Battling it out for the highest elevation prize were two aptly-named teams – Head for the Hills and the overall winners, the Chawton Wood Hill-billies, who pipped their rivals to the ‘top’ spot by just 11 metres, climbing an impressive 1,067 metres.

Winning team member Karen Eckworth put their success down to a pretty focused team strategy. “Our team captain was Stephen ‘get up those hills’ Clow and our strategy was basically to get up those hills! So we did and we won!”

Stephen added: “The plan was to go for height and three of us did a total of 13 laps of the Chawton Wood hill climb one evening.

“But Laura de Lisle was the real elevation star – over 1,000ft and 12k around Ropley lanes on her own – amazing!

“Our total ascent was equivalent to climbing Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales.”

The very important decision of coming up with a team name proved more challenging than the running itself for some teams.

Naomi Rachel Thompson said: “Our team name was the hardest bit of this challenge – trying to come up with something speedy but also linking back to Alton.

“We went through many variations before we settled on the final Alton Runners Rockets!”

Sadly for the Rockets, they were overtaken in this category by team Pudding Trolley, suggested by new club member Rufus Flack. When asked about his choice of name, Rufus said: “I love the idea of a name being something enjoyable and light-hearted.

“I didn’t want to suggest a name that leaned too much toward being sporty as quite often that can give a sense of unease in those who don’t have a competitive disposition.

“Weirdly, the team liked my suggestion and went with it – I think it’s because we’re all delicious, really.”

Fellow team member Lisa Davey loved the name. “After all, everyone loves a pudding trolley!” she said.

Although there were prize categories, most race participants enjoyed the social aspect of the team marathon more than anything.

Lina Porter from The Good, the Bad & the NHS Nurse team said: “It was decided we would meet at the Meon Trail and complete it together.

“Dave set off first to complete his distance, followed by Eli and Steve and then me for my 5K.

“We all ended at the same point and finished the final 2.5k with Helen together as she is recently getting back into running.”

This kind of team spirit featured a lot in the Alton Runners team marathon and was much appreciated by Helen Chapman: “They should have got the prize for most supportive team ever!

“I had a great time and I loved they all wanted to support me.”

Even for those who couldn’t meet in person, there was much discussion via social media – and this even extended to the novel ways some team photos were created.

Jim Armitage of team Up a Hill and Down a Beer said: “Because we weren’t able to get together as a team for a photo, we decided a bit of IT photography magic would do the trick instead.

“The team sent their photos to me and I stitched them together with a background showing iconic views from the London Marathon. It might look like we broke the social-distancing rules but the photographs were taken 40-odd miles apart – one of our team was in lockdown in Amesbury.”

Chair of Alton Runners Philip Scrase said: “This was another challenge we put on to help our members get through these difficult times – and from the feedback we have received it was a hit, which is great.

“The challenge helped those struggling with motivation and by being part of a team they were able to work together to achieve their goal.”

* By George Longland