The Forest Mile Challenge

The next Chepstow Harriers Virtual Event is the Forest Mile Challenge.  Forest miles are never round numbers, so all of the distances are random.

This is a five week individual challenge.

You do not need to enter in advance, just submit your result when you have completed the run. Details of how and where to post your results will be posted nearer the time. You can run as many of the weeks as you wish, do not feel obligated to enter them all. An overall challenge results table will be posted.

The distances are all based on actual routes and distances in the Forest of Dean.  Most of them start and finish at Mallards Pike Lake.

The distance and ascent data is based on Strava segments.  If Covid restrictions allow, you are encouraged to run the actual routes in the Forest.  They are all waymarked. If Covid restrictions do not allow, then follow the Covid rules of your Country at that time and run any route you choose that meet the distance requirement. Time adjustments will be made to try and make your results comparable to those running the actual routes. Those lucky enough to live locally, should try to run the actual routes.

Only one result submission is allowed per person.

Route details such as start locations will be announced in advance of that week's challenge start date.

If you run the actual routes in the Forest and your Strava data does not match the segment data, no time or ascent penalties will be applied.

Here are the dates of the challenges and how they tie in with the GLCL Virtual Competition.

 8 February - 14 February 

GLCL 5 Miler

15 February – 21 February 

Mallards 2k - Strava Segment Reverse Mallards 2k 

Distance - 2.20km (1.4 miles), Elevation gain 21m

22 February – 28 February

Mallards 3k - Strava Segment Mallards Mallards 3k

Distance - 3.06km (1.9 miles), Elevation gain 40m

20 February – 28 February

GLCL Half Marathon

1 March - 7 March

Mallards 5k - Strava segment - Forestry England Mallards Pike 5k

Distance - 5.49km (3.4 miles), Elevation gain 75m

8 March - 14 March

Mallards 10k - Strava segment - Mallards Pike 10k running loop

Distance 10.12km (6.3 miles), Elevation gain 95 m

8 March - 14 March

GLCL 20 Miler

15 March – 21 March

Family Cycle Way - Strava segment - Family Trail

Distance 14.30km (8.9 miles), Elevation gain 130 m

22 March – 28 March

GLCL 5 Miler

Road v fire trail

All of the Forest of Dean trail routes are on firm fire trails, if people choose to run on the road a 5% time penalty will be added.

Ascent

If your run has too much ascent, then you will get a time bonus of 1.74 seconds per 3.048m (10ft) extra, up to a time bonus limit which which will be specified each week. If too little ascent there will be a time penalty of 1.74 seconds per 3.048m (10ft). These Forest trails are all loops, so the elevation for your run at start and finish should be equal (elevation at finish must not be lower than elevation at start by more than 5 metres).

Distance

There will be a time penalty if you do not run sufficient distance. Strava adjustments will be ignored.

Hopefully this all makes sense, let me know if you have any questions.