AoC Sport launches Go the Distance Challenge 

AoC Sport is pleased to launch the Go the Distance Challenge as part of our ongoing virtual programme to get students and staff active during COVID-19. The Go the Distance Challenge is an inclusive run, walk or cycling team challenge using the free Strava app. Colleges can compete against each other to reach the total or engage the most students in the following categories:

• Running or walking 456 miles - the equivalent distance from our most Southern member (Truro and Penwith College) to our most Northern member (Northumberland College)

• Cycling 3,369 miles – the equivalent distance to visit each of our 212 member colleges. Here's our Cycling Challenge Distance Tracker spreadsheet to check where you are in the country.

Strava’s cycling and running app lets you track your activity and route with GPS and allows you to join challenges as a club/team. When students complete an activity on the app, their distance contributes to their overall college total, which goes into a weekly leaderboard. The Go the Distance challenge aims to encourage students of any ability to engage in physical activity, whether it’s a walk in the park, a 5k run or a 10-mile cycle, whilst also giving them an opportunity to represent their college. We want to get as many students involved as possible and it doesn’t matter how far they go because it’s the overall distance which counts.

Timeline and format

AoC Sport and Natspec members can register for the challenge from Wednesday 3 June by completing a sign up form. The challenge will be officially launched on Monday 8 June via AoC Sport’s Instagram and Twitter.  Colleges have until Sunday 5 July to complete the challenges and can sign up at any point before then. Leaderboards will be available on our dedicated Go the Distance Challenge webpage, which will be updated daily from data submitted by students and staff on their club Strava account. Please note Strava club leaderboards refresh every Sunday at 23.59.

Prizes

There will be prize draws for each region for colleges that achieve the total distance in each challenge. There will also be a student engagement prize for the college which get the most students involved in each challenge, as well as the college which has the most recorded activities. Leaderboards will be finalised, and winners will be announced by Wednesday 8 July.

How to get involved

The Go the Distance Challenge is open to all AoC Sport member and Natspec member colleges. College staff will need to:

• Register for the challenge here
• Encourage students to set up a Strava account and join their club.
• Encourage students and staff to take part in the challenge.
• Ensure students log their efforts towards the challenge on their Strava account.

Safeguarding guidance

We strongly recommend that you set up privacy zones for your address on your Strava account. These privacy zones will restrict others from seeing where you start and finish. So if you are starting or finishing your exercise from your house this won't appear on your Strava map. A guide on how to set up privacy zones

Risk Assessment

The safety and wellbeing of students and staff is of paramount importance whilst taking part in any sort of physical activity. Therefore, we advise that as you would do in any sports activity, a risk assessment should be done. This should include the routes being taken and that users follow the highway code. Below are two guides giving detailed instructions on the challenge itself and the Strava app. Please share these with students and staff.