Helensburgh Athletics Club has been coming up with novel ways to keep runners active and connected during lockdown.

The club has been setting weekly challenges that members are able to complete while adhering to lockdown guidelines.

Among those undertaken in the past month was a challenge which saw six 5km times chosen and kept secret – and the six runners who clocked times closest to the ‘secrets’ on their own 5km runs each won prizes.

That particular challenge saw members clock up more than 251km over the course of a single week, with Barry Queen and Helen Leigh logging the fastest male and female times of 17:36 and 19:57 respectively.

READ MORE: Helensburgh runners battle mud and storms in Glentress Trail races

Newcomer Lucy Sage had a notable performance running her first sub 30 clocked under 30 mins 5km.

Unfortunately, although impressive, these weren’t the lucky times, and the winners were Euan Crumley (19.13), Darren Murphy (21.34), Alan Oliver (23.38), Jill Rooney and Andy Galloway (joint 25.20), Diane Carmichael (26.58), William Valentine (28.57), and the bonus ball going to Julie McColl for ‘buying’ most tickets.

And an appropriately-themed challenge during the Easter week saw members complete a treasure hunt on their daily exercise, with points awarded for finding lambs, chicks, chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, Easter bonnets, daffodils and even the elusive Easter bunny, with evidence submitted via selfies – and in the case of Lucy and Mike Impey, video footage of said bunny being chased over the trails above Rhu.

READ MORE: Babcock Helensburgh 10K postponed as pandemic puts race series on hold

Organiser and club president Laura Johnstone said: “The purpose of the challenges have been more than encouraging members to stay active; generally runners are good at that.

“As a club we wanted to provide an increased sense of support through our running community during these unusual times.

“The challenges have been designed to promote a sense of connectedness.

“It’s not about running the fastest or furthest; they have been a great way of keeping members connected through shared experiences at a time when we are missing being together.”

READ MORE: Click here to catch up with all the latest news headlines from across Helensburgh and Lomond