Everything seems to have gone quiet regarding the Green Man Challenge. It seems that it may turn into a winter phenomenon.
I have just taken part in the Cotswold Way Relay with Town and Country Harriers, which is in many ways a similar event, but this is definitely a midsummer event. It is tied to the Saturday nearest to the longest day, which is essential as the route is 110 miles long, especially if one is doing it as a solo effort. It is also helpful for a ten stage relay. Our team came 7th out of 24 in the Mixed Category, which we were very pleased with.
The Green Man Challenge is less than half as long, which makes it ideal for a winter event. Town and Country Harriers intend to have a group effort at completing the challenge in the autumn. I think that Saturday 1st November would be an ideal date. That is the nearest Saturday to Halloween, which is the modern form of Samhain, the fire festival that marked the transition between Summer and Winter in the ancient Celtic calender.
The idea is that we will invite other running clubs to join us in the event, either as idividuals trying to complete the whole challenge or as relay teams using a Garmin as a baton.
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