Welcome to the official Athletics Australia's Strava Club where you can connect with runners and walkers of all ages and abilities.

We will be embarking on a 5 week journey, the Australian Community Challange, aimed at providing the community an opportunity to work together. You do not need to be a professional athlete to take part, because every metre, no matter at what speed will count.

Australian Community Challenge

Challange 1: Run a lap of the world.

Starting August 10th, we as a community will embark on a journey around the globe, aiming to run, walk or roll over 40,075km in a single week in recognition of the journey to the 2021 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games are considered the world's foremost sports competition with more than 200 nations participating. So as a community, let's see if we can make a visit to every country around the globe on our way to 40,075km!

Challenge 2: Climb Mt Fuji 100 times.

We are leaving the flats behind and taking on Mt Fuji! Mt Fuji stands at 3,776 metres and the picturesque backdrop is expected to provide one of the spectacular highlights of next year’s games.

The goal for this week is for everyone to collectively climb the cumulative elevation of Mt Fuji 100 times, that is 377,600m elevation. Whether you hit the stair runs or start jogging repeats of your local hills, we need everyone to up their elevation and help us climb one of Japan’s most iconic attractions.

Challenge 3: 5000 hours

Get ready because we are spicing up your motivation this week by working towards Olympic & Paralympic medals! Approximately 5,000 medals are up for grabs at Tokyo, so we want to clock 5000 cumulative hours of activity to represent each one. There is no distance target this week, so it’s all about enjoyment and taking the time to get active. Whether you run your favourite route, stroll around the block with the pram or play tag with the kids, every hour counts!

Challenge 4: 10,000 total runs

The Olympic flame is often associated with a message of peace and hope, and as such has become one of the most powerful symbols of the Olympic Movement. The 2020 Olympic torch relay is set to feature 10, 000 runners who will each carry it on a leg across all the regions of Japan.

To mark each torch bearer and their leg of the journey, this week’s target is for our community to amass 10,000 runs. It is not about how far, long, or fast you run, this week we are all about encouraging everyone to increase the number of times you exercise. So, challenge yourself to mix up your routine and take a stroll on your lunch break or treat your dog to an extra walk.

Challenge 5: Run, Walk or Roll 68,000km

As we approach the last week of our Australian Community Challenge, we finish in the exact same spot the games will wrap up – the amazing Japan National Stadium. Home to both the opening and closing ceremonies, the stadium will also play host to all our athletic events. An incredible 68,000 seats will be available to spectators and we want to accumulate one km for each seat on offer. Whether you followed our challenge at the beginning or joined us in our last week, no achievement is too small, so set a distance goal and help us make it happen!

Remember: RUN FROM HOME. STAY IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD.

#athstogether

Is it safe to be outside running at the momement?

State and territory governments have different restrictions. See your state or territory website for more information:

Australian Capital Territory	New South Wales
Northern Territory	Queensland
South Australia	Tasmania
Victoria	Western Australia

Tips to stay safe whilst exercising outside:

Always consult your doctor before beginning any new program of exercise
As a rule, to guard against injury, don’t increase duration or distance by more than 10% each week
Ensure you dress appropriately for the weather conditions
Invest in a good pair of shoes that suit your foot type and mechanics
Start slowly and complete a warmup prior to doing any faster activity
Pay attention to local regulations and follow them.
Give yourself plenty of space to distance yourself from other runners. Keep to a social distance of 1.5 metres.
Wash your hands before you go out and immediately when returning home.
Do not run if you feel sick or unwell.

For those in Greater Melbourne:

You must not travel more than 5km form where you live to exercise.
You must limit your exercise to once a day and for only one hour

Do I need to wear a face covering whilst running?

From Sunday August 2^nd (at 11.59pm), it will be mandatory for all Victorians to wear a face covering when leaving their homes. So, if you are walking outside you must wear a mask. You can remove the mask if you are doing strenuous exercise where you are out of breath (i.e. running, cycling). However, you still need to have a mask on you (keep it in your pocket in a zip lock plastic bag) and put the mask back on if you are walking before/after your strenuous activity.

People in states outside Victoria should consider wearing a face mask in situations where physical distancing is not possible.