Indoor Relay, an initiative started by a group of friends during lockdown, has smashed its original target of £10,000 by raising a staggered £43,377 in just 28 days for five key charities that have been under increased pressure during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The event, kicked off by five-time Olympian Jo Pavey, ran for 682 hours over 28 days with the baton being passed to a new runner every hour. 425 individual runners took part covering a total of 3028.26 miles (from John O’Groats to Land’s End more than 3.4 times) around their gardens, houses and driveways. Along with Jo Pavey who opened and closed the event, Louise Minchin from BBC Breakfast, former Hear’Say star Suzi Shaw, endurance athlete Mimi Anderson and ultra-runner Susie Chan, all took part in the fundraising relay.

Started by a group of friends in the UK who were keen to do something positive during lockdown, the initiative raised funds for NHS Charities Together, NSPCC, Mind, Children with Cancer UK and Women’s Aid.

Aware that many people weren’t able to get outside to take their daily exercise, the team decided the relay should take place within the boundary of each runners’ home using a range of innovative ‘courses’ including balconies, driveways, gardens, treadmills, sitting rooms and even home-made obstacle courses. Participants were encouraged to be active during their hour by running or walking but there were some wackier options, including skipping, tango dancing and even shadow boxing! Over the 28 days, several participants came up with innovative ways to increase the fund-raising during their hour, including multiple fancy dress outfits, leg waxing, chilli eating, running barefoot on Lego, and ‘doughnut roulette’!

A team of 26 ‘Captains’ ensured that runners were accompanied at all times during the event and on behalf of the captains, Mike Seaman of the National Running Show, said: “The Indoor Relay has been a phenomenal success and we are immensely proud of what we achieved together as a community. Thank you to everyone who has given their time, donated money and helped raise awareness of this project. During this difficult time, the Indoor Relay has shown the power of exercise as a force for good and the amazing things that ordinary people can achieve when they work together.”

The team captains were: Mike Seaman, Raoul Monks, Allie Bailey, Elise Downing, Nikki Love, David Hellard, Liz Ayres, Victoria Owens, Aleks Kashefi, Anna Harding, Eric Keeler, Mollie Laurens-Chalmers, Zeph Brand, Lou Brewer, Laura Briggs, Cat Roberts, Emma Watson Horsewood, Antony Webb, Christopher Allen, Rob Walters, Natalie Doble, Linda Lawton, Danny Bent, Eric Keeler, Darren Pinder and Sharif Owadally.

The website was donated by Vatu and event support was donated by Raccoon Events. For more information please visit www.IndoorRelay.com