Folkestone Running Club haven’t lost their competitive edge.

The national lockdown has seen all racing and social events wiped off the calendar but head coach Catherine O’Connor is keeping them focussed.

Her weekly training plan includes suggestions of how to stay fit while sticking to the government guidelines regarding social distancing and exercise.

Many in the club have been using that one permitted opportunity a day to run the Don Thompson Mile on Princes Parade in Folkestone.

Club runner Ian McGilloway currently tops their leaderboard with a run clocked at 4mins 54secs while for the ladies a time of under seven minutes for Caroline Curtis sees her lead the way.

Coach O’Connor - who is determined to beat club-mate Curtis over the mile - feels it’s important to keep that competitive spirit going.

She said: “I want to keep people motivated, keep them healthy and hopefully the lockdown doesn’t get any worse so we can’t run.

“We are sticking to the guidelines, we know how serious this is. We can have a run, a mile in seven or eight minutes, then that is our exercise done.

“People don’t have to the Don Thompson mile, any flat course will do, but we can compare our times and post what we do. If I am behind someone I am excited to try and beat them the next week. I’m hoping to beat Caroline and it has become really popular.

“Some of the runners are out at 6am because they are still working, we have key workers and others with kids. I've run every day and I haven’t met one of our members. We are just doing it when we can but still following a structure. Club runners want structure, something to follow and a purpose.

“Every weekend we would usually have members racing somewhere, whether that’s a 10k, or a half marathon, or whatever it is, they are always training for that next race. Doing things like the mile gives them a purpose and a focus and people will try to keep improving.

“I am trying to keep everyone going and if they are doing a run I will see it on Strava and comment and encourage them. We can keep each other going.

“We are following the government guidelines, no meeting in groups, only running solo and everyone is loving it.”

O’Connor is one of many now finding themselves on extended leave from work, allowing her extra time to keep an eye on the progress of their members. But rather than several evenings a week outside, she can do it from home.

Current government guidelines say that you can “go for a walk or exercise outdoors if you stay more than two metres from others” in a bid to look after your mental wellbeing.

Reading is also suggested and for those club runners who want to put their feet up, the club are also about to run a book club.

“We’ll read some inspiration books and we will see how that goes,” she said.

The Don Thompson Mile is usually raced on the first Tuesday of every September and memorialises the former Olympic gold medalist race walker who was a member of Folkestone Athletic Club, the precursor to Folkestone Running Club.

Read more sports news in Kent