Running Club Creates Reindeer And Sleigh Route On Strava

A running club in Suffolk have got into the festive spirit by creating the outline of a reindeer and a sleigh on the Strava app.

Kesgrave Kruisers running group used route-sharing app Strava to draw the Christmassy image through the streets of Kesgrave, near Ipswich.

Kesgrave Kruisers

Neal Hardwick was the brains behind the operation, having spent two hours designing the 10-mile (16km) route, which has been completed by more than 80 people - and a dog - in two sets of runs so far.

By Christmas, around 100 of the club's runners are expected to have finished the festive run.

Strava

Hardwick, an IT worker from Kesgrave, actually started the project last year, having run the 4.5km (7.25km) reindeer part of the route to use as an image for Christmas cards.

Hardwick, 41, told the BBC: "When I was planning it, I saw a roundabout and I thought of using it as Rudolph's nose.

"Then I worked backwards to find roads that could be his legs, his antlers and so on."

This year he decided to increase the challenge by adding in the sleigh, tacking on an extra 5.5 miles (8.85km) to the map - meaning it now takes around two hours at an even pace to complete.

Hardwick, who also previously run a route in the shape of Santa's head, added: "I'm not remotely artistic.

"I can't draw - I just do it through sheer perseverance."

Earlier this month, another sports fan called Anthony Hoyle also took to the streets of north London for a similar masterpiece.

Having previously created the likes of a snowman, a Santa and a Yorkshire Terrier, for his new creation 51-year-old Hoyle trekked more than 80 miles around the city, starting off in Hammersmith before finishing up along Euston Road in central London.

Speaking about his latest piece, Hoyle, from Cheltenham, told ITV: "I'm pretty happy with it. Until you get back and upload it, you're not quite sure whether it's going to work or not.

"I live in the countryside and it's very different to coming into London. Particularly around Neasden and Wembley, it's not the most pleasant cycling.

"That's about my maximum distance - I wouldn't want to go too much above that. It's a long day in the saddle."

Topics: Christmas, uk news, News

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

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