There seems to be some collective insanity among the running community that makes the odd crazy idea a potential reality. My crazy idea was a relay around the coast of Great Britain. A relay around the coast of Great Britain-are you mad!? was the expected response - Well maybe I am but dividing the coast into 20 plus stretches has made this huge task and its logistics appear less mad, it seems. In fact, in 6 weeks of declaring this insanity in a running forum, over half of the coastal stretches have many eager bodies willing to take our baton , named Barry, around the coast of Great Britain. Slowly but surely a coastal chain is being forged.

The power of the internet and thirst of runners to take on great tasks are making the coastal relay a real possibility. The doubters are now loud in their silence.

The big day is May 9th 2010. Barry makes his way North from Blackpool Tower, up into Gretna and around the craggy crevices of Scotland's scenic edges before heading towards South Shields and the rest of England and Wales. Doing this links us all as runners and will keep us glued to our computers as Barry bounds from stretch to stretch. Each stretch is estimated to take a week on average. A stretch can be divided up by as many runners as they can get, each division can have two or three runners or more. It is an inclusive event. So if you want to do 3 miles or 30 miles it is OK. You can do your bit before and/or after work as you would a training run if Barry is with you on a weekday. On a weekend day many bits can link up and 50-80 miles can be covered.

The stretches are:

Blackpool - Gretna

Gretna - Stranraer

Stranraer - Ayr

Ayr - Tobermory

Tobermory - Ullapool

Ullapool - Durness

Durness - Wick

Wick - Aberdeen

Aberdeen - Edinburgh

Edinburgh - South Shields

South Shields - Grimsby

Grimsby - Great Yarmouth

Great Yarmouth - Southend

Southend - Portsmouth

Portsmouth - Plymouth

Plymouth - Bristol

Bristol - Swansea

Swansea - Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth - Flint

Flint - Blackpool

This is an event like no other. It is not about time, egos and beating the other. It is about running and the running community of Great Britain. There is plenty of room for all, especially in the more sparsely populated regions of Scotland. A lovely trip out for some and a plod near home for others. Click on our website www.coastersgb.co.uk and be part of something unique and special.

To put your name down go to: http://www.coastersgb.co.uk/