Take part in the #1milechallenge campaign

Sport England’s national This Girl Can campaign has teamed up with therunningbug.co.uk for the #1milechallenge which encourages women to move for a mile – whether it is running, walking, cycling or any other way of getting from A to B - and share a video clip on social media nominating friends to do the same.

The challenge aims to encourage more women to get active through walking, running or cycling, and adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Clubs and Running Groups can get involved in the challenge by using it a way as encouraging new people to get running – whether by existing women in the club or group nominating friends to give a mile a go, holding a #1milechallenge for beginners and other members or holding a specific #1milechallenge evening where beginners are invited to come along and give the distance a go, whatever their level of ability.

The videos will be shared on social network therunningbug.co.uk, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. As well as encouraging more women to adopt an active, healthy lifestyle, the challenge aims to raise money for Cancer Research UK, with participants able to donate £3 by texting MILE to 70200.

The Running Bug spokesperson, James Knock, said: "Our aim is to get more people adopting an active, healthy lifestyle, and this challenge can help to achieve that.  We want to show women who maybe haven’t exercised in a while, or perhaps ever, that they’re not alone, and there are thousands of others just like them out there. The one mile challenge will hopefully inspire change and get more people moving."

Tanya Joseph, This Girl Can campaign director, said: "#1milechallenge is a great campaign for This Girl Can to team up with because there is absolutely no pressure to be fast or brilliant at it. Whether you run like Jessica Ennis-Hill or Phoebe from Friends, the fact that you’re doing it is what matters and you can be truly proud of.  We also know that seeing your friends being active can be a real inspiration, so sharing your achievement and encouraging the girls to get involved is important too.  We’re really looking forward to seeing lots of #1milechallenge clips which show that these girls really can."

Rachel Carr, head of event marketing and sponsorship at Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life, said: "We're really excited to be a part of this campaign with This Girl Can and The Running Bug. Just like Cancer Research UK's Race for Life the #1milechallenge unites women to support and encourage one another to do something active such as walk, run or jog a mile whilst also supporting a very important cause. With your help we will beat cancer sooner and we can’t wait to see your miles."

For more information on the #1milechallenge and to view the videos of women who have already taken part go to therunningbug.co.uk/1milechallenge.

You can find out more about This Girl Can see www.thisgirlcan.co.uk. You can also find out more about how to get involved in the This Girl Can campaign, including information on This Girl Can Running and setting up groups for women who are completely new to running at www.englandathletics.org/thisgirlcan-clubs.