Ever wonder how you would stack up against the Canberra Raiders on the training track?
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Some green-eyed punters have put themselves to the test in a five kilometre running challenge with the goal of pipping some of the NRL's best - and for one, it meant the realisation of a "life mission".
A handful of Raiders players used their time in isolation to put in a five-kilometre effort and nominate others to follow suit.
A leaderboard was soon posted on social media by the Green Machine Podcast account featuring times from Raiders past and present.
The challenge will run until May 28 - when the NRL season resumes - with Sean Hanrahan sitting on top with a time of 19.24 minutes. Aidan Sezer is the best of the playing contingent with 20.55.
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But few have created a story quite as memorable as John Bateman enthusiast Jack Cronin, who declared on Twitter he would leave no stone unturned in a bid to beat the Englishman's time of 24.25.
"I have decided I am going to make it my life mission to overtake John Bateman in this 5km running challenge," Cronin wrote.
"The main problems facing me right now are that I am very unfit and I despise hard work. I'm thinking I will do this via a 45 point, 45 day plan which ends with me winning."
Cronin's self-enforced rules of the challenge were simple.
- I am not allowed to tweet about or acknowledge the existence of John Bateman until I overtake him.
- John is not allowed to improve his time because that would make it hard
- Upon beating his time he sends me a signed jersey of his (optional)
Whether Bateman saw the rules or not is up for debate, but he opted to run again and this time posted a far more imposing 22:40. Then, in Cronin's eighth attempt, the unthinkable happened.
"I am very pleased to announce that after 6 days I have defeated John Bateman in our 5km challenge," Cronin wrote after posting 22.26.
"I made sure I wore my GB Lions shirt today just so he knew I was thinking of him the whole time I did it."
A signed jersey may well be on its way after Cronin's effort.
The leaderboard circulating on social media has names of fans in white and players in green, with Bateman, Elliott Whitehead, Ryan Sutton, and Josh Papalii the current players on the list.
Think you have what it takes to outrun Ruben Wiki? Sprint past Sutton and Sezer? Weave your way around Whitehead? Here is your chance.
Caden Helmers
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
Caden Helmers is a sports writer for The Canberra Times.
