TIME TO RUN A VIRTUAL RACE?
Little did I know when I ran the Carlsbad Half Marathon last January that it would be my only event of the year. During this pandemic—for good reason—every race or triathlon I would have participated in has been cancelled. Yet, some of the races have instead offered a virtual run. Almost daily I receive email invitations to “compete” in events I’ve done in the past. I haven’t bothered opening most of them—I couldn’t see any point in joining an “unreal” run.
Still, this year I jumped into producing a virtual art fair. I had to cancel my Sacramento Arts Festival in-person event, which would have taken place October 23-25 at Cal Expo. Yet, I wanted to keep going the artists-to-customers relationship the show has built over 22 years. I held a “Live” version online from November 13-15 and have continued an Online Market that runs until December 31.
Well, I finally broke down and opened an email from Santa to the Sea, a half marathon I’ve participated in that is held in Oxnard annually in early December— this year it would have been on Sunday the 13th. And I saw an offer I couldn’t refuse: Run any distance you want, anywhere you want, and share the results. The only requirement: donate a toy to be given to an underprivileged kid. They’re calling it Santa’s Toy Run. So tomorrow I’m going to run (jog that is) 10 miles on the Ventura Bike Path in the morning and then drive over to Oxnard, donate a toy and maybe pick up a “medal.”
In case you’re also interested in “competing” in a virtual race, here are excerpts from the September 3, 2020 Cleveland Clinic article What is a Virtual Race and Should You Run One?
As the majority of races across the country have been canceled or postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, runners of all shape, size and age have turned to the concept of “virtual races.”
Gone are the pre-race jitters and porta-potty lines. There’s no race day traffic or starting gun. And unfortunately, there’s no post-race beer or banana.
“Virtual races offer a more flexible race experience,” says exercise physiologist Katie Lawton, MEd. “Runner’s sign up for a race, run the distance on a specific date or by a deadline, then they upload their finishing time online and are mailed a medal a few days later.”
Some races even offer race bibs to make it feel more official or provide swag bags to their participants.
But why would someone want to run a virtual race?
The pandemic has been hard on everyone, including those who love to participate in physical races. And since people can’t run together right now, many are finding it challenging and fun to participate in a simulated race instead.
This version of racing gives runners—from beginners to veterans—something to train for and work towards. Often times, races act as motivation to stay active, which is important, but even more so now in the midst of a global pandemic.
It might not be the same experience as before, but it might be just enough to motivate someone to continue being active, says Lawton. It could be the jolt of inspiration you need.
Other people like the flexibility that a virtual race gives them. Maybe you hate physical races due to the ungodly hour you have to get up at. Or maybe you work weekends and couldn’t attend most races. Now, you can race in the evening, or maybe you prefer a quick 5K at lunch during the week.
“Some people also find physical races intimidating, so a virtual race might be a great option for them,” says Lawton. “And virtual races have been around for a few years now but are now gaining more popularity in the age of COVID-19.”
If you’re a competitive runner, these virtual events are a great time to experiment with new training plans or even equipment and nutrition strategies. A virtual race can help you practice for your actual race, almost like a dress rehearsal (because yes, eventually this pandemic will end.)
Treat your virtual race just like you would a physical race. Determine what clothes you will wear, lay out aid stations and water stops and plan a route that is exciting to run. Have some fun with your race and get your family involved, either running some of the distance with you or positioned at cheering stations on your course
You can also get creative in your post-race festivities. Plan a special dinner that night or simply enjoy that post-race beer or banana in your backyard as if you were at a real race.
So where do you race at?
With a virtual race, you get to call the shots and act as both a runner and race director. The organizers will typically give you a deadline for when you’ll need to complete your race (or set a goal to run a certain amount of miles in so many days), but ultimately, you can decide when and where you run.
You can run in your neighborhood, on a treadmill, on a track, at a park, at the beach. You choose the starting line and map out your route to cover the distance. And you can also pick the day and time you prefer to race.
At the very least, even if you don’t like it, trying a virtual race will give you something to do during quarantine!