It’s been a bit longer than normal since my last post (about running streaks), though I still try to send a Thursday Tempo newsletter at least once a month with a post about running and any insightful news and research. I have to admit that on several occasions since August, other topics have been weighing on my mind, from continued racial injustice and the West coast wildfires to the passings of Chadwick Boseman and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In these moments, running has been helpful to both reflect and disconnect, but the act of writing about running has sometimes felt insignificant.
My thoughts on this month’s topic -- to race or not to race -- are similar. On the one hand, racing is a way to test and expand your physical limits. Racing, whether for time, distance, a cause, or community, will result in an accomplishment to celebrate and likely inspire further challenges. On the other hand, racing requires more deliberate training, and if you do have a time or distance goal, that means speedwork and longer runs in an unprecedented and difficult environment. And with COVID-19, most large and small races have been cancelled or turned virtual.
The current state
For athletes I coach, I put together a list in early August of about 25 marathon and half marathon in-person races on the East coast (from South Carolina up to Maine) that had yet to be cancelled or converted to virtual races. About 20 of these proactively indicated they were monitoring COVID-19 with plans for the races still to take place, from a 50-person race in Massachusetts to a 1,000-person race in Virginia. I thought 10 of these 20 could happen, based on location, race size, safety precautions, and local approvals.
As of now, only 4 of the 25 can still happen. And those 4 are an October race in Rockaway Park, New York, a November trail race in Virginia (<100 runners), a November race in Pennsylvania (<150), and a December race in Maine (<200). Even with what seems like adequate safety precautions -- capped participation, staggered starts, no spectators, self-serve aid stations, PPE for staff and more -- in-person races continue to be on pause. The races that have happened across the US were in more remote areas like Provo, Utah (half marathon) and Ithaca, New York (50k) or organized through track clubs.
A few upcoming in-person races could help shape what racing looks like in this current state. New York Road Runners is hosting the “Return to Racing Pilot 4 Mile” this Sunday with many health and safety protocols, including pre-race temperature checks and questionnaires, staggered starts, and masks required at all times. While the New York City Marathon will be entirely virtual this November, the London Marathon on October 4th is allowing elites to race in a “biosphere environment” on a closed loop course and all others to run virtually anytime on the same day.
Tips for virtual racing
I ran a few virtual races over the summer to support different causes and most recently ran the virtual Boston Marathon, as I was registered to run it in person back in April. Even without a time goal, running a virtual marathon was...hard! There were many moments where I was tempted to stop and accept a 14 mile, 18 mile, or 22 mile “long run” as my accomplishment for the day. Instead, I managed my expectations in these moments, embraced the uncertainty of the challenge, and still made sure to celebrate finishing. Here are a few virtual racing tips from my experience:
Plan a course that minimizes stops, allows for social distancing, and is as flat or hilly as you prefer
Create a DIY aid station that you can loop back to with hydration, energy gels, a towel, and a post-race treat
Find a friend to pace or cheer for you
Run at a time that is most optimal for you, accounting for nutrition, rest, and weather
Consider running for a cause meaningful to you and be kind to yourself
Whether you decide to race or not to race, be safe and keep on running!
