Virtual races: are they really legit?
Virtual racing has come into its own as a direct result of the pandemic. It lets runners connect, support fantastic charities and stay motivated. But virtual races have actually been around for a long time. I’ve completed 30 of them since 2017, ranging from 5k to 200k. They include the 2020 Scotiabank Vancouver Half-Marathon, which I enjoyed running on the streets of Toronto.
I’m content to strive for a PB and to cross the finish line, so the prepandemic view of virtual racing as mostly a novelty never troubled me. But traditionalists still can’t get past the notion of people racing in different places at different times. They wonder why I would pay to run in my neighbourhood for medals to arrive in the mail. For them, relying on the honour system (as many virtual races still do) nullifies their legitimacy. Purists insist there’s a big difference between running a specified distance according to your gps and racing against others on a professionally measured course.
But the sheer number of serious racers embracing the virtual experience during the pandemic has led to greater legitimacy for virtual events overall. Technology is increasingly being leveraged to combat cheating, and virtual races are tightening up the rules (the virtual Boston Marathon, for example, would only consider results from those who completed the full 26.2 marathon distance continuously). Consider also the Quarantine Backyard Ultra, which galvanized the ultra world in April. More than 2, 400 runners ran 6.706 km every hour for as long as they could, with the whole thing captured on Zoom in real time. Mike Wardian of Arlington, Va., won, with 422 km over 63 hours – a real accomplishment by a real runner, if ever there was one.
While virtual runs do not yet count toward the Abbott World Marathon Majors Six Star Finisher program, it’s only a matter of time until they do. I sense that the legitimacy of virtual racing can only increase as we adapt to the new normal. It may be some time until real races return, and until then, virtual racing is a safe and natural way for our sport to evolve. I say, let’s embrace it.— Marc Bhalla
Think of road running vs. trail running like the perpetual contest between the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote. Discounting the fact that Road Runner always wins,
Wile E. (a.k.a. Track Runner) brings heightened adaptability. Road Runner may be decked out in avian finery as she strives for top speeds while Wile E./Trail Runner is a scruffy mess, but trail runners are rightly proud of their minimalist, dirtbag vibe.
Trail running changes your stride, tricks your muscles and keeps your body guessing around every corner, and it has the potential to improve your speed on the road. Trail running is a strength workout wrapped in a cardio session. A combination of singletrack, rocks, roots, sharp turns and frequent inclines and declines create an extra-strength leg workout. Core muscles and hip joints are challenged to become more stable with uneven terrain pushing them to level up.
But that’s not why we love it.
The magic of the mountains has the power to motivate your most mundane Monday mornings. Switch out your shoes and shorten your stride to inhale fresh perspective and exhale same old, same old. You might be pleasantly surprised by delving into the world of the trail runner; it could be your ticket to a stronger road performance and heightened self-awareness. “Meep, Meep!” —Chantelle Erickson