Marathoners Invented Social Distancing

Marathoners invented social distancing, it seems to me.

I had never heard of “social distancing” until the COVID-19 pandemic. But, once I heard the phrase, I thought of marathoners. Unlike a 100-meter race, in which the slowest sprinter is often within a few feet of the fastest sprinter at the finish line, a marathon’s fastest runner often finishes some 13+ miles ahead of the slowest finisher.

In response to social-distancing mandates driven by COVID-19, organizers have cancelled or postponed many races.

For example, Saint Arnold Brewing Company postponed the 2020 Art Car IPA 5K from April to November 8.

Other organizers have created virtual races to replace their original ones, and I completed four in the past six days.

Seabrook Lucky Trails Races

For Seabrook-Texas-based Seabrook Lucky Trails (SLT), I was registered for three races:

• 5K: Friday, 3/13/2020
• Marathon: Saturday, 3/14/2020
• Half-Marathon: Sunday, 3/15/2020

The awesome team at Running Alliance Sport told us registrants on Thursday, 3/12/2020, that RAS would not host the races as scheduled. Then RAS on Monday, 3/16/2020, told us that we could complete our SLT races virtually. Woo-hoo!

Here is how I completed mine:

• 5K: Starting in front of a friend’s home at 5:59 AM on 3/17, I ran 3.11 miles in 30:50, with a 10:17/mile pace for mile 1, a 9:57/mile pace for mile 2, a 9:37/mile pace for mile 3, and an 8:37/mile pace for the final 0.11 miles.
• Marathon: Starting at Memorial Park Running Trails Center (MPRTC) at 2:20 AM (Yes, that early!) on 3/21, I ran:walked the first 13.11 miles on my own, ending back at MPRTC in 2:27, after reaching 6.55 miles in 1:10 and reaching 11 miles in 1:57. I then walked from MPRTC with four friends another 6.55 miles and returned along the same route to MPRTC until my Garmin Forerunner 235 said that I had covered 26.22 miles. The official distance of a marathon is 26.21875 miles, so I wanted to round up. I don’t know the reason, but my Forerunner downgraded 26.22 to 26.21 after I saved my session, at which point it was too late to bump it up to 26.22. Anyway, I covered “26.2+” miles in 5:58:17, which included two relaxing stops for drinks and snacks hosted by my wife in the second (all-walking) half.
• Half-Marathon: Starting walking from MPRTC with three friends at 4:49 AM on 3/22, we turned around at 6.55 miles. I stopped my Forerunner soon after we got back to MPTRC and when my Forerunner said that I had covered 13.12 miles. I did not want to take a chance that the Forerunner would under-report my mileage again! Walking 7 miles in 1:57 (vs. run:walking the first 11 miles of the previous day’s marathon in 1:57), I walked this virtual half in 3:38:58, with two enjoyable, time-stretching stops for snacks hosted by my wife and a walking buddy.

RAS gave us until 3/28/2020 to complete all virtual SLT races. Beyond qualifying for the finisher medals for the individual races, I had these motivators:

• Completing the SLT Marathon meant that I completed the 2020 Texas Marathon Triple, for which I already had completed the 2020 Texas Marathon and the 2020 Galveston Marathon.
• Completing the SLT Marathon and the SLT Half-Marathon meant that I completed the SLT Trail Challenge.
• Completing the SLT Friday 5K and the SLT Trail Challenge meant that I converted the Trail Challenge into an Ultra Trail Challenge.
• Finally, completing the SLT Friday 5K gave me my first completion toward the six-race 2020 Texas 5K Series.

Texas Marathon Triple finishers qualify for a special shirt. SLT Trail Challenge finishers qualify for an additional finishers medal. Rumor has it that Ultra Trail Challenge finishers qualify for something special, too. And, those who finish the Texas 5K Series in 2020 will get something special at the end of the 2020 Boo Dash 5K.

Pearland Half-Marathon

Seabrook Lucky Trails races were not my only focus in the past week. iRUN Productions converted the 2020 Pearland Half-Marathon, originally scheduled for 3/22/2020 in Pearland, Texas, into a virtual race, too.

So, starting at 4:08 AM on 3/18, I ran:walked 13.11 miles in 2:28:34, after hitting mile 1 in 11:11, mile 4 in 45 minutes, mile 5 in 58 minutes, and mile 6.55 in 1:13.

Lessons Learned from Four Virtual Races Covering 55.5+ Miles in Six Days

• Be grateful when race organizers must cancel, postpone, or virtualize your races. They are doing the best that they can in trying circumstances.
• If your race gets virtualized, then try to complete it as soon as possible, even if you have to rise early or you have to race on a day during which you usually rest.
• As soon as your race gets virtualized and you want to complete it with friends, then begin to coordinate with those who want to join you as to the virtual race’s date, starting time, starting location, and route. Be flexible, but persist until you have a solid plan for your virtual race.
• If you race virtually with friends, then stay with them throughout the route. A virtual race is not like a regular one, at the start of which friends wish each other well and then do their own thing. A virtual race has no spectators and no or few aid stations. Stay with your friends throughout your virtual race. They are there to support you; be there to support them in turn.
• As best as you can, memorize time/distance benchmarks along the way of a virtual race. Unlike a regular race, there are no timing mats, but you will want that performance information later for comparison with regular races.

What’s YOUR Experience?

What’s your experience with virtual races? I’d like to know! Please leave a comment below.