Alan Macdougall feels the same before every race. It doesn’t matter if he’s running 3.1 miles or 26.2, the 54-year-old Branford resident is always nervous before the gun goes off.
“It’s a complicated thing,” he says. “You’re there with a lot of people, you want to do well, and no matter how much you tell yourself it doesn’t really matter how you do, you’re always thinking about what are other people going to think?”
His last 5k was no different. And nobody was around to judge him.
With road races across Connecticut being postponed or canceled because of the coronavirus, some runners are turning to a modern phenomenon to keep their competitive juices flowing — virtual racing.
In virtual racing, runners compete on their own time and at their own location, whether it’s a neighborhood/city street or treadmill. Once the required distance is reached, they simply log in and record their time. Generally, there are no prizes.
In a typical year, Macdougall competes in about 20 races ranging from 5ks to half marathons, marathons and Ironman triathlons. For him and other participants, the virtual runs are a convenient way to train, not to mention raise money for a worthwhile cause.
“It’s not the same as running a race with hundreds and thousands of other people, but it still gives you a goal,” he said.
Last month’s Race Against Hunger 5k Run and Walk, organized by John Bysiewicz of JB Sports, had over 800 participants and collected more than $100,000 for Connecticut Food Bank.
Bysiewicz, who coordinates around 25 events a year throughout Connecticut, is putting together another virtual race that will benefit Race-4 CT and will run through the end of this month....
from News https://www.ctpost.com/news/coronavirus/article/Runners-adjusting-to-competing-in-virtual-road-15301930.php
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