As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, runners have found themselves without their usual array of 5k, 10k and marathons to motivate them. The idea of hundreds if not thousands of runners congregating together does not fit with these times of social distancing. There has been no London Marathon, no Boston Marathon, no Great North Run, even your local Parkruns have all had to stop due to the pandemic.
Dragging yourself round your chosen distance all by yourself is not very appealing to many of us. So how do you keep yourself motivated without someone to chase down the finishing straight or the support of your club or running buddy? The solution could be virtual.
What is a virtual run? They work in a similar way to a traditional race but you apply online and then in the majority of cases run the selected distance at a time convenient to you, in a place convenient to you. Once you have completed the run you can then upload your time and compare it to the other participants. You will usually receive a winner’s medal as a reward for your endeavors and also a t-shirt to wear during or after the event.
Participating in a virtual run can help to keep you motivated, or find some motivation if you’ve been slacking off recently. Many runs raise money for good causes, so you know your entry fee will be put to good use. Also, it’s a change from your normal routine, doing something different can make you feel keen and enthusiastic about running again. You can also complete the run at your own pace. Your only real competition is yourself, or you can give it everything and compete for the fastest possible time with the other participants.
There are literally hundreds of virtual races to choose from, there are no geographical restrictions, you can participate in races hosted in other countries around the world. If you are interested in finding out more information about virtual races, the following websites are a great place to start.
[https://www.virtualrunneruk.com/](https://www.virtualrunneruk.com/)
[https://www.virtualracinguk.co.uk/](https://www.virtualracinguk.co.uk/)
[https://ace-races.co.uk/](https://ace-races.co.uk/)