Aberdeen’s Marie Baxter is one of a growing band of runners embracing the relatively new concept of virtual racing.
With the suspension of mass participation running events for the foreseeable future, there has been a boom in the number of virtual races on offer to those who can’t get by without some form of competitive fix.
A virtual race can be completed by an individual runner in their own locality at any time, within a range of dates.
Everyone taking part can submit evidence of the route they took, and their time, to an event organiser who will then send out a medal, t-shirt or some other form of reward.
Some events also produce a results list showing everyone’s performances.
Baxter, who won the 2019 Balmoral Bristow 15-mile trail race, had signed up for the London Landmarks half marathon, which was due to take place on Sunday but was cancelled because of the Covid-19 pandemic. She was, however, able to do it virtually.
The race was to have followed a route taking in many of the capital’s iconic landmarks such at Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and Nelson’s Column.
But, after cancellation, organisers invited runners to register to do their own local landmarks run instead. Anyone completing the run locally will receive a medal.
Baxter said: “It’s a great idea. I hadn’t heard of virtual racing until someone told me I could still get my London Landmarks medal by doing it this way.
“Also, a guy I used to work with, who is now based at a weather observation station in Alaska, told me he had entered two virtual races. There’s not much going on over there at any time, so it’s a good alternative for him.
“Setting aside the current situation, there’s a lot of people who might want to go to races but can’t because they maybe don’t have the means to do so, or maybe don’t have child support available when it’s needed.
“So being able to do a virtual race at home, at a time convenient for them, is a good solution.
“I did my virtual run around Aberdeen at the weekend and took a few photos of local landmarks including the Art Gallery, HM Theatre, Queen’s Cross and Torry Bridge. Now I’ll get my race medal.
“I might need to do more of them as every race I planned to do, starting with February’s Tokyo marathon, has been cancelled.”
Many runners will have been raising funds for charities and being able to do it by completing a virtual race allows them to fulfill that obligation, which is especially important at a time when charities will, like everyone else, be feeling the pinch.