GOING THE SOCIAL DISTANCE: Running and Racing During COVID-19
Racing apps are keeping the the running community moving
Since the beginning of the pandemic, news outlets have continually highlighted the growing number of Americans taking up running. The media hype has been reminiscent of that of the late ‘70s running boom ushered in by Jim Fixx and his The Complete Book of Running. The main difference between then and now is that 40 years ago, millions of people were brought together through the shared goal of running towards better health; today, we run to keep our distance from each other and away from a virus that has infected nearly 26 million and stolen more than 429,000 lives across the country. Perhaps running feels like a social distance-friendly fitness choice due to the long-standing stereotype of the lone long-distance runner: up, amassing endless miles in the early-morning fog between dark and dawn with nothing but his or her thoughts and the dead silence of the resting world to keep him or her company. However, for many of us (myself included) who are up pounding the pavement before most people have had their morning coffee, we are striving towards the sport’s exceedingly social endgame: racing.
28
Mardi Gras Manual | Where Y'at Magazine
During a race, creating distance between yourself and others is a good thing—at least, between the start and finish lines and prior to the post-competition festivities. Like most everything in 2020, however, local races were cancelled, postponed, or diverted to the digital realm. I was initially averse to virtual racing. My attitude changed, however, when I saw that two of my favorite local races, the Crescent City Classic and the Rock ‘n’ Roll New Orleans Marathon, would not be holding live races during
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY HUMANA ROCK 'N' ROLL VIRTUAL RUNNING CLUB
By Greg Roques
