Oh no, my race has gone virtual!
I am not sure how I feel about that!
Always one of my New Years goals is to improve my PBs by ensuring that I am signed up for an autumn half marathon and a mid season 10k. Of course, last year, it was, wait for it, #unprecedented with the pandemic, so that ballot place that I had for October 2020 Royal Parks Half Marathon, London, was postponed to April 2021. It was ironic, as I’m sure that a lot of runners were in great shape, I was knocking out 100km a month, sometimes two half marathon long runs in a month. Only because that was the only thing we could do outside during the first lockdown. Usually, with a young family of three, I have found it challenging to train for anything longer than a half - although I am starting to be seduced by the idea of the holy grail -watch this space...
Training for a virtual race is no different
So this week, I got the email I was expecting when the third lockdown was announced in the new year, that the April race was not on, it wasn’t a surprise really. I was fully expecting the Royal Parks Half Marathon to be cancelled as it has been postponed before and they could not postpone it again as October is the usual annual race and now the London Marathon has been postponed to October 3. What I wasn’t prepared for was the option to do my half marathon as a virtual race!
When you put the training in, naturally there is disappointment that all that preparedness and conditioning has gone to waste. It’s not quite like that for me. With all the flip flopping of restrictions, lockdowns etc, I hadn’t really started following a formal 16 week training plan, like I usually do. Instead, every week, I would do one long run of at least ten miles, an interval session and a medium distance (poor excuse for a tempo) run, that I could use as a base to get more serious if & when the April race was confirmed as going ahead.
Well it isn’t and we have been given a view choices:-
Virtual race on 11 April and get a guaranteed ballot place for Oct 2021
Defer to Oct 2022
Donate current race fee
I love the thrill of race day. The feeling of trepidation the night before as you lay your kit out, ensure that you have pins for the race bib etc. That butterfly feeling in the stomach as you have an earlier than normal breakfast on race day and leave for the race venue while it’s still quite early on public transport, trying to predict who else is going to the race vs just out for a Sunday run.
All that expectation is gone. Of course this is the new normal, where no plans are guaranteed, but at least with the vaccination rollout, the future does appear encouraging.
I decided it to give the decision, which option to pursue, some time to ponder. None of my running buddies seem to have done a virtual one. One race deferral last year is fine, but I don’t want to keep deferring - so I thought I would consider doing the virtual race, but needed to think through the implications, then resolve to commit to the format and just get on with it.
The obvious implications that come to mind are:-
not running against others
no drink stations that also double up as distance markers
no crowd encouragement
no starting line razzmatazz and finish line to aim for
no post race swag and festival
But the one that I had not really considered of significant impact was route planning. Not only how difficult the route is, is it too hilly, flat, downhill? I am sure there will be some race rules around it. The thing that is concerning me most is the traffic - no traffic restrictions, having to stop on the pavement to let cars pass?
2018: Last time I ran the Royal Parks Half
On the plus side:
You can start the race at whatever time of the day suits you
No worries over commuting to the start line
No queue for the lo before race
No bag check, hate that at the end of the race!
It is not particularly conducive to cracking out a PB. After doing a bit of trawling online and reaching out on social media, seems like a good plan is to run in a park, find a 10k route and run it twice.
Another factor is that GPS devices and smartphone apps can give different results, depending on number of satellites picked up by the watch and even different apps on the same phone - I have seen differences between Strava, NIkeRunClub apps and my Garmin watch!
So there are some issues to work through, but after a wobble, some thought and research I will go for the April virtual race and do the in person October where I should definitely be able to target a PB.
I let you know how training goes. Happy running!
