Marathons around the world may have been postponed, but these run clubs are still going strong.
Due to the recent changes with the coronavirus epidemic, the Boston Marathon this April — along with other races — has been canceled. Like many groups, Boston running brand Tracksmith had to suspend all its local running clubs. But community gatherings will still live on.
Tracksmith announced it will host virtual run club events, share training courses and resources on social media, and even connect Boston runners with others in the community. “We plan to continue our weekly newsletter, which will have thoughtful and descriptive workouts for fans to do on their own,” wrote Tracksmith.
In New York, the New York Road Runners club is starting community virtual training sessions and runs, specific to half-marathons, marathon distances, and more.
Why Virtual Run Clubs?
Quarantines and lockdowns don’t mean your training has to happen in isolation. Now that many brands and clubs are going virtual, it’s easier than ever to stay connected through this ordeal.
Run club organizers hope that a social media presence and virtual connection will be useful tools for runners. Even if you can’t run together in your neighborhood, you can still be part of your running community. Runners can look to virtual groups for training recommendations, route sharing, and more.
Runners are doing everything from training together over FaceTime to running virtual marathons.
Let’s learn from Boston and New York: Stay connected, share training resources, and keep running. And most of all, remember that just because you’re isolated doesn’t mean you’re alone.
Here are some tools to help you find a virtual run:
- Strava app and groups
- Under Armour MapMyRun app
- Nike Run Club app
- Facebook groups
- Slack running clubs (free to join)
- Meetup virtual run clubs (free to join)
- Or, check in with your local run shop for other resources
