The Value of Going Virtual

The world is opening back up. Slowly but surely. And you know what that means. Racing is back. Whoop whoop!!

I’m prepping for my second in-person race of 2021. This Saturday, I’m participating in the Greenhorn Ranch Trail Run, a 50K race in Quincy, California. I’m quite jazzed for some running and camping with my amazing and supportive girlfriend. Plus, I’ll be turning 30 on May 10, so there will be much to celebrate :)  

The Greenhorn Ranch Trail Run will be my first official “trail ultra.” While I participated in the Jed Smith 50 Miler in late February, the course for that race was flat, with the roughly 5-mile loop being predominantly asphalt. The Greenhorn Ranch Trail Run will be an entirely different sort of beast. I’m quite curious (and nervous) to see how my body and mind will handle the endeavor. My main goal is to finish, but I’d love to complete the course in less than seven hours. We shall see how it all pans out. 

I’m really excited that some semblance of normality is returning after more than a year of lockdown. But one good thing that’s cropped up during this whole pandemic is the proliferation of virtual races. While I went through bouts of inactivity during the lockdown, virtual races, for the most part, kept me on track when it came to my fitness and running goals. Without virtual races, I wouldn’t have completed my first 50K, the Bigfoot Elusive Race. 

A lot of fun challenges have manifested thanks to the virtual racing environment. In early April, I ran the East Coast Vs West Coast Vs Third Coast 50K, completing the race in 7:01:44. And last week, I participated in the Love My Mom 5K, setting a 5K PB for myself with 22:59.

Like I said, virtual racing has kept my ass in line, and I’m thankful for that. As much as I want to get back to traveling, it’s nice to know that even when the world is closed, running isn’t canceled. 

Happy running!