Virtual Races

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Anyone do them? Why/why not? :)

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  • Duckwheelz
    Duckwheelz Posts: 2 Member
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    What are they?
  • vespiquenn
    vespiquenn Posts: 1,455 Member
    edited May 2017
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    They aren't for everybody. Some do not like the idea of not being at an actual race which means less accountability. With that being said, I have used them as training goals before such as "I will not earn this medal until I run x amount of miles in x amount of time." Sometimes I can't resist a neat looking medal, so I'm strict on how I earn it. So it's complete personal preference on whether it's something you want to do or will enjoy.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    I like actual races... which isn't to sag I would never do a virtual one... to each their own!
  • MsHarryWinston
    MsHarryWinston Posts: 1,027 Member
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    I want to do the fall 2017 Zombies Run virtual race. It will be my first. Lol hopefully by then I'll be in shape to do it! I'm working my way back into running form now.
  • zdyb23456
    zdyb23456 Posts: 1,706 Member
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    There's no way I'm going to pay to run by myself!

    To be fair I'm very selective about the races I do pay for.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    I've done a few for the bling (Elfie 5k, oyster T-day 5k) or the challenge (virtual lazy triathalon), but it needs to be pretty special now to get me to part with my $. Well, the oyster 5k was free, just among friends. The medals were decorated oyster shells!
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,686 Member
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    I rarely pay for real races, which I enjoy because of the company and the atmosphere; there is no way I would pay for a solo race without any of the fun of the real thing. I have enough medals that I earned the hard way. Doing a solo fun run isn't really worth commemorating.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Interesting concept but no thanks. I train with my self, I want to race against others in a real world setting. This concept misses the mark for me on what it means to train and cross the finish line.
  • JetJaguar
    JetJaguar Posts: 801 Member
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    I thought this was some sort of Strava KOM kind of thing, but after some googling is seems this is basically just buying a finishers medal. No thanks, not interested. I can never run as hard on my own as I can in a race, anyway.
  • carolineb81
    carolineb81 Posts: 459 Member
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    thanks everyone this was what I was thinking that it does seem a bit like you are just paying for a medal but I was wondering ifI had missed something about why they are actually good!
  • Bluepegasus
    Bluepegasus Posts: 333 Member
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    No, I don't really understand the purpose of them. To me, virtual races are just paying a lot to get a medal and run alone. I like running actual races.

    Same here, I don't understand the point of a medal for running alone! I like to run actual races for the atmosphere, for running with others and of course the medal that gets given once you've crossed an actual finish line. Personal preference though.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I didn't realize this was a thing. The "virtual races" I've heard of were more along the lines of Internet groups raising awareness of something and urging people to run "X" distance on a particular day. Nothing official.
  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    There is this I have heard about but never done if you are looking for virtual goals: http://www.charitymiles.org/

    I also only pay for real races- I just enjoy the atmosphere for the money, and I take it way more seriously than on my own.