You might be wondering what the heck a virtual race is. Many people have started their own types of virtual races. Its a great way to raise money for charity, provide races for people who aren't able to make it out to regular races and also provide a way for people to reward themselves between races. The basic's of a virtual race are: you typically are give a specific day or more commonly a few dates that you can choose to run or walk (Some races let you cycle or swim), you are responsible for timing yourself and if posting your time being honest (some have you post your time others let it be optional on their Facebook page), Most let you choose different distances some only provide one distance option (1 mile, 5k, 10, half or full marathon). Some you can do for free and just post your distance and time to compare with others and some you have to pay for but get a medal and sometimes a t-shirt.
One company I really like is called US Road Running. Their website is usroadrunning.com When you scroll down their page a little bit, you'll see their Get Out and Run Program, this is one that I currently like participating in. I started this year in July (2013) and have been signing up at the end of every month and posting my best 5k time, I then get a medal with my name, distance and time engraved on a little plaque on the back. These are the three I have so far, I just signed up for the October and got word that its on its way.
I love doing these because I can keep track of my progress on them, Notice the middle one (August) Its faster then my September time, I was being a total idiot and put a time for a distance that was a little shorter then a 5k so I didn't actually do that good :( But I am improving, sadly my best October time was 1 second longer then September (so 27:12) but I ran yesterday (November 1st) and completed a full 5k in 27:09! So hopefully by the end of this month I'll be doing even better, we'll see though, It's getting colder here in Ohio (yesterday was surprisingly nice I ran in pants and a t-shirt but todays much colder) and I'm going to have to switch over to my treadmill :p We are not friends I ran horribly on the treadmill the other day and I'm really not looking forward to the switch.
Back on topic now... The medals are getting a slight update on their design now though (My October one should be the new one). The person here on the left of the medal
It's a she...a little hard to tell maybe? I always assumed it was a girl but I guess a lot of people had no idea so they are making her a little more feminine looking. On the new design you are able to see the bottom of her pony tail whipping around from the back of her head, she's been given a little more of a figure, shorter shorts and you are able to see her belly button. I think it definitely helps distinguish her as a female for those who weren't able to see it and I think she looks a lot nicer in the new design. Here is my October medal with the newer design.
I think it looks a lot more like a female here. I don't really like the new medal design because its so much lighter, I really liked the darker look. Also I feel like this medal isn't as smooth as my others :/ I completely forgot to order my November :( so I wont have that as a comparison which really stinks because I significantly cut down my 5k time. Here is a side by side of the female on the new (left) and old (right) medal.
The new just seems more matte while the old is more glossy which I like. Either way its still a nice medal.
More and more people have started to get into the Get Out and Run program each month, its really growing. They started out in January 2013 with 40 runners, February=96, March=146, April=122, May=161, June=397, July=510 (including me), August=673, September=572, and October=608. Starting out with only 40 participating and making it up to over 600 in 10 months! They've also begun to include "team challenges" where you can get friends and family to run or walk and they ship you medals for all the people you have participating. The Halloween Team Challenge go 1274 participants!
So with the Get Out and Run Program they offer a new medal for each month as you have seen with mine. You can choose to do 5k, 10k, half marathon, full marathon, or a goal that you create. You don't have to do the medal if you don't want to. You can sign up for free and just post your time to see where you fall with everyone else. They show results with everyone together and also have a button to see results split into female and male age groups. If you sign up before the month starts you get the early bird discount (but I believe that you get your medal in the beginning of the month and it is not engraved) its only $13.99. Then if you do what I do and sign up during or at the end of the month you get it at the beginning of the following month and its engraved. That costs $14.99, there are online fees so it comes out to a total of $16.74 still not a bad price. You can avoid the online fee and mail in your registration, directions are on the page. I believe they order the medals at the first of every month so you know you can expect them shipping around the beginning of the month. I usually get mine by the 15th of the month if not sooner. You can also sign up for a group. 2 or more runners is $13.99 each 10 or more runners is $12.99 each and 20 or more runners is 11.99 each. The medals wont be engraved though. Here's the link to the November Get Out and Run Program page: usroadrunning.com/index.php?club_id=1627
You can also get involved with the Turkey Trot Team challenge this month. Next month theres a Jungle Bell Team Challenge and January a New Year Team Challenge and over the winter a Frozen 5k.
Another thing about the Get Out and Run Program is that they have been giving away a Garmin Forerunner 310 GPS to one lucky winner each month, so more motivation to sign up and run!
Photo from usroadrunning.com
These medals are also a great way to remember a real race you completed that doesn't give out medals!
There is also a special Get Out and Cycle program form cyclists. The medals are a little different in the overall outside design but the center picture still appears to be the same.
US Road Running also offers some virtual versions of real races PA. Some they are currently offering are the Virtual Movie Madness half marathon and 5k (looks like they are doing this every year) and The Virtual Shoe House 5 miler. You can get into their 5k club, 10k club, and Half Marathon club. They also have a Goal Program Club, and a State Program. Go ahead and log on to their site for more info on these. Its a great site and program. I've been getting a personal email each month from the director each month making sure that my medals have come in. They do a great job! They also have a Facebook group called US Road Running that's very motivating. You can post questions, concerns and accomplishments. So many runners of different skill levels get on and share advice and share inspirational stories, its definitely something worth checking out. Its a closed group so you have to wait to get approved. They just started an ambassador program and ambassadors from each state have free bibs to give out for real races in their state every month! Another awesome group they have is their Running Event List group where people go on and post different virtual races that are going on so another good way to find out about new events.
One last thing I almost forgot is you don't have to be in the US to participate, there are people from out of the country participating too.
On to another amazing Virtual race series...If you love....GLITTER....AND.....ALICE IN WONDERLAND..... you will love this girls medals! But you have to act FAST!
I found this girls site a little too late, all of her races were sold out :( Luckily I decided to send her an e-mail and she mentioned she had an extra Candy Land medal! ( the one race that wasn't Alice themed) So she asked if I was interested and of course I was!
This girl has an amazing story that she tells on her website and is raising money for different causes that she will be racing for. Check out her site here: runningdisney.weebly.com/index.html
You can go to her about me tab to read about her weight loss journey, the causes I run for tab to read about the different causes she's running for and raising money for and of course the virtual races tab to check out the different races she has and how to sign up.
Like I said the races were sold out when I found out about them :( but recently she added a waitlist page (under the virtual race tab) where you can sign up for a waitlist for runs you are interested in and would sign up for if they were reopened. The Candy Land Sugar Rush race I will tell you about in a bit looks like it unfortunately wont be reopened but the Alice one will!
The first one that has been reopened is the Running Down the Rabbit Hole virtual race. Currently (11/2/2013) it is at least 90% sold out and wont be reordered again but there are some spots left so if you act fast you should be able to get in! The medal is beautiful, Its glittery and also features a little Alice that spins!
Photo from: Crazy Good Virtual Races Facebook page
Original running race dates were November 15th-22nd but I'm not sure if those dates will remain the same for the reopened race. Anyway you can still always run whenever you want to earn your medal (its not a real strict race) And as it shows you can choose to do a 5k, 10k or half marathon (13.1)
She also e-mails out bibs with your name on them and puts the file in her Facebook group if you loose the email. The cost of this race is $30 for US participants and $35 for International participants. The race benefits Lazarex Cancer Foundation. You'll pay for the race through Katie's fundraising page (and then sign up through her website), you can also just make a donation if you want to help support the cause. The fundraising page is: lazarex.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=465782&supid=388511761
And the page to sign up for this race is: runningdisney.weebly.com/running-down-the-rabbit-hole.html
The website has all the directions for signing up. paying on the donation page and then signing up on the website. Hurry they will be gone soon!
The next race that she reopened is The Cheshire Challenge Virtual Race. The race is still open (11/2/13) but the last time I heard (I believe yesterday or the day before) there were only 3 spots left! So you really have to hurry to get this one before its gone! This medal is also glittery and it even glows in the dark!
Photo from: Crazy Good Virtual Run Facebook page
I believe that the original Race dates were all of October but I couldn't find them on the website, but like I said before... (I wont bore you with rewriting everything, all her races run the same). This race benefits the same as the last. This race only costs $25 for US participants and $30 for international participants.
Race sign up page: runningdisney.weebly.com/cheshire-challenge-virtual-race.html
^^^^medals have been ordered for those two races and she should have a date for when they should be shipped to her soon.
I just got an e-mail around 9pm tonight saying that the Red Queen Run Virtual Race was just reopened! (11/2/13) This metal doesn't have any spinning charms or glow in the dark but its still beautiful and glittery.
Photo from: Crazy Good Virtual Race Facebook Website
Rules of course are the same and not sure when the original dates were for this one. The medals haven't been ordered yet for this one but will be very soon, like the others she's only ordering 50 total so act fast! This race also benefits the same charity as the other two. It costs $25 for US participants and $30 for international participants.
Race sign up page: runningdisney.weebly.com/red-queen-run.html
The last race that may get reopened but hasn't yet is A Very Merry RUN-Birthday Virtual Race so if you want it reopened hurry on over to the waitlist and sign up.
Link for the waitlist sign up: runningdisney.weebly.com/waitlist.html
I don't believe that she got the first shipment in of these yet so there isn't a picture of the actual finished product but imagine that it will be glittery and beautiful like the others. This one also features a beautiful dangly charm.
Same rules as the others and I believe that it benefits the same charity, its not reopened yet so there isn't really a sign up page but you can check the page by going to her website and looking for this run under the virtual race tab. The cost for this one if it gets reopened would be $30 for US participants and $35 for international participants.
I've signed up for all that races that reopened and I completed the Candy Land Sugar Rush Virtual Race that she had an extra medal for. I completed the run on October 24th (the 1st day, the dates were the 24th through the 31st) I almost didn't run because I didn't feel well and wasn't sure I'd make it through my run. The crazy thing is I have some of my best runs when I don't feel well. I finished with a time of 27:12 for my 5k. ONE second longer then my best time. I was a little disappointed especially since near the end I was thinking I would get a new PR but I decided I still earned my medal.
Photo from: Me
Ignore my face
I run through my neighborhood when I don't have time to run through the gym (I love to run through the bigger neighborhoods around the gym) and my "neighborhood" is only 2 small roads that intersect. Going through the whole "neighborhood" is a little bit over a mile so it can get a bit boring and wont do well for longer runs but it works for now and its better then the treadmill!
The medal is beautiful and glittery. I know a lot of people have been saying how upset they are that they missed this race on the Crazy Good Virtual Race Facebook page so who knows maybe there is a possibility that it could be reopened in the future or she could do another one like this. You can also see the photo of my bib here too.
I cant wait to see what races and beautiful medals Katie has next!
On her Facebook group page you'll also see her friend Jen will post about her races called If the Shoe Fits...Run! She has some really cute medals. They are all Disney themed, usually princess but for Halloween she had villain's. The medal is a high heel shoe themed and inspired by these Disney characters. So you can check those out too.
Okay, now on to the race I really want to talk about. If you want to do a virtual run that's really close to a real race then this is the company to do it through. I haven't found any others quite like these but if I do I will definitely let you guys know!
Website: www.fortheloveofthekids.com
With their races it seems they only currently offer 1 milers, 5k's and half marathons. I'm not sure how the 1 mile works but you can sign up for the 5k with or without a medal and there's also an option to do a double down where you run both a 5k and a half marathon within the 3 race days and you get both medals. You sign up for either distance and then about 10 days before the race they send you your bib and t-shirt. The bibs are just like the ones you get at any other race
Photo from: Me
And the t-shirts are the comfortable tech shirts 100% polyester. They run a little bigger then I expected. They offer youth and regular sizes. I got a regular small and its like a little dress on me, it covers my butt and its a little wide. Its a comfortable size nice to wear with leggings but if you want something more fitted you might want to go smaller. I'm about 5'1" and fairly average built, I'm no twig but I'm some what thin, just to give you an idea of how big the shirts are.
Photo from: Me
Then you typically have 3 days in a row where you can choose one to race (The All Hollows Eve Romp that I did had the three dates of Oct. 31st, Nov. 1st and Nov. 2nd, I ran mine on the 1st). For there races you must run the race either outside or on a treadmill, you can also walk if you choose. You cant swim, cycle or do an elliptical for these races. You also cant break the distance up, once the clock starts it keeps running until your distance is finished. If you sign up for the half and want to do it over a 2 day period your time will be over 24 hours. Also if you sign up for the double downs you have to run a total of 14.2 miles, you cant just run a half and count the first 3 miles of your run as your 5k.
Here are the medals for the races. I'm getting the Candy Corn one because I did the 5k
Now in order to get the medal, you have to actually complete the race and log a time. Now obviously someone could just put in a random time and never run, there's no way for anyone to know, but who wants a medal they didn't earn? I know I don't.
During the 3 racing dates their home page turns into a page where you can log your time. It says in the directions that the page will be refreshed and to be assured that your time has been recorded which I don't really like, I want something to tell me that it got my time, so well see if it worked I guess. That would probably be my only complaint for this race, it would be nice if they had a way to let you know that they received your time. About three days after the last race date they post the results (They should be up by November 5th for the race I just did) and then about 5 days later they start shipping out medals and prizes throughout that week.
I kind of really like that they ship out the medals later and you don't get yours if you don't race because its like any real race that you sign up for. If you sign up for a race and don't make it to the race that day you usually have your shirt and bib already but you never get your medal. I think this just makes this virtual race even more like a real one. It also encourages you to get out and run because you don't want to miss out on something you paid for.
So the race I did obviously was called All Hallows' Eve Romp and I did the 5k.
Here's the calendar off the website to give you an idea of dates for everything if my explanation was a little confusing, they provide these calendars on their website for all their races:
Registration closes: October 22nd
Packets Ship: October 24th
Race Dates: October 31-November 2nd
Race Results Posted: November 5th
Medals and Prizes Ship: Week of November 10th
Now I wish I posted this before I did the race only because the race I just did is part of a series. Its in its 2nd year so its called the: 2nd Annual Holiday Hustle Series.
It includes the:
All Hallows' Eve Romp 10.31.2013-11.2.2013
Gobbler Gallop 11.28.2013-11.30.2013
New Year's Resolution Run 12.30.2013-1.1.2014
If you do the whole series (all 3 races) you get a special bonus medal. Now I don't know what that medals looks like yet so I don't have a picture to show you. Since this is the 2nd annual I think its fairly safe to assume that they will have it again in 2014 so you can always do the whole series then if you want the bonus medal. So many people were bummed about missing registration for the All Hallows' Eve Romp that they opened it back up just before the race and are sending out shirts to those people who signed up late with the medals. So it seems to be a pretty popular race series and I've really liked it so far so give it a try!
They also give out freebies during race days. I know they gave away I CamelBak (now I didn't know what exactly that was I thought it was the water bottle but its actually the backpack that holds water and has the tube that comes out for you to drink incase you are like me and had no idea what it was).
They also gave out 3 amazon gift cards, a pair of women's Zoot compression socks, a box of Stinger Waffles and 6 Road ID gift cards.
When I got my packet they also had included a sample of BioFreeze and a coupon for free shipping on a Road ID.
Photos from: Me
I'm holding out on ordering a Road ID just incase I get lucky enough to be one of the winners of a gift card (I doubt I will but I can hope!)
The races benefits a non profit group called The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp. They do some awesome things for families with sick children you can read more about it under the About Us tab on their website.
I'll try to update this once I get my medal and everything but I might just do a separate post to give more of a review.
Their Website again is: fortheloveofthekids.com
There's still some time to get signed up for the Gobbler Gallop 1 miler, 5k or half marathon
Registration closes November 16th 2013
Sign up Here
Here are the medals...
Photos from: fortheloveofthekids.com/Gobbler_Gallop.html
And this is the t-shirt. I'm assuming the shirts like a rust color. The picture they had for the All Hallows' Eve Romp wasn't as bright or orangy as the actual shirt so this color may be a bit different on the actual shirt.
Photo from: fortheloveofthekids.com/Gobbler_Gallop.html
And the New Year's Resolution Run 1 miler, 5k and half marathon
Registration closes: December 18th 2013
Sign up Here
Here are the medals:
They don't have the shirt design posted yet. I cant wait for there other races! It looks like they have also done a Valentine's run and a summer run in the past so they should have some races all year long.
Happy November Everyone
and Happy Running!
*I was not asked to post or talk about any of these races and did not receive any incentives for doing so. These are 100% my thoughts, feelings and opinions.*
