What is a Virtual Race?
There are no parking problems. No crowds. No long Porta Potty lines. There is no start gun or nervous, pre-race chitchat with other runners.
There's not even an official starting line.
That's the kind of flexibility offered by virtual races, a new trend in the running community. Runners who sign up for a virtual race register online and simply choose their own starting line, whether it's a treadmill or a neighborhood street. They run the race distance, upload their finishing time and a few days later are mailed a medal.
It may seem strange to traditional runners, but race organizers say the virtual race is a great option for those who want convenience.