Going Virtual
Virtual it is! Virtual doesn't mean that you can't put together a fun, engaging race day. For a deep dive on creating a virtual race, check out the GoVirtual Hub: https://runsignup.com/govirtual.
Keeping People Interested
Turkey Trots are a special type of event - even more than other races, they tend to be rooted in tradition, community, and a good cause. Lean on those pillars to encourage people to join you, virtually.
- Tradition
- Families can participate together even if they can’t travel to be together
- Highlight runners who have run 5, 10, 20 consecutive years and what it means to continue that this year
- Community
- Feature local sponsors that residents want to see survive
- Offer a RaceJoy Anywhere map with audio cheers and waypoints that show off local slang and establishments
- Cause
- Charities are in need, and participation helps keep them running
- Charities rely on the money from annual charities
- Online activity makes fundraising even easier
Celebrate the Differences
Yes, a virtual race day will look different. Instead of viewing that as a negative, celebrate the positives of virtual:
- Encourage participation across the country - from family members of regular runners, or previous supporters who have moved from the area
- Help new runners train for their first 5K in the lead-up
- Highlight the flexibility - no excuses if you can run after you finish making pie
- Track runners with RaceJoy or results notifications so family and friends can keep up with each other's race
- Suggest matching outfits or themes from runners who can't run together
- See how many generations can register within a single family
Additional Resources for Going Virtual
- GoVirtual Hub is your one-stop location for best practices and setup guides
- How We Made the Annual Scott Coffee Turkey Trot a Virtual Run is a recorded webinar with a step-by-step breakdown
- Marketing a Virtual Challenge 101 is a recorded webinar geared towards virtual challenges - but most of the tips apply to any virtual race.
- Peer-to-Peer Fundraising recorded webinar to boost the fundraising power of your race.
- How-To Setup Virtual Results
- How-To for your Runners explaining the submission of virtual results.
- RaceJoy Anywhere information for events interested in the runner tracking app for virtual races. To enable RaceJoy, you will need to work with a Certified Timer - you can find RaceJoy Certified Timers via the timer search here.
