This year has come with many transitions for a lot of us. P3Runner Jeanine McGuire shares how she has used running and training for virtual races as a way to stay resilient — and have fun!
Prior to this year I had never completed a virtual race and truth be told I never had an interest to ever participate in one either. But, if 2020 has taught me anything about racing it is that hindsight is always 20/20 (pun intended).
Over the last 5 years my fitness journey has been consistent and very routine. I am a creature of habit and I love knowing that every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday I run. I run the same days, the same routes and with the same core group of friends. I thrive with structure, and I have found that maintaining a well-defined schedule keeps me on track with both my fitness and life goals.
It does not matter how well you plan things out though, life will always be predictably unpredictable and 2020 has been an unprecedented example of this. Over the last 6 months my running has been more roller coaster than routine. Watching the world unfold on the news has been scary and sad. Seeing races, vacations, and every plan I carefully thought out be cancelled or changed really took a toll on my otherwise unwavering spirit.
In May I completed my first virtual race, the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. It was not my fastest time; in fact, it was my slowest half marathon to date. Under any other circumstances saying this would be said with disappointment, but not this year. I was just so happy to be out of my house and healthy enough to run 13.1 miles!
As the excitement of the Pittsburgh Marathon faded, my motivation did too. Thankfully, a fellow P3Runner was looking for another person to join his 4-person 150-mile virtual GAP Relay team. Typically, I would not gravitate to this event because I would not consider myself high mileage enough to complete it in person.
The virtual events are great for new and seasoned runners alike who are either intimidated by a distance or want more flexibility. We were able to complete our 150 miles over 2 months, wherever, whenever, and however we wanted to. The flexibility is what allowed me to join in the event, but the best part of the experience was that it was a team effort. My team consisted of 3 guys in New Jersey who I never met before and yet we were able to virtually come together as a team to coordinate and motivate each other every step of the way. The accountability to my team revived my motivation and I am truly grateful to have met such an inspiring group.
Now more than ever people are turning to running for physical and mental health and local races need our support so they can return for years to come. If you have not signed up for a virtual race, I encourage you to do so. Next up for me will be the virtual Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race and EQT Pittsburgh 10 Miler.
Through the years, P3R and other races have truly enriched and changed my life. These events have brought me health, joy, purpose, and friendships and they continue to do so even virtually. The running community is encouraging and resilient. I know that our love for running will always bring our community together even if life is keeping us apart.