The COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out pretty much every road race on the 2020 calendar. We're forced to make do with "virtual races," running a time trial alone, with nothing to battle but our watch and that little voice in our head suggesting we just slow down.
As a top-level marathon runner, Dylan Wykes knows how tough it is to race alone. That’s why he’s hoping to create something different for the running community on July 1.
Now the elite athlete coordinator for Ottawa Race Weekend, when Wykes faced the cancellation of his event in late May, he started thinking about what could be done to make a truly high-calibre virtual race.
Wykes has crafted what he hopes will be one of the first major competitive road races of consequence to be held since the onset of the pandemic. The Canadian 10K road championships will be held July 1, all around the country, and promises to be a dynamic experience for runners, as well as those following along on social.
Michael Doyle chats with Wykes about how the idea came to be, some of the wish-list items he hoped to include, and if this format could actually be exciting for runners and fans of the sport alike.
You can listen to it right here👆in this email by pressing ▶️, or you can listen and subscribe in all the usual podcasting apps. We’ve added some links below:
🎧 How to Make a Virtual Race Compelling