May 12th, 2022, 08:00 AM

An Insight on a Virtual 10K

By Luken McGuire
Image credit: Mia Baccei
The ups and downs of running a virtual 10K in Paris

Over this past weekend I participated in a 10K, which I found out was virtual minutes after I signed up for it. Not only have I never ran a 10K or any sort of race before, but I have also never participated in a virtual sporting event. 

The race was hosted throughout the whole weekend, and was available to run at your own time. In order to participate you had to spend 25 to 35 euros (depending on the size of medal) and create an account. Once you have completed the race and logged your time correctly on a running app (Strava is my favorite) you have to submit a screenshot to the website and your medal arrives in 1-2 weeks. 

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There's lots of things that go into running a race and one of the biggest motivators is people's support and energy around you while you are running. During the virtual race there isn't nearly as much support from others and your morale fades when you need it the most. 

Another factor that races usually have are water and gummy stands. These help runners stay motivated, hydrated and energized. Throughout the virtual race no stands were set up, leaving runners losing energy and beginning to feel dehydrated.

“I’ve run a non-virtual half marathon in the past and the water and snack stands greatly contributed to my overall performance and morale during the race,  said visiting student Angus Black. While I still enjoyed running the virtual half, the amenities and the convenience  of having a predetermined course at tradition half marathons make it the superior choice for interested runners."

One of the benefits of the virtual aspect of the race is that you can run it anytime. The feeling of being able to run it anytime you want takes away the stress that you usually get before racing in person as well as getting other runners to race that usually won't because they're nervous to compete against competition. 

Image credit: Unsplash/ Miguel A. Amutio
 

Secondly, being virtual makes it much easier to participate. It's also an amazing way to get outside and give your body the test it needs

"Running the 10k was so fun! i haven’t run in a while so it was nice to get back into it. I ran by the seine with some friends. It was nice that it was virtual so I could run whenever and wherever I wanted to" said first-year-student Emerson Litchfield. 

Image credit: Unsplash/ Onur Binay
 
During my run I definitely felt both the negatives and positives. In my opinion, it was a great way to explore the city of Paris and push my body to its limits. I felt happy with my efforts and would recommend this experience to others. 

You can find the details for this race and other upcoming races here.