“Due to the rapidly developing coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the city of Philadelphia announced they are prohibiting public gatherings of over 1,000 attendees for at least the next 30 days, the Love Run, scheduled for Sunday, March 29 has BEEN MOVED TO October 10, 2020.“
When this e-mail arrived in my Inbox it wasn’t a tremendous surprise. The directors of the Love Run had been, until now, optimistically sending notices that the race was almost full. Their Facebook page touted the unique new packet pick-up and post-race party. Meanwhile, America was shutting down. Once the city of Philadelphia banned gatherings of 1000 people or more the Love Run’s decision was academic. Races all around the country including the fabled Boston Marathon have been cancelled or postponed.
There are a lot of sad and bitter runners out there. Many of my not-so-sane friends have signed up for multiple, expensive races in the spring and will miss out. Most cancelled races are probably not providing any sort of refund. Blame the races all you want but much of the entry fees are long since spent on race expenses well before race day. Remember these races mostly run on pretty thin margins. I know it’s hard to lose money but if you can afford to spend $100 to go for a run you can also afford to lose a $100. Please be understanding if you want these events around in the future. Nobody feels worse about all this than race directors forced to cancel events.
Many runners feel their hard work and training has been wasted. Wasted? Seriously . . you people are some of the fittest, healthiest people I know. Nothing has been wasted. Remember why we really do this crazy stuff!
Karen Dunn – Ultrafast friend at the US Olympic Trials
A few of my crazy running friends
Training is never wasted
Me? I’m considering this a reboot. My training plan for the Love Run thus far has equated to randomly opening pages of “The Competitive Runner’s Handbook”, picking out a fun-looking workout and running.
Flip open to a random page and pick a workout.
I hadn’t set any race goals and hadn’t really done a committed workout of any kind other than trying to chase my friends down the Chester Valley Trail a few times a week. Thankfully I have pretty fast friends so if the race had happened I could have probably done it a little faster than a snail’s pace.
Mentally I don’t seem to be able to wrap my head around that competitive drive I once had. I swim, bike, and run to maintain fitness but the idea of pushing myself hard in a race sounds dreadful. I’m hoping that I can find that edge again over the summer. I’m even thinking of *gasp* setting a race goal and getting some coaching help.
Meanwhile, there is toilet paper to worry about. Somehow, America has decided that toilet paper prevents the Corona Virus. That can be the only possible explanation for our obsession with TP. Along with hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes, toilet paper has literally become a hotter commodity than barrels of oil! What the hell people!? Stores are not closing. Relax.
One of my favorite things about social media are memes. Some are less than politically correct, but I usually get a chuckle out of them and the world has not let me down when it comes to the Corona Virus.
I read the "About Me" pages and it seems like most people have a lot better story than me. I'm kinda average really. Just a 50 something dude with a lot of life experience. I grew up in a rural setting, somehow wound up living in a Suburban development and working in a very corporate office every day for the last 30 years. I'm not sure how that happened. I'm an unapologetic hunter and fisherman as well as a birder, naturalist, camper, runner, cyclist, and (maybe formerly) a triathlete. Those athletic things only started a few years ago when I was inspired (read that as horrified) by a picture my wife snapped of me at an archery tournament. I had the biggest belly there.
I love to write as well. I think the biggest disappointment for my Mom was that I did not pursue a career in writing but as a young man I had no idea how one went about earning a living writing. Now I entertain myself by prattling on and on via my blogs about my everyday adventures.
View all posts by Pete Githens
2 Comments
Just a couple of questions…..
Why do y’all really do this crazy stuff??
Second question…..There is a “Competitive Runners Handbook”??
Seriously, I know it is disheartening when things get canceled that you have trained for. With any luck, y’all can be back at racing events in the fall if not sooner. Though that “if not sooner” brings another question to mind…….Why would anyone run in the summer?? It is far too hot!
Since I know several of the people in the pictures…..Stay Safe!!
Bring it On 
Just a couple of questions…..
Why do y’all really do this crazy stuff??
Second question…..There is a “Competitive Runners Handbook”??
Seriously, I know it is disheartening when things get canceled that you have trained for. With any luck, y’all can be back at racing events in the fall if not sooner. Though that “if not sooner” brings another question to mind…….Why would anyone run in the summer?? It is far too hot!
Since I know several of the people in the pictures…..Stay Safe!!