Using the pandemic to get in shape? You still have time to register for the Run Bike Relay Race
Though still scheduled for this summer, the third annual Run Bike Relay will be altered due to coronavirus concerns.
On July 17 and 18 the Virginia Capital Trail will be occupied by relay racers trekking and biking a 51-mile route through Richmond and Henrico as part of the Sports Backers’ third annual Run Bike Relay Race. Starting at City Stadium on the evening of July 17, participants will travel through Forest Hill Park to Great Shiplock Park to Four Mile Creek Park and back.
Photo courtesy of Sports Backers
View a more detailed map on the official site for the Run Bike Relay.
The race is divided into six segments: three are running segments of four to six miles, and three are biking segments of 13 to 20 miles. The relay racers will either complete the race solo or with one partner, each responsible for three of the segments in whatever order they choose.
This year’s race is structured differently than it has been in the past—74 miles differently, to be exact. While the Run Bike Relay is usually a 125-mile-long journey across the Virginia Capital Trail all the way to Williamsburg, the coronavirus has limited the distance of the race. Other safety protocols to ensure the safety of the racers, volunteers, and staff of the event include limiting the participants in a group to two (from four), and ensuring that those at risk sit out this year’s event. “Now, more than ever, the Sports Backers team wants to keep you moving, but only in a way that keeps our participants, volunteers, staff, and communities safe and healthy,” said Sports Backers’ chief operating officer Megan Schultz.
While the race may be shorter than it has been in the past, it is still a great challenge and a safe way to remain active. Plus, it provides an opportunity to contribute to a great cause: The Virginia Capital Trail Foundation, the official charity of the Run Bike Relay, aims to preserve the historic trail and advocate for its continued development. The entrance fee is $70 for a solo racer, $140 for a team. The deadline to enter is July 15 at 11:59 p.m.
