Disclaimer: I received an entry to the Virtual Lincoln Park Run for the Zoo as part of being a BibRave Pro. Learn more about becoming a BibRave Pro (ambassador), and check out BibRave.com to review find and write race reviews!
I assume that you all had a march that was similar to mine - the month started with business as usual (heck, I went to Tijuana for my job, and then to California for the Napa valley half marathon at the beginning of the month), and then over the coming weeks, the world became a really weird place. Covid-19 started as something that we heard about happening in other countries, but that quickly spread to the United States, and then in what felt like a blink of an eye I transitioned from being in an office everyday to working from home, and staying put as much as possible. While I am so thankful that I have the ability to work from home, I would be lying if I said I was not bummed when suddenly all of my spring races started to get cancelled - first the NYC half, then the Long Island half, and finally the Delaware half - not to mention the shorter races that I had on the calendar.
When the NYC half was cancelled, I headed out locally with Mike and Michal to get in our 13.1 miles, bummed that it wasn’t through the city, but glad I was still able to get out with friends… but shortly after that, even running with friends was cancelled, as recommendations to social distance grew stronger, to help flatten the curve, so that hospitals would not become overloaded with patients as Covid-19 continued to spread.
So, whats a runner to do when her spring races get cancelled? Well, first I scaled back my training - my knee still isn’t 100%, and with no spring races to worry about, it made sense to scale things back, and focus on strength training a little more. The runs that I did head out on changed too, as my running partners changed from people with two legs, or Dad on his bike, to a four-legged pal - my mother-in-law’s dog, Riley. We even got a great running leash that I can wear around my waist when I head out with him, and I am thankful to get a little companionship at least. My husband and I are living with my in-laws currently, and with everyone home we have a five person, three dog, and two cat house hold - so it can be a little bit of a zoo at times!
Through BibRave, I heard about the Lincoln Park run for the zoo event - the Lincoln Park Zoo is free and open every day of the year, and their annual “Run for the Zoo” helps keep them running! While it was not in the cards for me to travel to the race, like many races this season, it has become virtual - which allows runners near and far to help keep the Zoo going. I am hoping I will even get to take a visit to the zoo when I visit Chicago in September!
This virtual race includes a race packet, that will be mailed to each participant, with a bib and a tech shirt. Plus, if you are someone who is highly motivated by bling, a $25 donation to the zoo adds a medal to your swag! The proceeds from this run help to support the more than 800 animals - including 50 endangered species - that are cared for at the zoo.
After each runner completes their virtual race, they just need to upload their results to the Race for the Zoo website to make it official, and the “winners” with the fastest GPS verified time will win a special plush animal from the zoo’s gift shop. The virtual race runs from June 7-21, and runners and walkers of all levels can participate - so if you are looking for some motivation to get moving, use the coupon code “BIBRAVE10” to save 10% off the cost of registration.
So wether it is your first race or your hundredth, I hope you will consider joining me in the Virtual Run for the Zoo!
