ANN ARBOR – The annual Goddess Run in downtown Ann Arbor was canceled due to COVID-19 fears, but organizers have announced it will go virtual from April 26 to May 11.
Organized by Epic Races, LLC, the Suburban Chevrolet Ann Arbor Goddess Run aims to raise awareness for ovarian cancer, and many survivors participate each year in the race.
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This year, organizers have partnered with the Sparrow Freedom Project to raise awareness for human trafficking. Epic Races is donating portions of its registration funds to provide for human trafficking survivors.
So, how does a virtual race work?
“A virtual race is a race done where you want, when you want,” founder and CEO of Epic Races Eva Solomon said in a statement. “You can sleep in and don’t need to wait in any port-a-potty lines. We set up a special app so participants can run on our certified course and get an official time. They can also have their friends and family track them with their phones and send them virtual cheers while they are running.”
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There will be two marked courses available on the app RaceJoy for participants to take advantage of the interactive virtual experience. One course is the original course in downtown Ann Arbor and the other is a brand-new course located in Hudson Mills Metropark.
“Our hope is that by making these virtual events as ‘real’ as possible, our participants will be able to achieve their goals and have added motivation to get outside and train,” Solomon said in a statement.
Participants can complete the Ann Arbor Goddess Run until May 11. Each runner will receive a virtual swag pack that includes a finisher medal, Goddess bracelet, buff, sticker and a race T-shirt or tank top.
Last month, the Probility Ann Arbor Marathon was also canceled due to COVID-19 and is taking now place virtually. Registration is open through April 30, and Epic Races has partnered with five local charities for the event, including:
- Packard Health
- Girls on the Run
- North Star Reach
- Kresge Hearing Research Institute
- UM Addiction Center
Want to sign up for a race?
Virtual racing options will be available through May 31, 2020. More details can be found at epicraces.com.