Running with an Opportunity (by Rob Rayder

Running with an Opportunity

By Robert “the Lone Runner” Rayder

It is often in the Darkest Skies advantage is that all runners compete on the same streets or trails under similar conditions (at least in that we see the Brightest Stars. terms of elevation, inclines and so forth.) It also allows — Richard Paul Evans the race director to put up funny or inspirational signs and give other types of unmanned support.

It’s a dark time to be a runner. Signature races are My favorite virtual race innovation was the creation being cancelled, some for the first time ever. Even of a “virtual crowd” of spectators where the family when the odd race goes off, one has to wonder if the and friends of runners posted photos of themselves at coronavirus is lurking quietly within someone in the key sites cheering on their favorite participants. The crowd. A simple cough may be totally harmless, or it race directors created a system where submissions by might harbor a killer. It seems absurd that one has to supporters could be dropped off and hung on trees (or risk one’s own health just for the sake of running. whatever) by volunteers a day or two before the race.

Still, we have to play with the cards we are dealt. Some people were incredibly artistic and creative with We can decide to live in denial and put ourselves or others at risk, or we It is called the new support system. One ingenious can adapt to the new spectator had three reality. It is my experience that runners are a pretty adaptable lot. virtual racing. consecutive life-size portraits of himself separated by roughly

Fortunately, there 50 feet. In the first have been some intrepid races that have found a way to rendition he held a sign that read “Running is so press on despite everything. By far, the most common stupid that …” The second rendering held a different solution to the pandemic problem has been driven sign (same picture) that read, “… I couldn’t even be by the information age and would have been totally bothered to support you in person.” The final portrait impractical even a single generation ago. It is called was a tip of the hat to Bill Engvall, one of my favorite virtual racing. comedians. He famously felt that all “idiots” should

In its simplest form, a virtual race can be run carry a sign warning the rest of humanity of their over any course and at any time of day or night “condition.” The third picture of the guy with the now during a predetermined race period. Races can be familiar smiling face held a placard that read, “HERE’S run on a particular day and at a certain time, or over YOUR SIGN.” a series of days, or even over several weeks. The Another member of the virtual crowd pictured a runners are responsible for keeping their own race woman dressed in a moo-moo night gown apparently times. Sometimes these events are run on the honor sleeping in a bed. The sign read, “Guess what I’m system: People submit their times without any proof. doing while you folks are paying to do this grueling Others require a photo from a GPS watch with a time race?” Obviously, peoples’ humor and creativity are not and distance on it. There was even one race where limited by the pandemic. someone other than the runner had to “certify” that the There are now hybrid races where runners are being participant actually ran the race in the claimed time. socially distanced on prescribed markings in various Gosh! corrals and told to arrive at different times depending

A couple of races have asked runners to complete a on their corral assignments. Disposable masks are being prescribed course, albeit at different times. The major handed out at the start and finish areas (it is impossible 23

to actually run in a mask, at least for me). Water and fuel are in closed “touchless” containers at the water stops. The whole thing is electronically timed with mats and timing chips to properly account for racers’ staggered start times.

Other hybrid races release runners one at a time while lined up at least 6 feet apart, and all participants are masked until they reach the front of the line to start running. I can’t help but make the comparison to many triathlons’ start lines, where such a staggered start and finish system has been in place for many years. The growth of this timing technology may well transform foot races to more closely mimic our multisport cousins.

All of this innovation in the running world inspired me on a personal level to pursue a wild dream I’ve long had. It gave me an opportunity to do something new that I’ve always suspected I would be pretty good at. I wanted to be the organizer of my own race.

Now don’t get me wrong. I had no intention of getting permits, setting up online registration,

organizing volunteers, or doing any of the hundreds of other minutely detailed tasks required to make a realworld race work. That kind of organizational skill and discipline is far beyond my skill set.

What I wanted to do was just the fun part of planning an event. I know of thousands of streets and trails that are worthy of being race courses, and I have always dreamed that I could bring them to the wider running community’s attention. Therefore, I decided to create a marked course that anyone could run either in their training or in whatever virtual race they were participating. No GPS watches required.

Best of all, someone could follow an out-and-back or loop course through a scenic area that they may not be familiar with. As long as they followed the markings, there would be no fear of getting lost or drifting into an area uncomfortable for runners.

So, I started to think of ways to make all that happen. I decided to do my first test run while I happened to be in East Tennessee. I wanted to have my course ready pretty quickly since the dates for the first road race series 5K were already upon me and I didn’t have time to wait to get back home. Picking the right trail was easiest part. Most of East Tennessee is impressively hilly and not very conducive to fast running times, at least not for a flatlander like me. Hills are great for building strength and endurance, but if you are aiming for sustained speed, flat or rolling courses fit the bill best. Fortunately, there was just such a path not far from where we were staying called the 10-Mile Creek Trail. Interestingly, the paved pathway is nowhere near 10 miles long. I can only assume the tiny meandering waterway the pathway follows for a small portion of its course is called 10-Mile Creek and that it may be 10 miles long (who knows). The path, out and back, is more like 10K, but I think that the planners who came up with the name for the multiuse recreational suburban pathway felt that the “10K Creek Trail” (or the “5K Each Way Creek Trail”) don’t quite have the same ring to it. In any case, once the course was chosen, I had to turn my attention to the problem of

how best to mark it. This was not as simple a task as it over by even a few runners. I needed something with a sounds. little more staying power.

Marking the course in some permanent way was I considered signs made of paper or laminate, but definitely out. Using painted markings would last for paper signs are too easily smeared or ripped, while years and be simple, cheap and effective. The only laminate signs are expensive and easily dislodged when problem was that without express permission from the workers are landscaping or by accidental collisions with city (or some other authority) a painted course would bikes or legs. amount to vandalism. Some might feel I was defacing I even considered using colorful ties to be hung on public property, and while my intentions were good, I could not bring myself This was not as branches and trees like many trail runs use, often dubbed to do anything illegal or that could not be easily removed if necessary. simple a task ... “confidence builders.” I, however, wanted something that was

There was always the a little more obvious option of chalk markings, a longtime race staple. The and something that could point a runner in a particular material is easily noticeable, cheap, and disappears after direction without straining eyes to find the next tiny a smattering of rain or a sprinkler dousing. For me, speck of pink or blue down one path or another. however, this option seemed a little too transient. Chalk Then inspiration struck, and it came from a source smears and can become unreadable after it is passed that is almost a cliché for its ability to solve all manner of household problems. Duct Tape! It’s cheap, has a low profile, durable yet easily removed if needed, and is definitely easy to see. The stuff could be crafted into basic arrows or simple letters, numbers or words right onto the asphalt. Runners and bikers could pass right over it without any ill effects. Over weeks or months, it would slowly peel up or erode away and leave no sign that it had ever been there. Good, old fashioned duct tape stood as the perfect solution to my problem. Thus, early the next day I started down the chosen trail with my dog attached to a leash in one hand and a big roll of silver duct tape in the other. My mission was clear. I was to mark the way of the run. I didn’t bother to mark the obvious startfinish line at the trail head. I wanted to leave as little imprint as was physically possible and this trail had a pretty conspicuous starting point. At the junction of two paths, however, I would make a double-headed arrow to guide runners, outgoing and incoming, to the correct course. I would mark all the various turns and points of ambiguity using my fast-developing skills as a duct tape artisan until a clear path started to emerge. When I hit 1.55 miles on my GPS watch,

At the 5K turnaround with the 5-mile course continuance ahead.

my work became a little more complex. I was at the to mark the course for being our very unofficial sponsor halfway point for the 5K (3.1 miles) and I had to make and congratulated all our participants (the three of us, my first turnaround. My markings here took a lot more including me) for being there on this beautiful morning tape than before as I crafted an arch that looked like a for this inaugural invitational event. horseshoe with an arrow on either end. I then crafted a I described the course to my wife and daughter, who silvery “5K” above it. I hoped that it would be obvious looked at me with those “Why the heck are you doing that this was the 5K turnaround. Just to be sure, a few I thanked this?” eyes, as we lined up at the start line. When we all had our watches feet down the road I put a large arrow pointing farther down the trail 3M, our very at the ready, I yelled “Go!” and the race was on. I took the early lead with my and put the duct-taped words “5- Mile” in unofficial dog Mia in tow. Despite a quick doggie potty break at mile one front of it. This marking would hopefully warn 5K runners they had passed sponsor ... (and the required cleanup), I was able to hold the lead through the whole race and finished in first their mark while it would place. In retrospect, however, reassure 5-mile runners they were still on course. It was I think Mia actually was in front of me and may have the best solution I could think of to avoid confusion. squeezed out the victory instead. The whole situation is

I then ran on, using up most of my large roll of under appeal at this time. duct tape along the way. Finally, my watch read 2.5 As for the second (or is it third) place finishers, miles and I constructed my second pointed arch with Christina and Rebecca crossed the line together, as they the words “5 mile” above it. The second turn-around almost always do. They ran and walked the course with was finished in a flash. I considered going on to the only a passing interest in their times, but mostly chitarea near the end of the trail and making a 10K turnchatted back and forth and enjoyed the pretty scenery of around at 3.1 miles, but the scarcity of the remaining the shaded little trail. tape told me to put those plans on hold for now. That After much prompting from the race director (me) I project would have to wait for another time (and was able to get them both to comment on how well the another roll of tape. course was marked. I felt such a sense of pride that I

“There!” I thought with a not-so-modest degree of could almost overlook their rolled eyes. At least no one pride. “My first course is marked.” got lost! I consider that a victory of sorts.

I ran back to the start, making sure each marking In any case, we are going back to East Tennessee made sense in both directions and made a few small soon and we will get to try out my five-mile course adjustments here and there where necessary. I knew the provided any of the markings survive that long. If not, next day would be my real test. Everything would need I know where there is more duct tape. to be as perfect as possible. So, if one day you come across a bunch of double

On the following morning, my wife, Christina, sided arrows on the pavement made of duct tape while eldest daughter, Rebecca, and I made our way to the you’re on the run, take a detour and follow the path for trailhead just a few minutes after the sun cleared the a while. You just discovered another route in my everhorizon. It was race day for our first virtual Road Race growing “Virtual Duct Tape Series.” Series event, the unofficial “10-Mile Creek/Duct Taped No matter what else you may think, I’m sure you’ll 5K.” I thanked 3M, the makers of the duct tape I used find the course very well marked.