In a Socially Distanced World, Marathons Get Creative. Here’s New York’s Plan.

Social distancing has forced competitive runners to get creative. When the Boston Marathon was canceled this spring, organizers announced a virtual race for September, complete with a downloadable kit that includes a printable finish line and winner’s “breaktape.”

This week, organizers of the New York City Marathon announced their own virtual plans, powered by Strava, a social networking and fitness app. The race will take place between Oct. 17 and Nov. 1, with runners taking to their local streets, instead of the traditional 26.2 mile course that crosses the city’s five boroughs.

“This is a great way to challenge yourself, especially in these times when in-person races are not happening,” says Michael Capiraso, president and CEO of New York Road Runners, which runs the marathon.

While virtual fitness options from companies such as Peloton Interactive (ticker: PTON) and Zwift keep people at home, Strava is pushing folks outdoors. Runners and cyclists use their apps to map workouts and share routes. Strava, founded in 2009, tracks leaderboards-and personal bests-across frequently-traveled segments. You can race against last year’s version of yourself, or the local pro. In February, Strava said it had more than 50 million users.

The privately-held company declined to comment on how the pandemic has affected membership. In May, Strava announced that it was moving some of its previously free features-including leaderboards and route planning-to its $60 annual subscription. Last year’s NYC Marathon had an entry fee of $295, so the virtual world has at least one advantage.

Originally published at https://www.barrons.com on July 18, 2020.