Sometimes running motivation can be hard to find. Add in a global pandemic that cancels races and it becomes that much more difficult. Here’s the story of how my brother made it possible for friends and family to race during COVID-19 and find hope along the way.
What makes the perfect race? Is it a fun course in an idyllic setting complete with breathtaking views of distinctive scenery at every mile? Maybe it’s one hosted at a popular location boasting diverse tourist attractions and great nightlife around every street corner. Or maybe it’s packed to the brim with outstanding crowd support to encourage racers at every turn. My first marathon had none of those features, and yet, it will always be flawless.
Time out
COVID-19 crumbled the pavement from under the road racing world, and it took runners quite a while to get their footing. As COVID spread far and near, my goal of completing my first marathon never seemed farther away. My race was scheduled for April 2020, just one month after COVID began. Despite months of intense training and countless hours racking up calculated miles, I’d have to wait yet again to run 26.2 miles. Less than a year prior, I deferred my registration for what would have been my first marathon due to nagging knee pain. Clearly, it still wasn’t my time to add a marathon medal to my collection.
From dream to reality
But in one corner of suburban Central Pennsylvania, all hope of racing was not lost. It was easy to forget during the gloom and doom of the pandemic, that a little determination goes a long way towards developing a sunny disposition.
Running, by nature, is an individual sport, but on November 22, 2020, my brother Justin empowered more than a dozen family and friends to run together for the My Best Friends Are Cows Marathon and Half Marathon.
In his pre-race email to registrants, Justin wrote:
“The idea for this event began merely as a passing thought. As COVID continued to wreak havoc on our lives, our upcoming road races, and on society as whole, I began to view this race as a potential source of positivity and togetherness for those who wished to be involved. Thus, we decided to make this event a reality.”
COVID forced a new reality on many, but instead of detaching from reality, Justin harnessed it to inspire others. What started as a small dream, despite many obstacles and setbacks, turned into a major reality. Because Justin does things on his own terms. When COVID shut down races, he decided to open up his own, charting a new USATF-certified course to boot. Very fitting — he’s always been a trailblazer. Justin is a fearless leader in all aspects of life and the most strong-willed runner I know. You won’t hear the word “Can’t” come out of his mouth and “No” falls on deaf ears for him.
Keeping hope alive
The course was set on the Buffalo Valley Rail Trail and was professionally timed by Falcon Race Management. While the trail can be a picturesque setting, taking in the same scenery mile after mile can get stale rather quickly. But on race day, every mile felt fresh. Every footstep felt noteworthy. Every racer felt special. Because we knew we were making history despite the improbable. When no one could travel for races, Justin brought the race to us — right in our own backyard where the majority of the racers were born and raised.
The only crowd support came from a few gracious volunteers, some family members, and the mooing cows (hence the race’s name) that adorned parts of the course set on a backdrop of countryside farms. But perhaps the greatest support came from fellow racers, who gleefully cheered each other on as we passed one other on a double out-and-back course (single out-and-back for the half marathon).
Justin didn’t just organize and host a race that day — he found a way to keep racing, and hope, alive at a time when hope was hard to come by. He motivated loved ones to train for and run their first marathon, half, or, in some cases, race. And he even compelled a few to lace up running shoes for the first time — the greatest gift you can give someone. Personally, without his tireless work, I would have had to wait another year to run my first marathon and I’d have one less marathon under my belt.
The event was such a success that Justin organized a follow up race just six months later, this time offering a 10k option which attracted some new faces.
In a perfect world?
Choosing the “perfect” race to qualify for the Boston Marathon, earn a new PR, or just to have fun running, can be a long and arduous process filled with much second-guessing and overanalyzing. But when the shoe rubber meets the road, the only thing that really matters is having the opportunity to race. The course, location, and crowd size are merely the details. Just as there is no perfect performance on race day, there is no perfect race. The race experience is what you make it.
