By Vuyolwethu Fundam 
2h ago
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A virtual race is not a new concept, but it has recently regained popularity because of the pandemic.
Virtual races are held remotely and allow individual runners to run a specific distance at their convenience.
Because of the flexibility of virtual races, even those who have never participated before are showing interest.
If you are part of the few people who are interested in trying it out, here’s how you can get the most out of your first virtual race:
Prepare yourself
A virtual race also requires the same effort as a physical race.
You will need to prepare your body by creating a training plan leading up to the day.
Schedule your exercise days and duration.
That will help you stay focused on your goals.
Plan for how you’ll track your steps
When tracking your time or distance, you’ll need to use wearable techs such as smartwatches, smartphones or GPS trackers.
Tracking your progress will motivate you to keep going.
Choose routes that you’ll enjoy
One of the advantages of participating in a virtual race is that you can run wherever you want. You have the option of running on a treadmill or outside.
Familiarise yourself with running apps
Running apps will help you track your distance, map routes and store your data. There are several free running apps available to download.
These include Zombies, Strava, Map My Run and RunKeeper.
Run for charity
Some virtual races support non-profit organisations.
You can use this as your chance to do good. For example, in March, the Two Oceans Marathon teamed up with Backabuddy to help individuals or NPOs affected by the lockdown.