Fall’s a great time to sign up for community races and to support the causes that you’re passionate about. But with COVID-19 still in full-effect, is it safe to run these races? While a lot of events are going virtual, which means that you can run or walk them on your own, there are still in-person races still scheduled across the country. So, is it safe to participate and what precautions can you take to stay safe?
To put it as directly as possible, no group activities are safe now. An outdoor race is safer than a lot of activities, if health and safety measures are followed. The safety of races depends on how they’re organized and what safety measures are put into place. Some questions to ask are is the race staff wearing masks and gloves, is everything being sanatized every half hour, can medical aid provide care in a safe way, are refreshment and aid stations contact-fee, is the check-in process contact-free, and are there hand sanatizing stations?
As you can see, there are tons of questions you should get answers to before you go ahead and sign up for races. Make sure you pay attention to cancelation clauses as most races aren’t refundable and they’re expensive.
If you do decide to run, wear a mask and stay six feet apart from people. The best way to stay safe is to not go and instead to try a virtual option.
