How to start a social distancing virtual race?

Virtual races help make social distancing bearable
Virtual races help make social distancing bearable.

With group gatherings suddenly curtailed, many nonprofits, companies, and race directors are having to cancel their physical races.

They’re increasingly looking to virtual races to create vibrant experiences that serve their communities.

We’ve already seen a bunch of organizations turn to virtual races to fill-in for a previously planned physical race… a group German autoworkers, racing from factory to factory in Europe… a Maryland town keeping morale up… an Ohio marathon race director replacing his pavement race… a London-based trade association virtually engaging its members… a Tennessee insurance company keeping staff fit and connected… a midwestern University engaging alumni… a Georgia business association trying to serve its members… a Canadian business with teams racing from office to office across the continent… a San Diego gym to keep its members connected. And, across the country, many nonprofits replacing an annual fundraising race.

Fortunately, a virtual race, whether two weeks or longer, helps people who are stuck at home stay fit and socialize. Individuals exercise alone, then see their avatars move on a virtual route. (Some race sponsors pick exotic locations—London, the Grand Canyon, Route 66 —while others use local routes that are familiar to their racers.)

Operating since 2014, Racery is built to make launching a virtual race simple and risk free. Racers can pay for themselves, or a sponsor can pay upfront for its racers. For the virtual race organizer, there is no setup fee or fee on donations.

Want to make it happen?

First, test one of our virtual race models for free.

Read how other organizations have used virtual races.

Get an overview of Racery’s features and fees.

Then customize your own virtual race using models we’ve designed for the specific needs of a company, charity or race director.

Or contact Racery for more guidance about your virtual race!

Our standard races include:

  • personalized e-bibs and finish placards
  • individual avatars moving on the map
  • a real-time leaderboard of racers
  • an activity feed displaying all participants’ exercise, with optional likes, comments and photo uploads
  • motivational email nudges
  • tracking of PRs for distance and streaks
  • optional team leaderboards
  • optional fundraising with donate-on-entry and p2p fundraising

Premium features include:

  • private labelling
  • pindrop customization
  • auto-generated postcards at milemarkers
  • entry coupons customized per partner
  • entry tiers

Racery’s platform is built to provide our partners with virtual races that are fast-to-deploy, affordable and low risk. Test drive one of our virtual race models for free today!

(Read about a self-distancing virtual race in London, which started the same day Trutela Insurance of San Antonio found Racery.)