Ever since taking up running as my main form of exercise, I’ve participated in numerous 5K and 10K races in and around central Ohio. Some of these races were designed to raise funds for a charitable cause. In fact, my first race back in 1981 was a 10K fundraiser for the Ohio State School for the Blind.  Tying a foot race or a bike ride to a fundraising effort makes sense. Besides gaining publicity in the local media, such events attract local sponsors as well as health-conscious community members eager to test their mettle in a competitive environment.

Needless to say, the COVID-19 pandemic poses a serious obstacle to such events. It’s obviously too risky to have masses of people packed together at the beginning and during the early stages of a footrace or bike ride. The coronavirus, unfortunately, can move faster than any runner or cyclist. As for wearing masks, runners and bike riders would be hard pressed to keep them on while keeping up their pace.  But fundraising athletic events haven’t stopped during the pandemic; they’ve just gone “virtual.” That means instead of running a race on a single morning with other runners, you run on your own time, perhaps alone or in a small group. Or maybe you walk or jog or bike. There’s no starting gun and no finish line, but in the end, you may cover the same distance whether that’s 5 kilometers or longer. Or maybe you cover less. It doesn’t make much difference as long as you participate.

This past Saturday, I participated in one such event: The Worthington Resource Pantry’s “Virtual Stretch.” For an entry fee of $29, participants were to take a walk (or run) of up to 3.1 miles, during which they would visit the various community businesses that supported the “Stretch.” Each business, in turn, would offer participants a discount or special deal on its service or product. So on Saturday morning, Becky and I donned our light-green “Virtual Stretch” t-shirts, put on our COVID-19 protective masks, and set off from our home on Maxton Place for downtown Worthington. We were joined by our good friends Joe and Anne Ottobre, who were also clad in “Virtual Stretch” t-shirts, which had the names of all the event’s major sponsors on the back. We made our way west down New England and then veered north up High Street, enjoying each other’s company as well as the pleasant early-Autumn weather.

Over the next couple of hours, we munched on donuts from Peace, Love, and Little Donuts, feasted on quiche from Sassafras Bakery, and sipped Riesling on the patio of House Wine.  We also stopped at Jet’s Pizza and Whitney House and learned about the special deals they offered, which we might use later.  It’s possible for us to do this since the “Virtual Stretch” lasts a whole week, from the morning of September 26 to the evening of October 2. By the time our little group returned to Maxton Place, we’d covered just over two miles. We fell short of the 3.1-mile mark because we left off the businesses at the north end of the route.  But again, the week-long duration of the “Stretch” gives us the chance to visit these establishments before the event ends.

Unlike an actual here-and-now race or ride, I didn’t finish the “Virtual Stretch” with sweaty clothes and aching muscles. Nor was there a closing ceremony to attend where the winners received their trophies and prizes. But there was a reward I received anyway. It was the knowledge that, indirectly at least, I helped struggling families put food on their tables. Come to think of it, that’s a much better reward than any trophy or gift certificate.