Are Virtual Racers Suckers?

What's worse is the races still taking registrations for early June as if they are going to happen, then the race turns virtual and doesn't refund.

At least the people signing up for virtual know what they are getting into.

I think virtual races are for people who'd like to enter virtual races.

I'm not one of them buy hey, each to their own.

I'm certainly not going to pay $75 for the privilege of uploading my Garmin data to a website.

To take registrations for a race until quite late, then cancel-and-turn-virtual with a price that reflects infrastructure costs still exist like $75, is wrong.

To make up a virtual race and charge a fee of something like $75, better have some sort of justification - good prize money that goes deep? Great swag?

To make up a community-style virtual race that is low cost and a fundraiser is fair game - it's within the realm of being reasonable. So not to overpost my own event, I won't post a link here, but I am putting one on for $5 suggested donation and proceeds go to a local food bank. There are slightly more expensive registration levels to get swag - totally optional.

That makes sense. Also, in Halifax, NS there is a virtual race where the proceeds go to the families affected by the mass shooting that they recently had there - that's a good one and they are just perpetuating a near-virtual-style community fun run that already exists for the express purpose of raising money for causes.

...but yeah - not a fan of the idea of paying $75 to "go for a hard run" and call it a race. Racing for real vs virtual racing for most athletes of any ability will typically yield poorer results....

Anyone who runs a virtual race for money is a sucker. Those saying the money goes to charity could simply donate the money themselves without having the shrill organizer profit off their cash. If a virtual race organizer took steps to open up a track or close a stretch of road for his event, it would be worth a small fee, but only then.

Imagine this taken to other realms - how about a virtual hike? Instead of going hiking, you just look at pictures taken by the state park service and go for a walk around your neighborhood.

Do you see swimmers participating in virtual races?

There is already the strava leaderboard for people who wish to race virtually - and here the courses can actually be controlled through segments. Despite this, new virtual races are popping up, not just replacing cancelled races

So yes, virtual racers are the biggest suckers there are and the only bigger suckers would be virtual hikers.

virtual "races" are for losers. why would I pay someone so that I can go do a solo time trial or the way most people do them just go for a run? I don't need to pay someone for a medal and a t-shirt so that I can go running by myself.

Mass participation races that no one trains for are basically a scam already, now you want to just have people pay you and then say they went running alone?

C’mon,

Chime in race directors!

You’re greedy and it’s a scam.

Glad AMEX got me my chargebacks!!

Get a real job , RDs..

hahaha7 wrote:

C’mon,

Chime in race directors!

You’re greedy and it’s a scam.

Glad AMEX got me my chargebacks!!

Get a real job , RDs..

This ?

virtual races are neat because i can PR while naked

Look, I would never pay for a virtual myself and do think is kind of stupid and a money grab BUT People pay for stuff they dont really need all the time. Can just chalk it up as an entertainment expense or whatever. OP must be broke and can not afford any unnecessary or fun spending.

beamer LAX wrote:

Look, I would never pay for a virtual myself and do think is kind of stupid and a money grab BUT People pay for stuff they dont really need all the time. Can just chalk it up as an entertainment expense or whatever. OP must be broke and can not afford any unnecessary or fun spending.

ur life has got to be boring AF if you think spending $75 on a virtual race is entertaining

Virtual racing should be free. I get that some races can not refund race fees and if that is the case they should at least offer something.

Also Virtual racing should be more than just a strava leaderboard. so many races are doing this and frankly it is garbage.

The best virtual racing option I have found hands down is the viRACE app. This is free for the user and race organizer and it works unlike a strava leaderboard in that everyone starts at X time and you get live updates about your place etc. as the race goes on. You can also pick favorites before the race for which you will get updates on. It is not the same as a real race of course but it is much better than "hey upload your GPS data in this time frame" they are doing "races" pretty often and they, like the app, are free so I will be doing one even today in four hours.

getcrafty wrote:

What's worse is the races still taking registrations for early June as if they are going to happen, then the race turns virtual and doesn't refund.

At least the people signing up for virtual know what they are getting into.

THIS. Anyone still registering for a “real” race in 2020 is the sucker. I know at least 3 people who signed up with charities for the Chicago marathon in the past month.

getcrafty wrote:

What's worse is the races still taking registrations for early June as if they are going to happen, then the race turns virtual and doesn't refund.

At least the people signing up for virtual know what they are getting into.

Seriously? That's grade A prime BULLSH*t

Fat Albert Einstein wrote:

I think virtual races are for people who'd like to enter virtual races.

I'm not one of them buy hey, each to their own.

I'm certainly not going to pay $75 for the privilege of uploading my Garmin data to a website.

Completely agree. Plus in my case the main reason I race is to be around others that are both better and worse than I am. There is no scenario like race day. Virtual can suck it.

I've done 19 virtual races in the past 2 days.

So far I've won every one.

Cool. You’re on a hot streak. Can you display your finishers’ medals?