THE INAUGURAL RUNNERSKNEES @VIRTUAL10MILER

THE IDEA

So I had this plan after @marathongrl71’s #VirtualHalfMary back in December to organise my own race. It was a simple and yet brilliant idea. People all over the world could run a race together without having to travel to a single place. The common ground would be Twitter, and the runners could post about their race, include pictures and cheer each other on using the common hashtag #virtual10miler before posting the proof for bling.

I bought 25 medals, deciding that any more would turn this cat herding exercise into a real pain, and put out the ad. People signed up from all over, from Sweden, Australia, Scotland, England and the US. There was an opportunity for friends across the world to run together with IEat_IRun in Scotland running with Hyedi and LavenderParking in the US.

Of course, I was expecting no shows. And although disappointing, I cannot fault anyone who didn’t run. There were a lot of injuries too, and those poor tweeps told me in advance they would not be running, we had colds, tight Achilles and bulging vertebrae. We are in the business of getting hurt following our love of Running and I myself was in a bit of a pickle after last weekends Torbay half. My legs were a bit iffy after a heavy sports massage Thursday PM. Still, after being guilted into running my runnermommy2008 I had to go through with it.

In the end, as the dust settles out of the 25 original runners only 18 completed the race, and one of those was a stand in, a last minute ringer. And here they are, well done to you all, all deserve prizes:

@iEat_IRun
@Lee_nixon
@runnersknees
@medalslut
@walkersRP
@paulrunslong
@marathongrl71
@Runnermommy2008
@boblikethebird
@ChiltonDiva
@joanneshore
@SamanthaDeBello
@10marathons
@Hyedi
@JefRuns
@mockjogger
@fehrtrade
@PaineAli
@ChrisWardrope

After I was kept up by noisy neighbours and was still a little sore still from physio I already making excuses, but once I checked my Twitter feed and saw this, I know the race was on. Paul in Australia, setting the pace.

Australia this morning from @paulrunslong

Proof positive! Bling on its way!

My favourite teacher in Scotland was the worse for wear.

From Scotland with @medalslut

Somewhere Northern by the numbers on those motorways @joanneshore

The countryside @boblikethebird

Custom shirt idea for next year from the great walkersRP?

Great work from @walkersRP

And my part of the world @RunnersKnees

Shortly before I plodded in for the end of a bit of a loosening up training run my legs did not want to go on.

Done and dusted. @RunnersKnees

Ditto in Scotland with @medalslut

And the stories kept coming… barely any time for tea

And then @boblikethebird came in

Excellent work there in Liminster, as I enjoyed the new RunnersKnees 10Miler medal in London

It may be small, but it is perfectly formed.

And then Mom comes in

In Ohio it was misty with @runnermommy2008

Who was the first American to finish the race. Well done, Mom!

Ohio looking awfully digital, with @runnermommy2008

And while @medalslut and @IEat_IRun have some fun en route

@IEat_IRun on her marks, get set, feel her bum??

And Michelle, the creator the virtual race in my eyes, coming in with a great time.

@marathongrl71 showing us how it is done.

And Lee, waiting until after he had run to tell us he had Twitter privacy set on his phone. Duh!

@lee_nixon showing us that even Ninjas can run

Now there were some injuries that meant runners had to pull out. @ALWYSRUNNEN has disc bulges that, of course, meant she should could not run. She did, however, get around it, but having a ringer take her place. Very clever, you both deserve prizes.

And later in the day they kept coming in, @paineali.

The infamous 10 Marathon man Bob Hosker and his OTT celebration

@10marathons wins! And the US contingent continue to come in.

@hyedi finishes too!

And then to the rest…

The @mockjogger Mike Wilson showing off his time

Ali Paine in it to win it!

Chris Wardrope and his blurry Garmin

And the RunDemCrew legend that is @FehrTrade, thanksMelissa, I will drop the bling off tomorrow 🙂

And so the first ever virtual race I have organised has come to and end. I now am going to collect addresses and post the medals off this week. Please, when you get them, tweet a picture of you in it for my follow up post. 

Til Next Time

Darren aka @RunnersKnees

THE END