The Run 4 Life 4 Miler is a charity race traditionally run through the tree-covered roads of historic old Enterprise, Florida. For this year the race, which raises awareness and funds for local suicide prevention and mental health programs, went virtual. I had been looking forward to running this race in Enterprise (I've run it before: Run 4 Life 2017, Run 4 Life 2018, Run 4 Life 2019) although I signed up late, after the conversion to virtual.

I'm glad I still had the chance to support the cause. The race enabled RaceJoy for the virtual run, with two local courses mapped out. On race morning I drove over to Green Springs Park and ran the route on the multiuse trail from the back of the park.

Virtual Race Goal
I hoped to finish the run in under 50 minutes.

Race Day: May 15, 2020
Since mid-March I've been running exclusively from my house. The last time I'd driven somewhere to run was way back on March 6th! I was pretty excited to run on this trail. I was looking forward to new old views. It was 66°F and clear with 94% humidity when I started my run.

Mile 1, 2: 12:20, 12:31
I started the RaceJoy app at the start of the out-and-back course. It notified me at mile markers, a road crossing, and the turn-around. That was pretty cool. Unfortunately, it was just a little bit off from my own start from the trailhead. I got the notifications about a 1/10 mile off. I went by my GPS watch, which exactly matched the mile markers on the trail.

I felt good and it was awesome to run on this trail. I don't know when I ran here last.

Mile 3, 4: 12:27, 12:06
I still felt good, running 90:45 intervals and passing very few people. A couple of times I had slow my run in order to safely give wide pass to folks walking as cyclists passed going the other direction. I was happy to finish just under my goal at 49:26. When I finished my 4 miles I stopped my GPS watch but walked on a bit until RaceJoy recognized that I finished the course.

Swag
This charity race normally offers runners a nice cotton blend shirt and a finisher medal. The awards for the top 10 finishers have been super cute bobblehead runner statues.

For this 10th anniversary year, everyone participating in the virtual event received a special anniversary bobblehead figure, along with a nice cotton blend shirt.

Recommendation
This is a great local race that supports a fantastic cause. The race director does a great job with races and adding the RaceJoy aspect to the virtual run was fun.

I love the bobblehead figure, an award coveted by many over the years. I think it's great that the organizers decided to give the bobbleheads out to everyone for this special (and strange) 10th anniversary year. In person or virtual, I highly recommend this race.

Garmin GPS elapsed time: 49:26 (RaceJoy: 50:38)
Cost: $39

Report written May 25, 2020

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I've been wearing Oofos sandals and shoes for a couple of years now. They help with run recovery and offer my weak Achilles extra support. A versatile pair of Oofos shoes got me all the way through our trip to China last year and the flip-flop style is my go-to shoe almost all year long.

I love my Oofos, and while I feel they are worth the price, I have to admit they are expensive. I checked out a lower-cost competitor and did a side-by-side review of a copycat brand in my post Oofos vs. Telics and found Oofos to be all-around superior. So I'm going to stick with wearing genuine Oofos.

Right now there is a great "last chance" sale going on at Oofos.com. Different colors and styles are available at discounted prices. Earlier in this sale, I picked up two pairs of Ooriginal Sport Sandals in Aqua and Pink. If you're looking to get a new pair or try out Oofos for the first time, check out the sale! Click through my link to get a 10% off, which is applicable to Last Chance sale items!

Virtual Race Beneficiary
Conquer COVID-19 virtual run participants could choose a local race store to benefit from registration. I chose Front Running Sports in Lake Mary, Florida.

Virtual Race Goal
I hadn't been feeling myself for a few days, with some mild stomach issues and general feeling of lethargy and malaise. This race needed to be completed by May 15th so I decided to walk it without a particular time goal. I figured it would take me two hours at most. If I was feeling better my goal wouldn't have been too ambitious anyway, since I haven't run so far in a while. Maybe 82 or 85 minutes. There was a time that I had hoped for a sub hour 10K! My 10K PR is 1:03:29 set way back in 2016 at Suck It Up Buttercup.

Race Day: May 12, 2020
We had some gorgeous weather at the beginning of May. It was about 66°F at the start of my walk, with clear skies and 73% humidity.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 16:04, 14:55, 15:06
I walked most of the first mile with a couple of really short runs thrown in. I started feeling better and jogged a bit more in the next two miles, but without set intervals. I mostly jogged the gimmes -- the downhills.

Mile 4, 5, 6+: 13:55, 13:38, 12:41, 1:29
I kept looking at my watch. I felt better as the miles went on and added more short, slow run spurts. After mile 4 (where I got just a little bit lost for a minute) I thought I'd try to hit sub-90 minutes. Why not? I felt good enough for that little push. I finished just under 90 minutes at 1:28:33.

Swag
For this race I got a nice cotton blend t-shirt (optional) and a funny coronavirus-themed spinner medal. The packet also came with a car decal and a temporary tattoo.

Recommendation
This was my first virtual race from Runtastic Events and communication was pretty good. The medal and shirt are both nice. If I was interested in the theme or charity, I would purchase another virtual race from this company.

Garmin GPS elapsed time: 1:28:33
Cost: $38 (the t-shirt was a $10 upcharge)

Report written May 12, 2020

Even though I wasn't a fan of virtual races, running a Star Wars Day race on May the 4th was always interesting to me. What better time to take advantage than now, when virtuals are all there is? I chose the May the 4th Be With You 4K put on by Epic Races. The American Association for Cancer Research was the charity beneficiary of this virtual race.

Virtual Race Goal
Time goal: sub-30 minutes.

Race Day: May 4, 2020
I got a late start. It was 75°F with 65% humidity and bright sunny skies when I started my run. I dressed up in Star Wars fashion with a Cara Dune t-shirt.

4 kilometers is about 2.49 miles.

Mile 1, 2+: 12:01, 12:34, 5:34
I felt okay during the first mile, but I really struggled for the second mile. I looked at my watch during the last stretch and tried to get in under my goal time, but even with a pace of 11:23 for the final half mile, I missed my goal time by 10 seconds. Bummed.

Social Media
Posting results was not a requirement, but it was encouraged. I posted my photo to the May the 4th Be With You 4K Event Page on Facebook and submitted my time on the May the 4th Be With You 4K Race Page. Participants recevied their swag regardless.

Swag
The virtual race packet came with a soft cotton blend shirt, a spinner medal, and a vinyl sticker.

Garmin GPS elapsed time: 30:10

Cost: $39

Report written May the 4th, 2020

I had signed up for this race back in December 2019. This was my first race that converted all participants to virtual runners due to the pandemic.

The Riverside Dash is a popular local race. The main event is the 15K that runs along the shores of Lake Monroe. I had signed up for the 5K. This would have been my fourth year participating in the event, following the 2017 Riverside Dash 5K, the 2018 Riverside Dash 15K, and the 2019 Riverside Dash 5K.

Virtual Race Goal
I hoped to run a sub-37 minute 5K, which would beat my most recent best time of 37:03 (Fountain of Youth Virtual 5K).

Race Day: May 2, 2020
The physical race should have taken place in Sanford, Florida, on April 13, 2020. On my race day, it was 57°F with 83% humidity and clear skies. Really nice running weather.

Mile 1, 2, 3: 11:45, 11:54, 11:56
I felt okay. My Achilles and knees are creaky and achy, but once I get going they don't bother me too much. I was super happy to make my time goal.

Swag
The virtual race packet included a really comfortable cotton shirt, race bib (which I forgot to wear, oops), and finisher medal.

Garmin GPS elapsed time: 36:43

Cost: $33

Report written May 2, 2020

Since the novel coronavirus pandemic turned the world upside-down earlier this year and forced many of us to stay mostly at home, I've tried to continue running. Instead of running on the awesome and popular multi-use trail system close to my home, I've been hitting residential streets in my neighborhood to avoid crowds on the trails. 

There is a short trail segment very close to my house that I run or walk if the coast is clear (LOL).

Usually I keep to running against traffic on the adjacent road, but earlier last month I ventured onto the trail and had the absolute joy of seeing these beautiful and inspirational sentiments written with sidewalk chalk. 

I had to stop to photograph each one.

This text is inspired by the quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. quote from his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech:

But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough, can you see the stars.

This one is inspired by the poem "Dreams" by the American poet Langston Hughes: 

Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird 
That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.

This one is inspired by the quote from French fashion designer Coco Chanel

Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.

This one is from a quote by the Chinese American author Maxine Hong Kingston

In a time of destruction, create something: a poem, a parade, a community, a school, a vow, a moral principle; one peaceful moment.

Along with the chalk art, I noticed signs put up by our community in order to encourage safe shared use of the trail system. I was glad to see these signs but as of now I am still uncomfortable passing people on the trail. I sweat so much and breathe so heavily I imagine that I am a walking cloud of droplets. I'm keeping myself to myself for the time being.

"Space Coast Runners and Power of Pizza Charities were heartbroken when the 34th Space Coast Classic 15K & 2 Mile was canceled. ... The physical race did not take place but a virtual one did in it's place. We designed a special 2020 Covid-19 Virus Edition race shirt for our virtual runners and walkers. ... We sold out on what would have been the actual race day, Sunday, April 19th."

I signed up for this race after it was converted to a virtual. I liked the shirt (my first Covid-19 race shirt) and medal. I was also happy to support the central Florida race club that put on the event and their charity partner.

Runners were encouraged to post their results on the Space Coast Classic Facebook page. Space Coast Runners compiled the photos and times on a special 2020 Virtual Results page.

Virtual Race Goal
Time goal: sub-25 minutes.

Race Day: April 27, 2020
The physical race would have taken place on April 19th. On my race day, it was 63°F with just 55% humidity and bright sunny skies. Perfect running weather.

Mile 1, 2: 12:23, 11:48
I felt pretty good starting out. The weather was great and I had a familiar route in my neighborhood. But almost from the start I was dodging unusual traffic. I had to walk through weedy grass a few times to avoid cars and I had to cross the street to avoid runners and walkers. It wasn't a big deal but I got frustrated. At the end there was a new construction project blocking the sidewalk and I had to run by idling construction trucks and equipment. I was glad I made my time goal, at least!

Swag
The virtual race packet included a tech shirt with a Covid-19 related design and a finisher medal. We also got a reusable bag, Space Coast Runners sticker, and pen.

Garmin GPS elapsed time: 24:13

Cost: $28

Report written April 27, 2020