Virtual
Running
roanoke.com
- October 2006
By Jenny Kincaid Boone
There are fantasy football leagues and virtual baseball
and golf teams.
There's even virtual road racing.
This weekend, perhaps one of the world's first virtual
half-marathons is taking place, and two local runners are
joining in.
The race is called the Phedippidations World Wide Half
Marathon, and Mal James, a Middle-East based cameraman
for Fox News, is one of its founders. A runner himself,
James has invited others across the world to run 13.1
miles this weekend, either through their own route or in
a sanctioned race. The race is named for the famed Greek
runner who completed the first ever marathon distance.
Participants in the half-marathon will be able to enter
final times, pictures and maps of the courses into the
race's online database.
“The idea here is to share the experience with
everyone,” said Steve Walker, a Boston runner who's
one of four organizers of the race.
The prizes are images of medals that runners can display
on their own blogs and Web sites, Walker said. He
described the simple prizes as “honorary.” He
also plans to feature some of the half-marathon winners
on the podcasts that he regularly broadcasts about
various running topics.
At least 448 runners from 23 different countries already
have signed up and among them are brothers and Roanoke
area runners, Kevin and Keith Spencer. Kevin Spencer
learned about the virtual race while listening to one of
Walker 's podcasts. Walker's nickname is Steve Runner.
Kevin Spencer's already training for the SunTrust
Richmond Marathon on Nov. 11, so he decided to make a
13.1 mile route his Saturday run.
“I just like the fact that everyone is running
around the world,” he said.
For their inaugural virtual half-marathon, the Spencer
brothers will take one of their regular routes at 5 a.m.
It begins at Vinton Baptist Church and traverses numerous
roads toward Southwest Roanoke, including Campbell and
Memorial avenues and Grandin Road. They plan to run
several laps around Patrick Henry High School 's track
before retracing the run back to Vinton.
“It's one of our default routes, because it's sort
of flat, and it doesn't have a lot of hills,” Kevin
Spencer said.
Kevin Spencer is a running enthusiast who has completed
marathons and runs in local road races. He also started a
running group for elementary school children at Raleigh
Court Elementary School in Roanoke, where he teaches
fifth grade.
He organizes a regular group of local runners who meet
several days a week for early morning runs.
This Saturday, however, the Spencers aren't sure yet who
else will join them for the local run. But they know that
at least 400 hundred others from all parts of the world
will be running.
For more information about the World Wide Half Marathon,
visit www.worldwidehalf.com
To hear running podcasts and other details about the
virtual half marathon, visit
http://www.steverunner.com/