Race the rest of New Zealand from your home!

Solo Challenges | National Virtual Champs | Team Events & Virtual Relays

Athletics NZ, in collaboration with School Sport NZ and University & Tertiary Sport NZ, is proud to present New Zealand’s first Virtual Race Series, starting in April 2020.

HOW IT WORKS

Race at your place!

Wherever in the world you find yourself, you can participate in New Zealand’s first Virtual Race Series. Challenge your mates; represent your club, school or university; and give your training some focus and serious dose of fun—all while the Covid-19 restrictions are on.

All you need to enter is yourself and a smartphone, or GPS watch/device (or stopwatch for manual entries).
 

• All entries must be individually logged by you at athletics.org.nz/virtual

• Follow the leaderboards and see how you and your team is tracking!

• Prizes, spot prizes and podium position medals up for grabs!

• Join the Athletics NZ Strava Club to connect with other virtual racers.
  Not sure how Strava works? No worries. This guide will explain all. Click here. https://www.runnersworld.com/beginner/g25619156/what-is-strava/

VIRTUAL RACE SERIES EVENTS

National Virtual 5K Champs

13 April – 3 May (three weeks)

You’ll have three weeks to log three 5k runs.

Each run earns a point for your club in the participation-based Top Club Competition (all age groups combined).

The fastest times contribute to the Fastest Club competition (combined times of 3 females and 3 males—all age groups combined).

And, of course, fastest times contribute to the individual Virtual 5K Champs titles!

Athletes upload their individual results (maximum of 3 entries).

Age groups: M18, W18 M20, W20, SM, SW, M40-49, W40-49, M50-59, W50-59, M60+, W60+

Run from home. Run in your neighbourhood. And train sensibly!

National Ekiden Virtual Relay Champs

May (all month)

This one is purely about your team—how fast can your club’s four top runners complete a marathon in virtual legs of 10k, 10k, 10k, and 12.2k?

You’ll all run alone, but your combined times will form your club’s Ekiden Virtual Relay marathon time. All teams’ entries require results from 2 women and 2 men.

Athletes upload their individual results (as many as you like in the month) and an individual’s top times are collated into your club’s team times.

Be sure to have someone in your club/team recording a 12.2k entry (6.1k for under 20s).

Under 20s will be doing a half marathon virtual relay (5k, 5k, 5k, 6.1k).

Clubs can have an unlimited number of teams (but only the best time from each runner counts). 

Age groups: M18, W18, M20, W20, SM, SW, M40-49, W40-49, M50-59, W50-59, M60+, W60+

National Virtual 10K Champs (Seniors & Masters)

June (all month)

You’ll have one month to log three 10k runs.

Each run earns a point for your club in the participation-based Top Club Competition (all age groups combined).

The fastest times contribute to the Fastest Club competition (combined times of 3 females and 3 males—all age groups combined).

And, of course, fastest times contribute to the individual Virtual 10K Champs titles!

Athletes upload their individual results (maximum of 3 entries).

Age groups: SM, SW, M40-49, W40-49, M50-59, W50-59, M60+, W60+

National Virtual 1K Champs

June (all month)

You’ll have one month to log a maximum of three 1k runs.

Each run earns a point for your club in the Top Club Competition (all age groups combined).

The fastest times contribute to the Fastest Club competition (combined times of 2 females and 3 males—all age groups combined).

And, of course, fastest times contribute to the individual Virtual 1K Champs titles!

Athletes upload their individual results (maximum of 3 entries).

Age groups: M16, W16, M18, W18, M20, W20, SM, SW, M40-49, W40-49, M50-59, W50-59, M60+, W60+

RACE RULES

All athletes participate at their own risk and agree to run as safely as possible and strictly adhere to all Government regulations and traffic rules.

• Keep Your Distance: All racing MUST be done alone. The ONLY exception is if you are running with someone from your household (e.g. parent with their teenaged kids, couple running together).  
• Unnessecary Travel: Record your entry as close to home as possible. In alignment with government advice, all of your activity should begin and end from your own home. However, the actual course you run, could be some distance from your home—as long as you run there.
• Use Your Feet: Yes, standard running race rules apply. No scooters, no bikes, no roller blades, no magic moving boots. Just you, a watch and your running shoes. All podium position times will be subject to GPS file analysis.  
• Courses: To win or podium in a National Virtual Champs it MUST be run on an out-and-back or looped course (GPS route verification will be required). However, we will accept entries from any courses for participation points.  
• Running Track: You can use a measured path or athletics track, but keep in mind that stopwatch times will not qualify for National Virtual Champs podium places—so ideally also use a GPS. Note: GPS times on a track will be analysed for accuracy.
• Terrain: Courses should have a net drop of no greater than 5 metres per kilometre.
• Safety: PLEASE run on a safe pathway where you will avoid traffic and always giveway to any traffic and other pedestrians (allowing 2-metre gaps).
• Parents: We ask that all under 16s to be accompanied by an adult from their household on the run (the support person could be on a bike).
• Sharing GPS Devices: You are welcome to borrow a family member’s device and Strava account to record your run (we encourage this under 16s to use their parent’s accounts), however please acknowledge in the results both the name of the runner and the Strava account holder.
• Treadmills: You can run on a treadmill however gradient should be 1.0 or greater. Treadmill results will be multiplied by 1.01 (to account for variations) and they will not be eligible for National Virtual Championship titles or podiums.
• Members: All entrees must be from current registered Athletics NZ members.

HOW TO ENTER

Please log your 5K result as soon as possible after your run so we can keep the leader boards updated. Allow 2-3 days for your results to be processed.

Enter simply by filling out the appropriate race entry form at athletics.org.nz/virtual. This will give you three options for supplying proof of your time:

1. STRAVA LINK: Submitting a link to a public Strava file.
2. PHOTO OF GPS: Submitting a photo or screen shot of a GPS file or watch screen clearly showing fastest 5k and/or 5k split time (according to the race distance is that you are enterring). Note: If you are in contention for a National Virtual Championship podium position we will ask to see more detail of the GPS file.
3. HONESTY BOX: A manual entry simply with a time. This receives an asterisk in the results and does not qualify toward National Virtual Championship podium positions.        

Article added: Tuesday 14 April 2020