COVID-19 and its effect on LRC and Louisville running

I really struggled with whether or not to write this. I’m not a subject-matter expert. I’ve not tested positive for the virus. There are so many nationally and internationally who are way worse off than I am, and who have so many more struggles with COVID-19 than myself and my fellow Louisville runners. But as it stands, this virus is going to greatly affect Louisville Running Company and the Louisville running community.

Each day, more and more running races are getting cancelled or postponed. These events we’ve been working on year-round, putting our sweat and passion into, are wiped away. It sucks. It sucks for us as a race management company, and it sucks for you as a runner. You’ve trained really hard to achieve a goal this spring, and it’s so unfortunate that you won’t be able to cross that finish line. I’m right there with you, as I’m currently signed up to run Boston. I’m in the best shape I’ve been in for a while, and was looking forward to setting another marathon PR.

But unfortunately some things are bigger than us. If someone were to get sick at one of our running races, think of the backlash it would cause. Even if that person didn’t get sick at our race, all it takes is to be associated with the virus for it to be detrimental to the race and race production company. Is it overly cautious? Maybe. Is it an overly cautious step that I am (and fellow race directors are) willing to take? Most definitely. Also, this is much bigger than running. This is about caring for our fellow humans, and making sure we do everything in our power to stop the spread of a deadly virus. No, you may not be susceptible to the virus or high-risk. But you’re just one of many, and we all need to look out for each other in tough times.

So where do we go from here? What are the next steps forward for LRC and Louisville running in general? Well, we keep running. It may not be at organized races, but we do whatever we can to stay active and stay healthy. Hopefully, we continue to support small businesses like LRC. When it becomes acceptable to hold running races, we need you to participate. Even if it’s just virtually, sign up for races this summer and fall. We need you to order shoes and apparel from your local running store. They’re going to take a hit from these cancellations, as they relied on big sales numbers from the race expos. There’s no clear understanding when this is going to end, or for how long into the future we’re going to see group gatherings cancelled. When it does return, we’re going to need you to sign up and show up more than ever.

For those races that were forced to cancel or go virtual (including the Louisville Triple Crown of Running), if you can spare to, consider not requesting a refund. Also, please consider not posting comments on social media demanding refunds from the races. Us race directors have had to spend a lot of money already on T-shirts, medals, permitting, and a number of other operational expenses. Just because the race doesn’t happen doesn’t mean we didn’t spend money on it. For organizations like LRC (or our friends at DC Timing, River City Races, and 3 Way Racing, etc.), a last-minute event cancellation where we have to refund all our participants could absolutely crush our livelihood.

That’s it. That’s all I got on COVID-19 at this time. Stay safe; stay vigilant about washing your hands and avoiding group contact when necessary. Keep supporting LRC, and we’ll come out of this strong and ready to run.