It shouldn’t surprise you to learn that the Pittsburgh Marathon is in a state of flux amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Seemingly everything is at this point.
Race organizers, however, are not folding just yet. They released a statement via the event’s Twitter account Sunday reassuring runners that they’re still preparing with the hope that the May 1-3 race weekend will unfold as planned.
Keeping you informed. pic.twitter.com/G5b0P8RVXl
— Pittsburgh Marathon (@PGHMarathon) March 15, 2020
“We know that you are frustrated — and that’s understandable,” the statement read. “All of you have been training for months, and now you’re not confident that the event the event you’ve been working so hard for will happen. Trust us. We get it. We’ve been working hard for more than a year to bring you the best marathon ever, and the thought of it not happening is disappointing for all of us.”
Marathon organizers declined further comment to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Monday. Since that statement was released, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines recommending an eight-week curb on gatherings of 50-plus people. That would certainly include the marathon and overlap with its scheduled start.
If that thought becomes reality, there are contingencies in place. The marathon said in its statement that runners will still receive race gear from the event and will have the option of competing through a virtual experience.
The latter option will likely be a little less futuristic than it sounds. Kelly Walburn, director of the Pro Bike + Run running club that’s preparing for the marathon, explained Monday that while she was not aware of organizers’ specific plans, such virtual runs typically consist of simply completing a designated distance from anywhere and reporting a time online. The runs’ usefulness is a topic of debate in the distance community during normal times. Think of it as working from home in racing form.
Walburn said she signed up for a virtual run just recently, though, and she’s noticed others in her community getting into them. She thinks it’s certainly an option runners would have to consider in a time of so-called social distancing.
This is especially true considering the nature of preparing for a marathon. It’s not the type of event one just attends, like a hockey game. Walburn’s club has been following a preparation plan since December and has recently worked up to runs as long as 20 miles during weekends. That’s a lot of work to see go by the wayside before the big pay off.
It’s work that’s also been complicated by the outbreak. Like other large running groups around this city, Pro Bike + Run has canceled its group sessions for the next couple of weeks. Weekend runs, in particular, can attract more than 100 people, so the group is trying to follow guidelines from health officials by giving members workouts to follow on their own.
For that reason, Walburn thinks most of her club’s hundreds of paid members would like to get some clarity from organizers — one way or the other — soon.
“I definitely don’t envy their position of having to make this decision,” she said. “But I would say, having a run club that’s preparing for this, it would be kind of better to know now so that people can make their decisions.”
A cancellation would have a major impact on the local economy too. VisitPittsburgh president and CEO Craig Davis told KDKA last year that his organization estimated direct spending of more than $13 million related to the event.
Adam Bittner: abittner@post-gazette.com and Twitter @fugimaster24.
First Published: March 16, 2020, 7:42 p.m.