Participation numbers provided by events company Threshold Sports have given an insight into the high demand for virtual events in lockdown. The inaugural Virtual Race to the Stones event saw a total of 8,330 people sign up to the week-long challenge in July, with participants opting to run or walk from their doorstep around their local area.
The free to enter event offered participants a choice of three distances – half marathon, marathon or 100km – and came following the postponement of the annual Threshold Trail Series to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Participants covered a combined 382,051 km during the week-long event, with more than £50,000 raised for charity to date and 70 prizes given out throughout the week.
‘80% of people taking part said that the virtual challenge had a positive effect on their physical and mental health. Meanwhile, 7 in 10 revealed it will impact their future exercise habits, illustrating the appetite that exists for virtual events during these times.’
Nick Tuppen, CEO of Threshold Sports, said “COVID-19 has been incredibly tough and to be able to create something that united well over 8,000 people to get active has been a massive boost.
“8 out of 10 of participants in Dixons Carphone Virtual Race to the Stones said it had had a positive effect on their health and wellbeing and it had the same impact for us as a team.”
He continued “We are also particularly proud that over 70% of participants were new to the Threshold Trail Series community. It has opened up whole new audiences to the world of accessible ultras and trail running.
“Virtual will certainly be something we integrate every year, and we can’t wait to see thousands of those who took part online crossing our offline finish-lines in 2021.”
www.thresholdtrailseries.com
www.racetothestones.com
