Elgin Fox Trot race will be held virtually
After being on track to hit their goal of 1,000 participants, organizers of the Elgin Valley Fox Trot have decided to hold the race virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We believe going virtual will provide a great and safe experience for all," said race organizer Ed Bates. That means participants will run on their own and record their race times online.
"We understand how disappointing this may be, as many of our runners have trained very hard and were looking forward to participating in this event. But the safety of our runners, volunteers, friends, families and sponsors is of paramount concern to us."
Race director Zach Edmonson said he expects up to 300 virtual participants for the 43rd edition of the Fox Trot, originally scheduled for May 31 with 10-mile and 5K races. More than 200 people had registered before the stay-at-home order was issued in March and organizers stopped promoting the race, Edmonson said.
This year's race is organized by Kenyon Farm Runners, Elgin Lions Club and F3 Events, which took over after the city of Elgin cut it from its budget except for a $5,000 sponsorship.
The registration deadline is May 31 at elginfoxtrot.com. Those who already signed up are automatically registered in the virtual race. Packets with T-shirts and finishers' medals will be shipped by May 31 for those who register by May 11; everyone else will receive them by June 30.
Runners will have to run their race between May 31 and June 14 and enter their time online to get a finisher's certificate. Winners will be announced, including in different age groups.
People are encouraged to run routes near their homes and follow safety guidelines, and organizers trust that runners will be honest when recording times, Edmonson said. "We are trying to think the best of our participants and we hope they will act in kind," he said.
Entry fees are $50 for the 10-mile race and $35 for the 5K race. This year's runners also will get 20% off entry fees for three races: the 2020 Halloween Half-Marathon & 5K Chicago, the 2021 F3 Lake half-marathon and 5K, and next year's Elgin Valley Fox Trot, tentatively scheduled for June 13, 2021. "We are thinking toward next year," Edmonson said.
For information about sponsorship opportunities contact Bates at elginillinoislions@gmail.com or Edmonson at foxtrot@f3running.com.