Occoquan to host virtual 5K to benefit town businesses

Since the coronavirus hit, our world has gone virtual as people stay home and use the internet to for both entertainment, work, and communication.

Now, you can add running a marathon to the list of the things that will be done online. Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta says the town will host its first-ever virtual 5-K run on May 2.

The run was originally slated to take place in the town as a means to encourage outdoor activity, and to have people in the town to support the local shop owners. However, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam yesterday ordered the closure of all nonessential businesses.

Now the run will now take place anywhere, including a treadmill in participants’ homes.

Participants will pay $25 to enter the 5-K and will receive a t-shirt that will be sent to them later in the year. All of the proceeds will be given to the Occoquan Historical Society board, which will use the funds to purchase gift certificates from Occoquan businesses to raffle off at later town fundraisers.

“I have no idea how many [people will sign up], but participants have over a month to do it, the registration fee is low, and the costs to put it on are low, so I’m hopeful it can be successful. And it is a healthy, isolated, socially-acceptable way to be outside in the current environment’ added Porta.

Virtual runners can register for this event online. They between now and 5 p.m. on May 2, 2020, to complete the race. Once they do it by running or walking, they will be asked to upload their events online and to report the date, start time, and end time of their run/walk.

Participants will also be asked to upload a legible screenshot of a GPS or equivalently-tracked recording of their run/walk when uploading results to the registration page, linked above.