Texans Flock To Cantrell's Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee

(I learned today that five pieces of content that I had submitted to Texas Runner and Triathlete editor Lance Phegley to be included in an edition that was to feature what runners and triathletes did to keep themselves motivated during the COVID-19 pandemic was not included by the publisher in the purported last issue of the magazine.  As a result, I'm posting the content here on the blog to share with those who might have expected to see it.  I haven't seen the publication yet, but it is my understanding that the number of pages was dramatically reduced from the last quarterly edition.)

When Barkley Marathons race director Gary Cantrell does something, he goes big – even when he’s at home in Tennessee.

Big’s Backyard Ultra.  A Race For The Ages.  The Last Annual Vol State Road Race.

Fueled by the global lockdowns, shelter in place orders and the inevitable shutdown of racing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cantrell, better known as Lazarus Lake, created The Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee 1000K.

It is a take-off on the 314-mile road race, that goes across Tennessee from Dorena Landing, Missouri to Castle Rock, Georgia every July.

Actually 1,021.68 kilometers long, runners would venture from Anthonyville, Arkansas to the northeast tip of the state at the Virginia-Tennessee border.

Runners have four months – from May 1 to August 31 – to run a little over 621 miles (1,000 kilometers) – or about five miles a day wherever they are.

Or more, if they sign up after the first.  No backloading miles.

As of May 18, some 19,287 runners from all over the globe – 77 countries and at least 22 of the 24 time zones -- had signed up for the event that will deliver approximately $200,000 to food banks throughout Tennessee.

Texans are a little more than four percent of the field with 880 runners, as of May 18.

And one – Selma’s John Sharp – finished the distance with 634 miles at the end of day, Wednesday, May 12.

61 were averaging more than 10 miles a day and 323 miles have completed a 10K or more per day.

810.8 - John Sharp, 42, Selma
353.0 - Dale Cougot, 54, Garland
298.7 - Bobby Whittington, 33, Fort Worth
288.8 - William Moeller, 64, Spring
280.9 - Wayne Bullard, 56, The Colony
254.6 - Steve Maliszewski, 48, Houston
253.3 - Van Joslin, 34, Spring
251.2 - Jason Ball, 42
237.4 - Jay Teinert, 57, Bedford
234.9 - David Coats, 59, Houston

273.6 - Stephanie Stonebraker, 36, Fort Worth
262.4 - Elizabeth Ferguson, 43
258.0 - Jean Hofschulte, 53, Spring
253.1 - Kay Leighton, 50, Bedford
246.4 - Tracy Larson, 39, Houston
245.0 - Davina Nichols, 51, Keller
243.0 - Leslie Williamson, 35, McKinney
242.7 - Hazel Chase, 46, Houston
236.3 - Penny Lane, 56, Austin
235.0 - Robin Phelps, 58, Spring

And, of course, imitators have followed.

The One NY Challenge, which includes both a 1000K and 500K Challenge and managed by the producers of the Syracuse Half Marathon, has nearly 10,000 runners on its leaderboards that will attempt to mimic a run from the Niagara Falls to Montauk Point on the eastern end of Long Island.