GEORGETOWN, Texas — For twenty-five years, the Georgetown Parks and Recreation Department has held its Cupid’s Chase Fun Run on the streets of the city, groups of people in running gear, panting near each other.
This year, however, the twenty-sixth year, due to safety concerns about the transmission of the coronavirus, the event will be virtual in that participants will not run as a group. They will instead be running on their own time over the course of a week. It will not be an officially timed race due to the situation of people running separately.
The virtual 5K Cupid’s Chase and Kids’ Fun Run is set for February 13 to February 21. Runners will choose the route of their own choice, according to information on the City of Georgetown website.
A costume contest will also be part of the race events, sponsored by Gus’s Drug. Those who want to enter are asked to include a photo of themselves with their completed race application.
Registration for ages 11 and older is $25, and $10 for children ages 10 and younger to run in the races.
Each participant will receive a Cupid’s Chase T-shirt. The first 200 participants will also receive a cooling towel, while the children will also get a goody bag. Swag may be picked up at the Georgetown Recreation Center or pay $5 to have them shipped directly to one’s home.
“While we love seeing our community gather in person for this race, we’re adapting our events to keep everyone safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Melissa Trahan-Pecorino, Special Events and Marketing Coordinator for Georgetown Parks and Recreation on the city’s website. “We are excited for the opportunity to continue this longstanding Georgetown community tradition in this ‘virtual’ format this year.”