People encouraged to register for virtual race to benefit United Way of North Idaho

The Spring Dash set for April 18 in Coeur d’Alene is a go — in both the real world and the digital one.

The five-mile fun run that benefits the United Way of North Idaho will be a virtual race, said Mark Tucker, the nonprofit’s executive director.

“The Spring Dash will still be going on,” he said.

The move is in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

There won’t be a starting line at McEuen Park for the race’s usual hundreds of runners and walkers. And there won’t be a clock at the finish line to record times.

What there will be, Tucker hopes, are hundreds of people still registering and running five miles over a course of their choosing, between April 18 and April 30, and posting their time at the United Way of North Idaho website.

So, they can cover the Dash distance on a favorite running route, a trail, a track or their neighborhood.

“They could even run on a treadmill at home,” Tucker said.

People can register, $25, for the virtual race at bit.ly/3dg9Icp. T-shirts and numbered race bibs are part of the package.

Even the “Virtual Spring Dash Tot Trot” is still on, and is $8.

The Spring Dash T-shirt design contest is continuing, as well.

Since 1982, Spring Dash has been the kickoff to the running season and has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for United Way of North Idaho.

Over the years, it has been a fun run, a second-seeding qualifier for Bloomsday, a family “tot trot” and a great community event. Some years it drew a few thousand runners.

Tucker said United Way officials wanted to hold the race as both a way to raise funds and to remind people during these challenging times that it’s important to exercise, stay healthy and take care of themselves.

“There’s lots of talk about isolation,” he said. “We hope to let people know they can be outside and be safe.”

As for results, that will pretty much be an honor system.

Once people have completed their five-mile course, go to the “Results” tab at the United Way of North Idaho website and click the “submit results” button to enter their time to be included in the event results. They may also indicate their completed the event without submitting a time.

Also, participants are welcome to go to the “Participant Tracking” tab on the site and download the free RaceJoy live tracking app. It has the official course route and interactive features.

Info: bit.ly/2WuFsVi