Photo courtesy Sports Backers
As the masks come down, we need to get moving.
Four of 10 Americans pre-pandemic were overweight or obese, and 42% of adults who participated in a survey released in March by the American Psychological Association said they had gained unwanted pounds over the course of the pandemic, with an average gain of 29 pounds. There’s a lot more to us than there used to be, and not in a good way.
Fortunately, it’s getting easier to get active again. Virginia has eased its COVID-19 restrictions as the number of commonwealth residents receiving vaccinations increased (41% fully vaccinated as of today) and positivity rates declined (3% positivity and 591 new cases reported today by the Virginia Department of Health).
If you’re looking for outlets to burn off some calories, Sports Backers is here to help. The nonprofit promotes fitness and wellness with programs and events in metro Richmond including Kids Run RVA, Fitness Warriors and the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10K presented by Kroger, which will be staged June 3-6 this year. Sports Backers also partners with Venture Richmond for Dominion Energy Riverrock, which was held May 14-16.
Because of the pandemic, last year the Monument Avenue 10K was delayed until September and Riverrock was not held. Sports Backers also transformed many activities into virtual classes or events and has modified other activities as it has become safe to do so. For example, this year, the 10K won’t be held along Monument Avenue, but will be staged over three days in Byrd Park and in Dorey Park in Henrico County. Safety guidelines include wearing a mask when picking up your race bib with timing chip, maintaining social distancing as you run and wearing a mask at the end as you pick up a finisher packet. There’s also an option to run both courses, and there’s a 10K mini, a 1-mile kid run held in conjunction with the adult event. Costs vary, but registration is cheaper through June 2.
Outdoor, active sports are thriving right now, but there’s “potentially still going to be a roller coaster” of COVID-19-related activity that requires vigilance and being nimble and ready to react to maintain safety, says Jon Lugbill, Sports Backers’ executive director.
People are feeling more secure and safe, and that’s showing up in event registration, such as for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon, which is set for Nov. 13. Runners have been signing up at pre-pandemic levels since January, when vaccines began to roll out, Lugbill says. Being vaccinated “changes your perspective; you start to feel there’s a safe way” to take part in the event.
As it stands for now, the Monument Avenue 10K will return to its namesake route for 2022 and serve as a symbol of an end to the darker days of COVID-19. “It’s going to be a huge celebration in putting the pandemic behind us,” he says.
Programs at Sports Backers have evolved in accordance with safety guidelines. Fitness classes were canceled, then some returned virtually, then as outdoor offerings, and as of July, indoor instruction returns, Lugbill says. Virtual instruction proved to have its niche, and some of those classes will likely continue, as will some outdoor classes, a great way to make parks safer and to introduce people to their local parks, according to Lugbill.
Some events work better virtually. Lugbill cites the Great American Ride bicycling event, a 3,700-mile team event that began in March and ends today, benefiting the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. The event enables bicyclers to experience a cross-country trip equivalent of the virtual route following the in-the-works Great American Rail-Trail from Washington State to Washington, D.C., without making the major investment of time, money and sheer logistics such a trip usually necessitates. “This is a way for people around the world to do something together they otherwise would not,” Lugbill says. “We think virtual events that don’t happen easily in real life will have a place to stay.”
As concerns of social distancing outdoors ease, there will be less need for multiple days for events, but open start times may remain, because it’s easier and more convenient for participants. “It makes it convenient for people and kind of makes it fit different people’s needs and conveniences,” he says.
Lugbill also wants to see a return to live activities for kids, including Kids Run RVA. Pre-pandemic the program involved 8,000 to 10,000 children, but last year, about 2,000 children took part, mostly in virtual settings. “It was sad not to have that,” he says.
The pandemic has been devastating in so many ways, but Lugbill notes that it did spur interest in outdoor activities, with greater use of recreation and bike trails including the Virginia Capital Trail that links Richmond and Williamsburg. That surge in interest boosts development of the 45-mile Fall Line trail from Ashland to Petersburg. “The case for it was just made,” says Lugbill, who adds that the Fall Line project will be transformational to our region.
He says the trail has gained support of the state and various local governments along the route and that he’s optimistic it can now be developed in five to eight years instead of the 10 to 15 years that such projects usually need.
As it did with many businesses and nonprofits, the pandemic exerted a fiscal toll on Sports Backers. The nonprofit accepted some federal relief funds to offset its losses; it had revenue of $4.5 million last year, compared with $7.2 million in 2019. “We had a pretty good hit,” Lugbill says. “That really set us back and scared us.”
Sports Backers helped cut its losses by adding a host of smaller, virtual events; it staged 37 in the past year, compared with 14 yearly events pre-pandemic. Lugbill notes that Sports Backers was able to retain staff and grow in the past year. Community support has been strong, and response to its programming has been positive. “I think that will bode well for our future,” he says. “We’re going to come out of this OK.”
