Gonzaga Runner Ally Legard Putting Together Virtual Race April 11

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

Home from college, Ally Legard was struck by how mant people in her neighborhood had taken up running for exercise during the past couple of weeks. 

So Legard, a junior on the Gonzaga track team, came up with an idea. 

"Maybe I could just make a race where people can toe the line, on the same day," she said. 

The Go The (Social) Distance 5K and Mile were born. 

Legard began thinking about an event for the people in her hometown of McMinnville, Ore., but also began to get the interest of friends and teammates elsewhere. 

She set up a Facebook page and is having T-shirts made. The proceeds will go to YCAP (Yamhill Community Action Partnership) Food Bank.

In order to participate, runners will have to time themselves for a mile or a 5K on April 11 and then post a selfie and a comment about their finish time on the Facebook page. The run can be on a track or on a carefully measured road. 

"I thought about the idea of having a winner, but without proper timing it doesn't make much sense," she said. 

Legard's race is one of several that have popped up across the country as the necessity for races breeds new inventive ways to meet goals in an age of social distancing due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. 

"I made note on the Facebook page about respecting your state's distance mandates," she said. 

She's taking T-shirt orders until Wednesday. 

For more information, check out the Facebook page HERE.