Queens runners compete in remote road races, as online exercisers hit their stride

Young racers participate in last year’s Center Boulevard Kids Run. Photo by Jeff Walters, courtesy of QEDC

By David Brand

On your mark. Get set. Go … wherever and whenever you want.

A pair of Queens road races are going virtual, joining several citywide initiatives to help New Yorker City runners hit the streets and break a sweat while steering clear of their fellow joggers. 

The annual LIC Post Waterfront 5K and the Center Boulevard Kids Run traditionally attract thousands of runners to Western Queens on the first Saturday in June. But the COVID-19 outbreak has forced organizers to get creative. 

This time around, racers can run their own course, track their times and upload the results to the race website any day from June 6 to June 13. The entry fee is $25. 

Runners across the city have taken to the streets for social distancing jogs — one of the few activities not prohibited by lockdown orders — but exercise enthusiasts can also burn their calories indoors.

The New York Road Runners, the city’s largest running club, has launched a new fitness platform called NYRR Striders at Home to help older New Yorkers stay energized and meet their fitness goals. 

The NYRR Striders program has nearly 2,000 members, including 317 in Queens. Four of the program’s 16 coaches are also based in Queens.  

The new online activities can be performed at home with no extra equipment necessary, NYRR said.