As we prepare for our upcoming in-person events, we’ve worked with our friends at Tucson Medical Center, the City of Tucson, and the Southern Arizona Roadrunners to fashion this statement for our August 22nd TMC Meet Me Downtown 5k and Festival of Miles:
Our in-person charity running events are open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities, including children, chair athletes, and older runners.
In order for us to continue to produce safe and enjoyable in-person events, we respectfully request the following:
1) For packet pickup on Saturday, August 21st at The Running Shop, please practice social distancing, please wear a mask indoors, and please follow the Running Shop in-store protocols.
2) On race day, we ask that participants wear a mask before and after the race when a distance of 6 feet cannot be maintained between you and another participant. NOTE: You do not have to wear a mask when running or walking the race itself, but please be mindful of those around you and practice social distancing in pre- and post-race environments. We ask that spectators also wear a mask when they cannot maintain appropriate social distance measures.
3) On race day, the U12 children’s event will be capped and completed in waves — please make every effort to support the youngsters and their families in their effort to complete a mile in a safe environment.
4) If you are experiencing any of the symptoms commonly associated with COVID-19, do not attend packet pickup or the race itself. For the safety of volunteers, fellow community members and yourself, please stay home if you are not feeling well. You can send someone to pick up your race goodies on your behalf on race weekend; as well, we will keep race goodies at The Running Shop until the end of September for those who cannot make it on race weekend.
5) Likewise, if you have not been vaccinated, consider participating in the Virtual Event. You can pick up your race goodies, but we ask that you abide by the masking guidelines at The Running Shop when doing so and that you complete the event as a Virtual Event.
COVID-19 is highly contagious and spreads primarily through respiratory droplets contained in heavy breathing, a cough, or a sneeze and the like. Significant community and individual adherence to mitigation strategies and public health recommendations as well as vaccination have been demonstrated to decrease severe illness , hospitalization and death. Vaccination is the leading public health strategy to protect yourself and your loved ones and to end the COVID-19 pandemic.
We encourage you to seek the guidance of your healthcare professional and get vaccinated. Please see Pima County for updates on public health and vaccination opportunities: https://webcms.pima.gov/cms/