This year would’ve been Grand Blanc resident Ann Townsend’s fifth time participating in the Crim Festival of Races in Flint, but despite the cancellation of the annual event due to COVID-19, she’ll still be able to race.
The HAP Virtual Crim will take place from Aug. 14 to 23, and those who register will be able to choose their route, submit their times and receive prizes for participating during the 10-day period.
It’s not the predawn crowd of thousands packed into downtown Flint for the popular race celebrated by Flint residents along the 10-mile race route. But it’s still the Crim.
“It’s giving people that choice to still be able to go out and run on their own and still earn the shirt and the metal and keep running with everything going on,” Townsend said. “If people are used to running the Crim or if it’s someone’s first Crim, it still gives them something to look forward to.”
Crim Fitness Foundation race director Andy Younger said it was heartbreaking to have to cancel the event for its 44th year, but it was the right decision. Following the cancellation, the board wanted to create a way for the community to still be able to celebrate the tradition.
“We knew we needed to do something to allow people to celebrate, to give them hope that there’s at least some sense of normalcy in the world and keep people motivated to stay healthy – because that’s what we’re all about as an organization,” Younger said. “And we are not the first race and not the first organization to do a virtual event.”
Younger said the Crim Festival of Races was never just about the race, it’s about bringing the community together. Though it will be a lot different this year without thousands of people coming together in downtown Flint, Townsend said that’s what the Crim has always meant to her.
“It’s such a great sense of community, showing up on Crim morning and seeing not only all the runners there but all of the support,” Townsend said. “It’s just such a great day for the city itself, I think it’s wonderful. It’s a great way to support the city and the foundation.”
Participants this year will have the opportunity to create their own routes, and Younger strongly discourages people from congregating and completing their race on the traditional downtown Flint route for safety reasons. Suggested routes throughout Genesee County will be included in the Virtual Crim Toolkit that will be made available in the next couple of weeks.
“We do encourage people to get together with friends,” Younger said. “As long as they’re not in a group that exceeds the state’s regulations for group gatherings, we are totally on board with people doing their run or walk with friends, because that’s just a lot more fun. We’re all about that.”
Townsend is looking forward to running with her family during the 10 Days of Crim and said she’s considering a few different route options. Younger said thousands have already registered, and based on the rates, registration will most likely be closed on Aug. 1.
“We were very prepared for people to be very disappointed, because it is disappointing and we share that heartache that we can’t have the traditional Crim,” Younger said. “But that being said, people have been overwhelmingly understanding.”
Register for the HAP Virtual Crim here.
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