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Rock ‘n’ Road Trip Heads South to the Lone Star State for Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Dallas, Offering Participants a Texas Two-Step of Virtual Racing with 10K, 5K, and Remix Challenge Options

September 23, 2020

- Featured Rock ‘n’ Rollers Lea Genders of Fort Worth, Texas and Carlos Del Pino of Bedford, Texas will take runners on a tour of Dallas via Rock ‘n’ Roll Instagram throughout event weekend - Nearly 12,000 participants from 95 nations join the Rock ‘n’ Road Trip during second tour stop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

TAMPA, Fla. / DALLAS, Texas (September 23, 2020) After last weekend’s Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Philadelphia saw nearly 12,000 participants enjoy the virtual streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Rock ‘n’ Road Trip tour bus heads south to the Lone Star State and the Big D – Dallas, Texas, home to the Stanley Cup hopeful Dallas Stars and a recently retired classic on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series circuit. The fourth stop in the 15-race virtual running tour across the United States, Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Dallas will offer Rock ‘n’ Rollers the opportunity to high tail it through this Texas metropolis for the first time since the event was retired in 2018. Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Dallas will be open and available to the entire global community from September 25-27, with options of a 10K, 5K, and Remix challenge. All Rock ‘n’ Roll® Virtual Running™ (VR™) Series races during the Rock ‘n’ Road Trip will begin weekly on Fridays at 5 a.m. ET and close Sundays at 11:59 p.m. ET with participants being able to compete in the virtual tour stop anywhere, indoors or outdoors, as long as the distance of their choosing is completed in one session.

This weekend’s stop in Dallas will bring distances for everyone with a 10K and 5K or the popular Remix Challenge, for those that complete both. While many might immediately cowboys, rodeos and a flair for the bigger and better, Dallas residents well know that this city in Northern Texas is highly diverse and not easily categorized. With five professional sports team, the ninth-most populated city in the US also delights with modern art exhibits, world-class dining experiences and boasts many free activities all over the city, including intriguing historical sites, and plenty of outdoor adventures.

Featured Rock ‘n’ Rollers  

Lea Genders – Fort Worth, Texas

A native of Pittsburgh, Lea Genders moved to Dallas in 1998 and made the area her home. This Fort Worth based runner, personal trainer, nutrition habits coach and fitness blogger has a passion for running and writing. When Genders began running nearly 15 years ago, she never imagined it would change her whole life. She started out to lose some weight and change her body, but through running, Genders embarked on a fitness journey that introduced her to so many amazing people and communities. She now coaches runners, advocates for a healthy lifestyle in her community and writes about her passion on her fitness blog. With medals on her wall from Rock ‘n’ Roll races in Dallas, San Antonio, San Diego, and, the biggest running race at night,  Las Vegas, Lea is a huge fan of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series and encourages her runners to take part in the Rock ‘n’ Roll VR series. Rock ‘n’ Rollers can experience Dallas and follow in Lea footsteps over the weekend at www.instagram.com/runrocknroll/  

Carlos Del Pino – Bedford, Texas

Carlos Del Pino is a Dallas-based ultra-runner who loves running, his community, and enjoying both with his friends. He believes running is always a special event, even if it’s alone on the treadmill. Carlos’ running journey begin over eight years ago and has turned into a lifestyle. He now regularly completes distances from 5K’s to 50 milers; he completed his first half marathon at the 2014 Rock ‘n’ Roll Dallas. With absence of physical events and his hometown event retired, Carlos has taken on the Rock ‘n’ Roll VR regularly and absolutely loves them. He is beyond excited to have the Rock ‘n’ Road Trip make a stop in his home community of Dallas. Carlos will take his fellow Rock ‘n’ Rollers on a virtual tour of Dallas this weekend at www.instagram.com/runrocknroll/

Rachel Edwards – Phoenix, Arizona

One of Rachel Edwards’ best running experiences took place in Dallas, Texas, when she raced there in 2016 and logged a personal best in the half marathon. “It was a race I wouldn’t have minded repeating. Some are one-and-dones, but there are a few you just enjoy more than others.” Together with Black Sheep Running, an online and in-person running club that normally meets up at races all across the country, the Phoenix resident has completed more than 60 Rock ’n’ Roll events in several different states. Edwards, a 44-year-old Arizona resident and regular Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series participant, who works in health insurance, worked from home before the pandemic. Though COVID hasn’t altered her nine-to-five much, it undoubtedly has changed her running. “I literally have a rule of never running alone,” Edwards says. “Not only did I not find it as enjoyable, but also as a woman, for safety reasons.” With the onset of quarantine, Edwards had to look outside of her normal social running groups. Her sights soon landed on the Rock ’n’ Roll Virtual Running Club, where she has completed every single one of the weekend virtual races, and many of the weekly Challenges. “I jumped on the opportunity to stay motivated and connected virtually,” she says. “It’s extremely difficult to be stuck in your house, and to suddenly find myself running on my own for the first time in my life, there was no way I was going to be motivated without some kind of challenge!”

Dallas Inspired Running/Walking Plans

Participants are encouraged to be Dallas inspired in their virtual activities and share photos and videos on social media by tagging #RnRVRDallas. Don’t live in-or-around Dallas, no problem. The Rock ‘n’ Roll Road Trip has some tips on how runners and walkers can experience the Metroplex in their own communities:

  • Lake loop: From runners to bikers to casual park-goers, more than 1 million people visit the urban White Rock Lake every year. Participants can complete their run around their favorite local lake to get a taste of this Dallas gem.
  • Pumpkin pace: Autumn at the Dallas Arboretum means the arrival of over 90,000 pumpkins which are used to decorate the grounds and create a literal pumpkin village. Find a local pumpkin patch and start or end the 5K with a selfie among these colorful, seasonal gourds.
  • Big Tex inspired: Take some fashion inspiration from the official greeter of the State Fair of Texas and turn those running tees and shorts into some cowgirl or cowboy getup worthy of a gallop around the block.

Fun Run Prep for the Rock ‘n Rollers

  • Corn dog me: Nothing signals fall in Dallas like the arrival of the State Fair of Texas. Even though the fair isn’t happening this year, that doesn’t mean that participants should be deprived of that annual corn dog. For those in the area, check out Fletcher’s Corny Dog’s calendar with pop-up locations. With a dog in hand, watch this video of the state fair highlights until you can make it in person next year.
  • A cut above: Looking for something a little more high-end? If there’s one thing Dallas does best, it’s steakhouses. Celebrate VR accomplishments and support local businesses by getting takeout from the local favorite steakhouse or buying from the local butcher.
  • Dashing through Dallas: Heading to Dallas this weekend or planning a future visit? Here are 10 things to do and see when you make your way to the Big D.
  1. Lead a herd of bronze steers with a photo opp at Cattle Drive Sculptures
  2. Check out the gritty and trendy Deep Ellum neighborhood
  3. Visit the Arboretum & Botanical Garden
  4. Take a jog though Klyde Warren Park
  5. Take in the city’s panoramic views from Reunion Towers
  6. Dine like a cowboy and take in the steakhouse experience
  7. Snap a gorgeous photo of the skyline from pedestrian park next to the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge
  8. Bike around White Rock Lake
  9. Visit the Fort Worth Stockade to experience true cowboy scene
  10. Brunch your way through Dallas with this strong brunching culture

Getting Started

To register for Rock ‘n’ Road Trip event, runners or walkers only need to sign up through the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Club platform and connect to their tracker app. Runners can then complete their registration by going to the “Events” tab and clicking “Register Now” for free on the virtual race page.

Through the Rock ‘n’ Road Trip, participants will be able to earn exclusive digital event badges for every race and distance they complete; download race bib to personalize the experience; reward themselves for their efforts with cool destination themed finisher medals and T-Shirts; and earn points redeemable for sweet swag and more at www.runrocknrollstore.com/rock-n-roll-vr. Finishers who complete the Remix Challenge also earn access to additional medals.

Looking Back to Rock ‘N’ Roll VR Philadelphia – By the Numbers

  • Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Philadelphia offered distances of a Half Marathon, 7.6K, 5K along with the Remix Challenge
  • More than 12,000 people from 95 nations and 46 states stepped up to the virtual start line for the third stop on the Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Series’ Rock ‘n’ Road Trip in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this past weekend.
  • Participants for Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Philadelphia came from around the world and ranged in age from 20 to 82.
  • The United States led the way with over 9,000 walkers and runners followed by United Kingdom (over 400), Canada (over 400), Mexico (over 350), and Spain (over 100).
  • Other nations represented included Angola, Barbados, Croatia, Denmark, Honduras, Indonesia, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Portugal, Turkey and Ukraine, among others.
  • Of the 48 U.S. states represented this past weekend, the greatest number came from Pennsylvania, followed by California, Texas, Virginia, New Jersey and Florida. 

Giving Back While Rock’n This Town

To date, more than 7,000 athletes are taking on the Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Club State 48 Challenge. For every State 48 runner, Rock This Town will donate $1 to the Tommy Rivers Puzey recovery fund as he battles a rare form of cancer. Tommy is a beloved endurance athlete based in Arizona, the 2017 Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon men’s champion, two-time defending Rock ‘n’ Roll Las Vegas Marathon men’s champion and an accomplished IRONMAN athlete. Through Rock This Town’s IRONAID COVID-19 Support Fund grants, Operation IRONAID Nutrition, and Operation IRONAID Face Masks in partnership with Framebridge and supported by Good360 over 190 organizations globally have been supported since March. Applications for the fourth round of IRONAID COVID-19 Support Fund grants are now open. For more information about IRONAID visit www.ironmanfoundation.org/ironaid.

Full details and specifics regarding the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Series, Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Club and Challenges are available on www.runrocknrollvr.com. For more information on the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series, please visit the website at www.runrocknroll.com. Media related inquiries may be directed to press@runrocknroll.com.

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About Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series® is the world’s largest running series taking part in over 30 destination events around the world every year. Established in 1998, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series simple idea of making running fun has transformed both the U.S. and global running landscape by infusing the course with live bands, cheer teams and entertaining water stations, creating a block-party atmosphere for participants and spectators alike. Focused on running, music and community, race weekend kicks off with a free Health & Fitness Expo showcasing the latest in running gear, sports apparel, health and nutritional information and much more. Events culminate with an entertaining finish-line festival featuring some of the biggest names in music, with past performances including Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, O.A.R. Aloe Blacc, Pitbull, Flo Rida, The Band Perry, Fitz and the Tantrums, the Goo Goo Dolls and Bret Michaels. Further information about the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series can be found online at www.RunRocknRoll.com and follow @RunRocknRoll on all social platforms.

About The IRONMAN Group

The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® 70.3® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN® Virtual Racing™ (VR™) Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series®, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running™ Series, IRONKIDS®, ITU World Triathlon Series, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and The Sun-Herald City2Surf® presented by Westpac, Ultra-Trail® World Tour events including Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail Australia™, mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic®, road cycling events, and other multisport races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN® brand and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE® by crossing finish lines around the world. Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with hundreds of events across 55+ countries. The IRONMAN Group is owned by Advance (www.advance.com), a private, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.