Rock ‘n’ Roll VR12 Sees Over 12,000 Registered Participants From 96 Nations as Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Club Platform Surpasses 50,000 Subscribers

July 20, 2020

- Participants from 96 nations take on 12K, 5K or Remix Challenge - Over 10,000 participants registered to complete The Original challenge, honoring the first Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series event in San Diego, by running 19.98 miles during the month of July - Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Series Featured Rock ‘n’ Roller Chris Berg of Raleigh, North Carolina shares “Why I VR” - Rock 'n' Roll VR13 returns July 24-26 offering a 10K, 6K, and Remix Challenge

TAMPA, Fla. (July 20, 2020) – More than 12,000 people from 96 nations and 46 states registered to take part in the 12th edition of the Rock ‘n’ Roll^® Virtual Running™ (VR™) Series. Rock ‘n’ Roll VR12 gave participants the opportunity to challenge themselves with two different race distances that included a 12K and 5K, as well as the Remix Challenge for participants who wanted to take on both distances. Participants were able to compete anywhere, indoors or outdoors, as long as the distance of their choosing was completed in one session between Friday, July 17 at 5 a.m. ET and event close Sunday, July 19 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

To date, over 50,000 people from across the globe have joined the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Club platform, giving them access to the series of weekly races, challenges, and rewards.

Rock ‘n’ Rollers continued to take advantage of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Club Challenge, The Original, named to honor the very first Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series event, the Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon and ½ Marathon held in 1998. Over 10,000 participants are currently registered to compete in the challenge that requires running or walking 19.98 miles during the month of July. Participants who complete the challenge will earn 321 points and become eligible to win a free Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Series registration to a future physical event.

Featured Rock ‘n’ Roller Shares “Why I VR”

Chris Berg

Chris received the biggest wake-up call of his life at age 57, after a health incident he or his family couldn’t predict coming. In December 2017, despite having no history of heart issues and a relatively healthy lifestyle, Chris suffered a heart attack on a day like many others in his life. Before having children and getting into his career as an engineer, Chris was always active, playing hockey and racquetball in his spare time. While enrolled in a month-long cardiac rehab program, Chris learned to love running, which led him to running his first 5K just nine months after his heart attack. Since then, he has completed over 30 5K races and has lost a total of 65 pounds during the process.

Read more about Chris on The Beat.

Rock ‘n’ Roll Recap – Rock ‘n’ Roll VR12

Participants for Rock ‘n’ Roll VR12 came from around the world and ranged in age from 19 to 82. The United States led the way with over 9,000 walkers and runners followed by Canada (over 600), United Kingdom (over 550), Mexico (over 500) and Portugal (over 200). Other nations represented included New Zealand, Japan, Belgium, El Salvador, Luxembourg, Thailand, Croatia, and Greece, among others. Nations joining a Rock ‘n’ Roll VR event for the first time were Armenia and Sint Maarten. Of the 46 U.S. states represented this past weekend, the greatest number came from California, followed by Texas, Virginia, Florida, and Arizona.

More than 6,500 participants took on a Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Club™ Challenge leading up to Rock ‘n’ Roll VR12. Several separate running and workout-based challenges were offered with the opportunity for special prizes such as a Rock ‘n’ Roll Hydration Backpack, a Rock ‘n’ Roll by Brooks Running Company Dash ½ Zip, or a Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Canopy Jacket by Brooks. The challenges included the Coach Carrie’s Progression Training Series, Community Challenge: Lanette’s 3 Mile HIIT workout, and United Airlines: The Embarcadero!

Looking Forward –Rock ‘n’ Roll VR13

This weekend, Rock ‘n’ Roll VR13 will offer two distances for the global community, including a 10K and 6K, as well as the popular Remix Challenge for participants that want to take on both distances. Race weekend starts on Friday, July 24 at 5 a.m. ET and closes on Sunday, July 26 at 11:59 p.m. ET.

To register for Rock ‘n’ Roll VR13, runners 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” on the virtual race page.

Challenges for this week are available to participate in now and include:

• The Original – Run 19.98 miles during the month of July to honor the original Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon and ½ Marathon held in 1998. Participants can complete this challenge in multiple sessions
• SIS: Turn Up The Tempo – Track and complete at least 50 minutes of running with this tempo workout to take you just to the edge of your potential
• Community Challenge: Lanette’s Leg Focused Circuit – Strengthen your legs with this simple & effective HIIT workout. track and complete the following workout in one session lasting 40 minutes
• Coach Carrie’s Progression Training Series – Track and complete 150 minutes of running in three sessions with tips from Coach Carrie on how to best tackle the three sessions

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Series also offers tangible Rock ‘n’ Roll VR Finisher Bundles and other Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running Series merchandise at www.runrocknrollstore.com/rock-n-roll-vr. Finishers who complete the Remix Challenge also earn access to additional medals.

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, a private, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.