Frequently Asked Questions

about our Virtual Race

The Frederick Steeplechasers Women's Distance Festival is a beginner-friendly race.  There are no dumb questions, especially since we are all finding our way with the "new-normal" of virtual training and racing.  

Woman runner with fairy wings and a wand, posing with a young girl

Registration

How do I register for the virtual race - is there a deadline?

Registration is online through our RunSignUp site. The deadline for registration is August 9th - which means you can register right up through the end of the window to complete the race. However, if you want to make sure that you get a race shirt in the size you'd like, we highly recommend registering by July 12th.



Is there a minimum age for the 5k?

No. Girls may participate in the 5k as long as they can run/walk the course without a stroller, bicycle, etc. It is your responsibility to ensure that younger girls are properly supervised.



Are men or boys permitted to register in either the 5k or Little Women Fun Run?

Sorry - this is a female-only event in the spirit of the original Women's Distance Festival in 1980. But your guys will make an awesome cheer squad!



How do I confirm that I am registered?

You can search for your confirmation email from RunSignup.com. Or search for your registration here: https://runsignup.com/Race/FindARunner/?raceid=50830



I'm not able to participate in the race. Can I get a refund or give my bib to someone else to use?

For participants who registered for the in-person 5k before we "went virtual", we are offering the option to transfer to the virtual race, defer to 2021, donate your registration fee, or request a refund. The window for registering your decision is open until May 22nd. Other than that, we are unable to offer refunds or bib transfers. See the FSRC Bib Transfer Poilcy.



Teams

How do I form a team?

When you choose the 5k event during online registration, you will see a button that says "Join Team". Click on this button. If you're the first member of your team to register, select "Create New Team", choose your team type (Family or Corporate/Group), and specify your team name. If you're joining a team that has already been started, search for the team name to join the team.



How are teams scored?

For each team type, the finish times of the fastest minimum number of runners is totaled. The team with the lowest total is the winner. The number of runners required to qualify and score the team is two for Family teams and four for Corporate/Group teams.



What is a Family team?

A Family team is made up of a minimum of two close family members. Mother/Daughter, Grandmother/Granddaughter, Sister/Sister, etc. Third-cousins-once-removed would be a stretch. :)



My company has a workplace wellness program. How can they promote fitness through a corporate team?

Lucky you, to have an employer who encourages health and fitness!
We have a bulk-pay option for companies to pay for their employees' race entries. Contact the race director at info@frederickwdf.com for more information on setting up this option before employees register for the race. Then - team members can join the corporate team through the standard team registration feature as decribed above. The only difference is that the employee won't be charged at the completion of registration.



Can I form a team with a bunch of my friends?

Sure! Just select the Corporate/Group team type when you register. This team type is used for any kind of miscellaneous group of affiliated runners.



Are there teams for the Virtual 5k?

Yes! Just make sure that you run separately, or with sufficient distance to stay healthy and safe. Please do not run in a large group, particularly if such groups are still prohibited by state and local regulartions. If you registered as part of a team for the regular 5k, your team association will be carried over to the Virtual 5k when your registration is transferred.



Virtual WDF

What is a virtual race?

A virtual race is nearly the same as an in-person race, but instead of running along the same course at the same time, participants can complete the 5 kilometers anywhere they choose and at anytime in the allowed window of August 1 - JAugust 9. You can race against your treadmill, take your laps around the neighborhood, or walk your dog for the day! The possibilities are endless, and your race is up to YOU!



Why is the in-person event cancelled this year?

Due to growing concerns about COVID-19 and the risks associated with large events, the Frederick Steeplechasers do not feel that they can safely hold the race in its standard form. At this time it is unlikely that the State of Maryland will allow such an event in August and even if public events are allowed, we still feel that it would be prudent to keep our runners and volunteers as safe as possible.



How do I submit my finish time?

You will be able to optionally submit your finish time and be listed in the results if you have registered for our Virtual 5k. You can also just report that you have completed the distance. There are several options for results reporting: - you may have opted-in to text/email results reminder/reporting when you registered - you can simply go to the results page at https://runsignup.com/frederickwdf/results and click on the "Submit Virtual Results" button. - if you download the RaceJoy app and run with your phone, your results will be automatically uploaded when you finish the 5k distance. It's like magic!



Will I still get a race shirt?

Yes! All participants who register before the Shirt Cut-off date of July 12 will receive our 2020 Women's Distance Festival race shirt via US Mail. If you register after the date, there will be limited availability of shirt sizes, so don't procrastinate!



What if I'm already registered for the original 5k?

When you go to the RunSignUp registration site, you will be provided with four options: transfer to the virtual race, donate your registration to the Women's Giving Circle, defer your registration to 2021, or get a refund. While we understand that some of our participants may be experiencing financial hardship right now, we hope that you will be able to either transfer your registration to the virtual event or donate your registration fee so that we are able to maximize our support of the Women's Giving Circle this year. They are counting on us!



What do I do with the race bib? Do I have to wear it?

The bib is just adds little more fun and realism to the virtual event. While you don't have to wear it, we would LOVE to see your race-day selfie wearing your WDF bib!



When will the race shirt and bib ship?

Assuming all goes according to plan, we will begin shipping on July 27 and will continue through August 9 as supplies last.



Will there be awards?

Absolutely! Your race director had already made all the awards by the time we realized that the event would be virtual, so we are going ahead! Results submission is on your honor, but we may ask award winners to submit photo proof of their finish time/distance from a running app or fitness watch.



Training

What about the Frederick Steeplechasers Women's 5k Training Program?

We're taking that virtual too! And the really great thing is that you can participate from anywhere. You do NOT need to be local to Frederick. So - train anywhere, anytime! The program is free for Frederick Steeplechaser members, but it's only $20 to join, so - why not join up? As an added incentive, you'll be provided with a promotion code for $5 off your membership when you register for the Women's Distance Festival! The code is good through June 1.



How do I join the Virtual Training Program?

Step One: Join the Frederick Steeplechasers if you're not already a member - https://steeplechasers.org/membership/join/ Step Two: Register for the training program - https://runsignup.com/fsrcwdf5ktraining