Champion for the Chesapeake
Virtual Race

To honor the spirit of traditional races, we require that anyone that registers for a medal can only earn their medal by finishing their race. We verify that a race is finished using the honor system by having participants report their finish time to their VRC account (created during the registration process & tied to the email address entered). Participants can take as long as they need to finish their race and can do it however works best for them. Most participants walk, run or hike their race and ideally, they are using their own power to go their distance, but we leave room for individual adaptation where necessary. Biking, swimming, rowing, etc. are welcome. 

Medals do not ship until after the official race day. Participants can complete their race whenever they choose, but that "race day" will be the day that all timetables are based on. There is a 30-day grace period to report your finish time (following the start of the race). Multiple people may be added to a registration. All participants are tied to the main registrant. Only that registrant will get updates about the race and their email address will be needed to report the finish time.

Messages regarding the race come from [email protected] Please add that address to your safe list.

About Chesapeake Conservancy

Big, beautiful, bountiful, diverse, historic, majestic.

When we think about our national parks and the many special places of the National Park System, these are words that often come to mind. Big, beautiful, bountiful, diverse, historic, and majestic are also words that perfectly describe our nation’s largest estuary: the Chesapeake Bay.

The Chesapeake Bay is a natural wonder. There is an abundance of life in the Chesapeake, where freshwater from rivers and streams mingles with saltwater from the Atlantic. The Chesapeake Bay is one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, and its tributaries, wetlands, and forests are home to amazing and diverse species.

Today the Chesapeake is recognized as a national treasure and the region’s greatest natural and cultural asset. Tourism and nature-based recreation are among the drivers of an economy serving a population of more than 18 million people. Outdoor recreation thrives here, as exemplified by Maryland, which reports $14 billion in consumer spending and 109,000 jobs, and Virginia, reporting nearly $22 billion in consumer spending and 197,000 jobs generated by outdoor industries.

The Chesapeake Bay is woven into the fabric of our nation’s history. Its waters flow through the cultural identities of the many people who call the Chesapeake their home. The moments of life found here—watermen tending to crab pots at sunrise, an osprey making an acrobatic dive for a fish, a quiet paddle on a creek—rival those found anywhere else in the world.

It’s no secret that the Chesapeake Bay is also in trouble. For 40 years, partners have been working tirelessly to address pollution challenges that harm the waters and wildlife of the Bay. However, the monumental effort to restore the Bay, which involves government at all levels, universities, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and everyday people, is a feat in its own right. The story of the Chesapeake Bay restoration effort is one that must be widely shared to educate the public and to inspire the next generation of conservation stewards who will restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay.

There’s yet another important descriptor of our national parks: worthy. National parks represent places and landscapes worthy of protection and celebration. When places are included as units of the National Park System, the experiences and stories of these places are elevated on a national and international scale. National parks show the world how a singular place represents an essential part of the total American experience.
The Chesapeake is big, beautiful, bountiful, diverse, historic, majestic, and—yes—worthy. It’s time for the Chesapeake National Recreation Area. Join us to establish Chesapeake National Recreation Area and help to forever protect the Chesapeake Bay.

Learn more on their site.

Medals must be earned by finishing the race. This helps us maintain the spirit of the traditional race experience. We'll begin shipping medals after the race to those participants who:

Added a medal to their registration AND reported their finish time (by the reporting deadline)

NOTE: As of November 3, the first batch of medals are sold out. More medals are being manufactured, but for those that register November 4 or later will not get their medal until 1. Their time is reported AND 2. Approximately January 2021

All swag ships separately. Shirts & Medals ship with a tracking email from [email protected] Bibs are sent first class with a stamp.

All items will ship according to the timelines listed for each items in this dropdown.

5K, 10K, Half Marathon

The distance you chose when you register is technically a placeholder for you. You'll be able to select a different distance when you report your finish time. Note: the medal is the same regardless of the distance you choose.

You can do your race when & where works best for you.