With the race calendar wiped out and outdoor training limited, China's long-distance running enthusiasts have had to use to their heads as well as their feet to keep their step counts up during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Participating in online challenges has been one of the most popular ways to get the miles in. That trend looks like it will continue for the foreseeable future after the Chinese Athletics Association last week announced that all marathon and long-distance running events in the country will remain suspended indefinitely as part of nationwide coronavirus prevention measures.

Like many domestic races, Henan province's Zhengkai Marathon staged an online event as an alternative to an outright cancellation of its 2020 edition.

With no specific location and start time, participants used smartphone applications to track their strides, with the data sent to organizers. Those who completed their chosen distance－marathon, half-marathon or a mini-marathon of 13.14 kilometers－within 24 hours on March 29 were awarded medals.

Seasoned runner Li Xiaobai, who has completed all six of the World Marathon Majors, said the online race at least partially helped to fill the race void.

"It was my first time to run such an online marathon," said the 63-year-old, who finished the full marathon in 5 hours 45 minutes at his Beijing community.

"Normally, for me, it will take about 40,000 to 45,000 steps to finish a marathon. That day my phone recorded about 50,000 steps."

For someone who regularly posts times of 3 hours 20 minutes, the five-hour online result was not representative of Li's actual speed, but he still found the "race" to be an intriguing experience.

"It's understandable that running lovers want to return to get back on the road or track, but it's still not the time for people to gather together at big running events," Li, the founder of New Silk Road Group, told China Daily.

"So that's why the online events are so important now. You can always find a place where there are no people and finish the online race alone yourself.

"It's an opportunity for us to gain a new understanding of marathons. I think running a marathon is a race with yourself. The pandemic allowed us to cool down and rethink why we run marathons."

Li believes maintaining social distancing guidelines should not necessarily mean sitting at home all day long and quitting all physical exercise.

"You have to make exercise plans based on your own needs and the situation you are facing," Li said. "For example, you can do some core training at home. Or you can do other training in your community with a mask on as a precaution."

Runners, though, are always itching to test the results of their hard work, as the Zhengkai Marathon organizers are well aware.

"The Zhengkai Marathon is already 14 years old. Each year we have the same theme, which is we have a date with spring," said Liu Bin, the director of the event's organizing committee.

"Due to the pandemic, we couldn't present runners with the 14th edition as usual this year. But many runners still wanted us to launch some meaningful events. That's why we designed the online marathon, and we hope they can keep exercising."

Since late March, the sports bureau of Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region has also been offering the public a series of online events, with its "Living Room Marathon" proving particulary popular.

The initiative encourages local people to run in their homes and record their daily steps via smart devices.

While local pandemic regulations must be adhered to, there are no rules or specific guidelines to speak of－runners merely test themselves against others by racking up as many steps as they can at home or in their neighborhoods.

"The Living Room Marathon is a great way to keep exercising during the pandemic," marathon runner Huang Yongsong told people.com. "With runners being unable to gather together these days, online activity like this keeps our hearts together."

Safety first

No matter how people keep running, the priority is still to stay safe and healthy.

Kou Liduo, a physician at the Aerospace Center Hospital and a member of the Beijing Doctor Runners group, says avoiding populous areas is the No 1 rule when choosing a running spot.

"It's about time and location, and now we should always avoid people congregating in one area," said Kou. "For example, in big cities like Beijing, the number of runners is huge. If you want to go out, you should avoid weekends and places where there could be many people."

And both doctor Kou and veteran runner Li advise resisting the urge to push too hard these days by chasing personal bests.

"We should always remember running marathons is about living a healthier life and fun, and it's not an easy sport like jogging in the park," said Kou.

"Now the priority remains preventing the spread of the virus. So runners should pay extra care to when and how you run. If you participate in an online event in your living room, you should also try not to make too much noise and disturb your neighbors."

Li concurred, saying: "Now the priority is to stay safe. We have to think about the safety of ourselves, other people and the public. We can find ways to exercise that are suitable for us while also following the epidemic prevention regulations."