A couple of long-distance runners raced in the Virtual Boston Marathon on Monday.

Both Greg Penner and Chris Schroeder from Steinbach were registered for the annual event until COVID-19 changed the landscape.

“It got canceled, postponed, canceled again, and then they turned it into a virtual event,” explains Penner, “so to complete the 2020 Boston Marathon we could do it anywhere, and we just happened to choose to run around in circles on the Stonybrook track.”

105 laps around the middle school race track and both runners posted personal best marathon times.

“I’ve been close to my personal best at other triathlons or running events, but to be really focused on a marathon, I just committed and ran a personal best of 2 hours, 32 minutes, and 52 seconds,” says Penner.

Schroeder, who also ran a personal best, finished in just over three hours.

Not only did the runners meet their personal goals on Monday, but also managed to raise money for charity.

“We made a competition where you could predict our times and the closest times were going to win airplane rides at Harv’s Air Service," explains Penner, “but, to enter you had to make a donation to the Steinbach Family Resource Centre for their back to school supply drive.”

Penner says the support of his family cheering him on was overwhelming, especially sprinting the final stretch with his son.

“Just over the moon,” describes the grateful athlete of sharing his accomplishment with friends and family. “Just to have that moment together.”