The Kalamazoo Running Bee Challenge Spells Fun

With all of the Spring races cancelled or postponed, Kalamazoo area runners have come up with a new way to stay in shape and have fun.

Some were planning on their first 5k, others may have been looking for their best 10k time, running a half-marathon for the first time or going the distance- 26.2 miles to earn a marathon medal; none will get new race shirts, numbers or PR's anytime soon.

In the meantime, for a new challenge, Kalamazoo runners are spelling out words. You won't see them on the streets or the sidewalks- no chalk or paint is used, these words are spelled out on apps that track the routes runners take. Apps like MapMyRun, Strava, Garmin, Mapbox and may more give the runners data on pace, distance, time, heart rate, and other metrics while mapping the path of each run.

This challenge takes more planning than training, you have to think ahead to make it work. If you just run around the block, all you get is a square, or maybe on "o." Take a look at the creative things these runners have come up with and shared in The Running Bee Facebook group.