I know some of us are concerned about the germ-fest that a crowded race can be, so I just wanted to share a few thoughts as a person who falls into a high-risk category for any and all respiratory illnesses...
During W&D, I ran much of the 10K wearing a KN95 mask and was surprisingly comfortable - and I'm asthmatic, so running in any mask/Buff/scarf is probably slightly more challenging for me than others. I had no problem breathing at all while wearing it, and it also worked REALLY well for keeping my nose and cheeks warm in the cold rain: much warmer without getting overly hot and more comfortable than using a Buff! For the half, I went with a blue surgical-style mask and it was much less comfortable. I think I got the same amount of 02 with both, but the surgical
felt more difficult to breathe in, if that makes sense. It also got damp and clammy, and was terrible at keeping my face warm. So if you'll feel better about being in the corrals and in congested areas of race courses wearing a mask, I highly recommend a KN95.
And I'm going to ask really nicely that if you are experiencing symptoms of any illness, especially things like sneezing and coughing, and insist on racing, PLEASE wear a mask around others. I got stuck in that crowded BW path behind someone violently coughing and blowing their nose into the air as they ran and I'm convinced that was how I caught whatever illness I came down with after the race weekend. Maybe it was just a 2-day cold for that person, but I wound up with secondary bronchitis and a sinus infection for 6 weeks. If we all just exercise a little common courtesy toward our fellow runners, in addition to taking steps to protect ourselves if we're vulnerable, we can make this race weekend more safe for all.
