Virus scrapped your marathon? In Japan, there’s an app for that

Runners passing Shiba Park as they compete in the Tokyo Marathon on March 1, 2020. In light of concerns over the Covid-19 outbreak, instead of having racers run together, organisers of the Nagoya Women's Marathon and Nagoya City marathon have offered up two apps to allow participants to complete the marathons alone, tracked online. — AFP

TOKYO: When the coronavirus outbreak forced organisers to cancel marathons in the Japanese city of Nagoya, they turned to tech to ease the disappointment, offering runners the chance to race alone.

The Nagoya Women's Marathon and Nagoya City marathon were scheduled for March 8 and expected to attract some 20,000 runners – a potential health hazard during a global pandemic.