Go, avatar, go: Icons track virtual team marathon progress

In April 2019, Jared Ward (centre) of Mapleton, Utah, leads the pack during the Boston Marathon in Natick, Massachusetts. Elite runners competing in teams of three from around the world will take the starting line on Sept 12 for a unique sort of race. — AP

Olympic distance runner Jared Ward and his teammates will take turns dashing around a short, shady course they hand-picked in Provo, Utah.

Almost simultaneously, an avatar mimics their movements across a computer screen – and races against other avatars representing rival teams from all over the globe.