Events: The (Cancelled) Black Fly Challenge 2020
(2020) It started with a social media post that went nearly undetected. The one event nestled into the early summer calendar seemed far enough from the pandemic to survive the event culling. Truth be told there was little surprise when the announcement came via email cancelling the 25th Black Fly Challenge in Upstate New York.
This pandemic that - according to some leaders - was to be over by Easter has continued to reach farther into the 2020 calendar. Stay-at-home orders were first issued then extended. Gatherings were limited then canceled altogether. Then pro sports and weekend events began to disappear from the office calendar. Daily events emailed responses stating they were rescheduled then canceled outright. But still, June was far enough away that this would pass.
When events for Memorial Day weekend were canceled, the clock was ticking on the Black Fly. Our local 5k race on the day before Memorial Day draws thousands to participate or spectate. A quick email cancelled that. The beloved Indianapolis 500 announced the race would be held later in the year, but its traditional spot on the calendar was vacated. The Tour of Somerville, a bike race nearly as old as the Indy 500 cleanly sliced it from the calendar. No later date was given. The Memorial Day weekend is as American as it gets, but it is held hostage by an unseen menace.
Soon after the calendar was blanked up to June, events in that month started posting they were considering options. Then, during a nameless scrolling through social media, a digital bike chain in the shape of a frowny face under the Black Fly Challenge handle set us up for the hard news. An email solidified what we knew was coming: the race would not happen in 2020. The one event that got us on the trainer on hard days was now deleted from the calendar. Our registration has been deferred to next year.
Perhaps in any given year, the news would be difficult to rebound from. When the email was read, Mike (yes that Mike) who was also registered to race responded, “I’ve become numb to cancellations.” There was a little bit of mourning but, compared to the state world, it paled in comparison. That night the virtual reality app was not fired up; there was a momentary pause toward an event to prepare for. But then we moved on. We were able to log some outdoor miles to flush out the canceled motivation. It could be a blessing, with the reduced air pollution, this could be the year black flies descend in squadrons. On second thought, I’ll look forward to 2021. We will get there one year.
