Classic 107.3’s Beat Beethoven Virtual 5K

December 15-20, 2020

Think you have what it takes to Beat Beethoven? Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor generally takes about 31-35 minutes to play, depending on the conductor and orchestra. A 5K is 3.10 miles.

This inaugural “Beat Beethoven Virtual 5K” is a fundraising event for Classic 107.3, the Voice for the Arts in St. Louis, and it’s a virtual race. A virtual race is a race that you can run (or walk) from any location you choose. You get to do the physical activity of your choice at any time during the race period, at your own pace, and time it yourself. Then you simply tell us if you beat Beethoven!

Classic 107.3’s Beat Beethoven Virtual 5K event will be December 15-20, in celebration of Beethoven’s 250th Birthday. (Beethoven was baptized on December 17, 1770, so it’s likely he was born one or two days before.) We hope to have at least 250 supporters participating in this virtual race, and everyone who registers before the deadline will receive an event t-shirt and a finisher’s medal (plus on-air radio shout-outs if you “beat Beethoven”)! Kids under 18 receive a registration discount.

If running/walking is not for you, please consider supporting the event with a donation! Click here to donate.

Register

Schedule for the event:

Race week performances of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 5th Symphony:

  • Tuesday, December 15th at 9am: The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Hans Vonk – 33:46
  • Wednesday, December 16th at 2pm: The Vienna Philharmonic and Carlos Kleiber – 33:25
  • Thursday, December 17th at 7pm: The Revolutionary and Romantic Orchestra and John Eliot Gardiner – 31:43
  • Friday, December 18th at 4pm: The Vienna Philharmonic and Andris Nelsons – 34:35
  • Saturday, December 19th at 6:30am: The Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – 31:20
  • Sunday, December 20th at Noon: The Royal Philharmonic and Andre Previn – 35:04

Alternate Beethoven pieces, for slower runners or walkers:

  • Tuesday, December 15th at 4pm: Violin Concerto in D, with the New York Philharmonic and Leonard Bernstein, featuring violinist Isaac Stern – 43:58
  • Wednesday, December 16th at 7am: 6th Symphony, with The Vienna Philharmonic and Karl Boehm – 45:37
  • Friday, December 18th at 8am: Violin Concerto in D, with the New York Philharmonic and Kurt Masur, featuring violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter – 48:00
  • Saturday, December 19th at 3pm: 6th Symphony, with The Royal Philharmonic and Rene Leibowitz – 42:55

Thank you to our sponsors!

In addition to the corporate entities listed below, the following individuals are sponsors for the Beat Beethoven Virtual 5K: Art & Debbie Fitzgerald, Elisabeth Laspe, David & Diane Mayo, and Sherida & Doug Tollefsen.