OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Dozens of runners participated in a mock run to commemorate the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon after the long-distance race was postponed amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Memorial Marathon is run annual in memory of the 168 people killed in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. The race was originally slated for Sunday but has been pushed back to October 4.

Kaci Thomas, one of the half-marathon's participants, said she observed the traditional 168 seconds of silence before taking off. After running more than 13 miles (21 kilometers), Thomas added that her family members spread out and formed a makeshift finish line for her to cross.

"In the midst of a pandemic, we still wanted to get out there and show that we aren't beat by this thing and remember those who were lost in the bombing," she said.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

Kimberly Abel, a 34-year-old who has run every memorial race since 2012, noted that Sunday was the best weather she had ever run in for the marathon.

"There were still people out there cheering the runners on. Hearing all the news about coronavirus was really bringing me down so I had been training hard for this," she said. "I think it's been helping me cope.

Runners and supporters in Tulsa also put on makeshift marathon Sunday. And on April 19 — the 25th anniversary of the bombing — one Oklahoma City couple ran a combined 168 miles (270.37 kilometers) together, one mile for each life lost.

The Oklahoma City mock race that drew dozens took place on the same day that Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt defended his plans to reopen some businesses across the state, including barber shops and hair salons. Stitt said signs point to the coronavirus threat decreasing if people take the proper precautions in public.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health on Monday reported two new deaths due to COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, pushing the total death toll to 197. The number of infections is likely higher because many people have not been tested and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.