RunSocial, a ‘pioneer of mixed reality running technology’, has released what it calls the antidote to treadmill boredom. RunSocial is positioned as ‘the only treadmill video app in the world that combines social running with HD videos of amazing running routes.’
With RunSocial, ‘runners can explore wonderful, real locations with friends and others, wherever they are in the world.’
“Our mission is to help make fitness more fun,” said Marc Hardy, RunSocial’s CEO and Co-founder. “Digital fitness is a hot space which is exciting, but most products focus on tracking and data. For RunSocial, these are inputs and outputs; our core value is trying to make the actual fitness experience itself more fun and motivating.”
He continued, “We’ve started with the treadmill simply because so many of us do it yet most of us still relate to the term ‘dreadmill’. We want to fix that.”
The app’s real world video footage gives runners access to a variety of locations. However, these are not just videos, they are interactive virtual world environments where users can run with others in real time. As RunSocial points out, ‘Imagine joining a friend that lives hundreds of miles away for a run in Bali. With RunSocial you can, and when you see Bali, it’s the real thing.’
RunSocial’s new app packs a variety of features and tracking options, including:
- RunSocial’s ‘pedometer’ feature senses vibration generated by running on a treadmill to assess the runner’s speed, which controls the video. This includes a calibration function to enable the pedometer to better match the runner’s stride.
- RunSocial’s TreadTracker device can be placed under almost any treadmill and streams real time speed data to RunSocial via Bluetooth.
- RunSocial can be connected to Life Fitness Discover and Track+ console treadmills via Bluetooth or a USB port depending on the console. Once connected, RunSocial will show the treadmill speed and automatically control treadmill incline to match the video route.
- Big screen viewing for those with treadmills at home: users can connect their iPhone or iPad to a second screen via HDMI or Apple TV and see the running routes on the big screen. RunSocial has coded for this so users can enjoy a full widescreen effect.
- Social media integration with Facebook and Twitter provides users with the ability to share the start of their run and then see any comments from friends and encouragement pop up along their route.
RunSocial adds that treadmill running has truly never been seen as social. With this in mind, RunSocial runners can also share their run accomplishments socially at the end of their run using Facebook and Twitter.
The app also allows goal setting — users can set running goals by time or distance and track progress directly on screen while running their route.
Besides regular video runs, RunSocial enables users to create and host digital running events with friends. The RunSocial team adds that they will soon also be able to join major public events, such as some of the world’s great marathons, from wherever they are, individually or as a team.
RunSocial connects to Apple Watch, enabling runners to benefit from the custom heart rate sensor and allowing runner data to be viewed on Apple’s Health app, providing an easy to read dashboard of health and fitness data.
Available in the Apple App Store, the free RunSocial app is designed to operate with the iPad Air, iPad mini and iPhones with the latest OS. All routes, along with free demos, are available for download within the app.
RunSocial is a pioneer of mixed reality running technology. It is billed as the only app in the world that combines the benefits of social running with videos of amazing running routes. With RunSocial, runners can explore real world locations with friends and others, in real time. RunSocial runs on iPhone and iPad and offers connectivity to a variety of treadmills, particularly from Life Fitness.
