World’s Best 10K® Partners With Outside Interactive to Create a Digital Virtual Race Day Experience
January 30th, 2015
Race day filming of the event will allow runners to interactively experience the race course at their own pace, learn the courses ahead of time, compete virtually with family and friends, or just relive the experience, all with their iPad® or Android® tablet, on any treadmill.Hopkinton, MA (January 30th, 2015) – Outside Interactive, a Hopkinton, MA based developer of forward motion video technology for indoor exercising, today announced it is partnering with the iconic World’s Best 10K to create a virtual race-day experience, which will enable future runners to relive the excitement of the day, train on the famous courses prior to race day, and even compete remotely no matter where they are in the world, at their own pace on any treadmill.
Exclusive footage will be shot the day of this year’s race in beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico on March 1, immediately prior to the live event. Footage is shot from a runner’s point of view to produce a high-definition video that allows viewers to interactively run the virtual race course with their iPad® or Android® tablet, with cheering spectators lining the roads, when inclement weather, travel, or deployment prevent being on the course itself.
“This is our first opportunity to create a digital version of a race outside the continental US and are honored at the chance to partner with the World’s Best 10K,” said Gary McNamee, President and Founder of Outside Interactive. ”We hope to capture all the electricity and excitement of race day, along with the beauty of the course, so runners can be engaged and entertained when running on their treadmill the other 364 days of the year. From the competitive athlete who wants an edge, to new runners competing in their first 10K, we hope our Virtual Runner interactive race course videos will also aid in maintaining a healthier lifestyle.”
“We are excited to be able to showcase our beautiful course to current and future participants through Outside Interactive,” said Rafael Acosta, Race Director of the World’s Best 10K. “This should be a great way for technology to aid in training or remote participation.”
Through the use of its state-of-the-art cameras, filming, and editing techniques, the HD virtual-course videos, shot from the runner’s point of view, are made interactive to the runner’s pace through its use with Outside Interactive’s free downloadable app called “Virtual Runner,” available for Windows®, iPad® and Android® platforms. For an immersive experience, all versions are compatible with footpod and heart rate monitor accessories utilizing ANT+™ wireless technology, which automatically and accurately drive the pace of Virtual Runner course videos. These accessories are what interactively drive the Virtual Runner app. ANT+ is the de facto standard in wireless for sports watches and accessories in the health and fitness industry from such manufacturers as Garmin®, Timex®, Adidas®, Wahoo Fitness® and Suunto®. With these accessories, the user interactively and accurately controls the video speed. The iPad and Android apps also allow for manual adjustment of the video speed to match the runner’s pace by minutes per mile or kilometer.
A brief demonstration can be found here http://outsideinteractive.com/wearable-technology/ Samples of various race courses, popular running routes and scenic destinations can be found here http://outsideinteractive.com/previews/
About: Outside Interactive is a Hopkinton, MA developer of Virtual Runner, revolutionary patent-pending forward motion technology solutions featuring famous race courses, popular running routes and scenic destinations, all shot in HD from a runner’s point of view. Founded in 2011 by Gary McNamee, a lifelong Boston resident, avid runner and serial entrepreneur, Gary developed Virtual Runner after becoming bored on the treadmill and frustrated with not being able to train properly in New England’s unpredictable and often harsh weather. For more information, visit http://www.outsideinteractive.com/
About: Although the World’s Best 10K is a young race, it has left its mark on the sporting world specially when recognized as one of the best races in the world by the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF). The World’s Best 10K has received an IAAF Gold Label since 2008 and has already been certified as such until 2016. The award that recognizes the efforts employed over the years to build the race into one of the world’s leading road races, and it is a significant symbol to runners looking to compete in the best road racing events around the world. Gold labels were awarded to races that complied strict criteria set by IAAF. They assured the highest standards in competitiveness, international exposure and race management. More information can be found at http://www.wb10k.com/