Monday, February 25, 2008

Run.com: urban running routes


You have no excuse for not keeping your New Year's resolution now that you can take that jog almost everywhere you go. Run.com, a user-generated database of running routes all over the world, uses Google Maps mashups, allowing runners to look up routes in their area and choose them by length, difficulty, scenery and other user-rated criteria.

Business travelers who want to keep in shape on the road will be glad to find routes in all 50 states, as well as in dozens of foreign countries. The site is still in beta, so look for more routes to come.

Better than: Getting purposely lost just to mix up your running routine. (Fast Company)

I just tried it to see whether there is anything useful in there:
Vienna: http://www.run.com/showroute.asp?map=218045
Irvine: http://www.run.com/showroute.asp?map=206745

It is similar to gmap-pedometer.com but with a way better interface and a database of running routes.

The site is great for business travelers and city routes, but does not work for trails as all the routes are built out of 100 points max. I tried to map our Black Star Canyon run on this site and due to very curvy trail managed to get only to mile 2 as I ran out of points.

If they do some improvements to the interface this site might become one of the best tools ever!

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