Running
The Wings for Life World Run app might be the life hack you’re looking for
Registration is open for the Wings for Life World Run on May 5, 2024, and its app can already boost fitness and fun. Here are seven reasons why you should download it now.
As always, this global charity run will benefit spinal cord injury research. And with a special training mode, the Wings for Life World Run app offers its own benefits for participants, such as:
1. It gets you moving
A study by Asics found that 79 percent of runners believe running makes them feel saner and more in control, and who doesn’t want that? Happily, the app’s training mode is packed with motivation to spark your running mojo.
The Wings for Life World Run is a truly global event
© Christian Pondella for Wings for Life World Run
2. Everyone can join (and everyone will finish)!
Just like the Wings for Life World Run itself, the app is perfect for runners of all levels, because you’re not running toward a fixed distance. Instead, the finish line chases you in the form of a virtual Catcher Car. The thrill of the pursuit is huge, and so is the feeling of accomplishment when you’re caught and your race is complete.
3. Your goals are your call
Whether you’re a beginner or in it for the long haul, you set your own objectives. The app gives you tools like the Goal Calculator, which tells you the pace you’ll need to achieve your target. Once you’ve reached your goal, you may even want to set a new one!
David Mzee and Niklas Sjöblom at the track
© Romina Amato for Wings for Life World Run
4. You can run anywhere, with anyone
Research by RunRepeat.com revealed that 72 percent of gym members saw running as the best way to achieve their fitness goals in 2021. And running is what the app is all about. So get outside, hit the start button, and take off. You can run solo, invite friends, even form teams or throw down challenges.
It’s motivational to run in a group or with a training partner, and that’s the kind of feeling the app provides – it’s an encouraging voice in my ear
5. The app is your own personal training buddy
If you’re on your own, it’s great to know that the announcements you’ll hear on race day (congratulations when you pass distance milestones, encouragement to push on, updates on the Catcher Car, even the roar of the crowd) are also included in the app’s training mode. Wings for Life World Run Sports Director Colin Jackson, a three-time World Champion in hurdles, says: “It’s motivational to run in a group or with a training partner, and that’s the kind of feeling the app provides – it’s an encouraging voice in my ear.”
Swiss Orienteering champion Judith Wyder
© Romina Amato for Wings for Life World Run
6. You’re running toward race day
The Wings for Life World Run gives you a global event to look forward to – one where the app connects you with thousands running simultaneously worldwide. Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics and the only man to have won two Olympic golds in the 1,500m, says: “Running has become an important mental and physical outlet for many people… and the event also links participants virtually around the world, across all national borders.”
7. And you’re running toward a cure
Topping off all the fun and motivation of using the app is the biggest inspiration of all: the non-profit foundation Wings for Life will dedicate 100 percent of your entry fee to research to find a cure for spinal cord injury.
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