Holy street views! Virtual reality is sooo close for our virtual races

We are working just a couple of heartbeats away from a new age… the age of virtual reality races for runners, swimmers, cyclists, walkers and rowers.

We’re deeply involved in the day to day chores of building out our platform supporting communities of people who want to race on virtual routes around the world. But sometimes, we look up and say… look at that!

In recent days, we jumped a whole lot closer to the future of VR racing, thanks to a little-noticed upgrade in Google’s code that radically changed how street views are displayed on mobile phones.

Now, when you log your mileage to your Racery race on your mobile, you’ll get a street view of your new location. Here’s the crazy thing — the view shifts as you move your phone.

Wow!

No, let’s try that again.

WOW!!!

Your mind thinks you’re there. Point your phone up… you’re looking at the sky. Swivel left and it’s as though the world is rotating in your hand. We shot two two videos below, but they don’t show the phone actually moving in your hand. That’s what knocks this into a new dimension, the dimension of almost being there.

First, here’s the view from mile 1 of our crazy exotic Bali virtual race. That free 123-mile race started today and continues through the month of September. Every day racers will get wild new views.

And here’s the view you’d get after submitting the mileage that would land you at mile 46 of our 326 mile virtual cycling race in Croatia.

Before long, colleagues living on opposite coasts will be able to run together around Rome, logging local miles and then donning VR goggles to review what they’ve just experienced.  A team of cyclists living in Beijing will be able to race against teams from Australia and Mexico on a virtual route from NYC to LA.  Some day in the not too distant future, old friends in nursing homes on opposite sides of the globe will be able to stroll virtually together down the Champs Elysee.

It’s not just runners and cyclists — we’ve got cool views for swimmers and rowers too!

Like we said: wow. WOW!!!