A supportive community around your chosen fitness activity is key for staying motivated and committed to your fitness goals. Hence the rise of “group” exercise classes at fitness centers: members now have a pick from cycling classes, strength training groups and more.

However, no matter gender or generation, running continues to be the single most popular fitness activity. In fact, according to the 2016 IHRSA Health Club Equipment Report, treadmills are typically the most utilized piece of equipment among health club members.

This means that fitness centers are missing out on a key member group when attempting to build a long-lasting support community for its members: the ability to connect members that complete cardio on a treadmill at different times of the day.

The solution comes in form of a month-long online running challenge, where members log daily miles completed and compete on a virtual leaderboard that updates in real-time as each activity is logged.

An online running challenge has a number of benefits:

Social Support: Members are able to interact with one another through messageboards and social support tools (liking and commenting on activity), helping establish relationships among treadmill runners that may not normally see each other in person.

Motivation: Built-in coaching prompts and run reminders also help remind members to work out and bring in runners for an after-work cardio session!

Fun: Racery’s virtual runs feature 360-degree Google Street Views each time a workout is logged, allowing members to explore exciting tourist destinations, landmarks and national parks, adding a layer of fun and excitement to their workouts.

Take the first step in establishing an online running community for your fitness center: create a FREE TRIAL competition in just a few clicks!