You may not have noticed, but running is a thing these days.
Kidding, of course, you’ve noticed, half of your office—possibly including you—is posting their routes and running times on Facebook.
While there is no way to estimate how many people actually run (virtually everyone), Running USA has estimated how many people make it to the finish line in running events, and they gathered data for a 25-year stretch!
In 1990 that number was just short of 8 000 000. In 2015 it was just a bit over 17 000 000. Not a bad rise in numbers. Also, not a bad market, especially when you realize that those are just people who compete, and moreover, a portion of those who actually finish the race.
And let’s be honest, there are a lot of apps catering to that market, but hey, there are a lot of apps for just about everything.
So we picked Strava Running and Cycling GPS apart, the app that seems to have won over many runners and that keeps popping up in our Facebook feeds.
Don’t let the name fool you, the app is about so much more than GPS. It keeps your score, follows your tracks, lets you keep your gear in check, connect with other runners, as well as share your routes on social media — because if it’s not on Facebook, it didn’t happen.
There are also premium features, like training videos, personalized coaching and live feedback. All in all, a pretty good set of features.
It also integrates with both Apple Health Kit and Google Fit, and the GPS game is pretty good, so there are all those integrations to think about.
Just like in WhatsApp DECODED, we used Firebase for all the communication features, so you don’t have to go fiddling with servers and back end.
Integration of Firebase doesn’t take long at all, and it saves you some serious time and money when it comes to development.
Considering how much features and functionalities the app packs, the total number isn’t really that big (thanks, Firebase!).
In our standard setup of 2 iOS and 2 Android devs, you could have both your apps delivered in four months!
Ready to race?
Mario makes every project run smoothly. A firm believer that people are DECODE’s most vital resource, he naturally grew into his former role as People Operations Manager. Now, his encyclopaedic knowledge of every DECODEr’s role, and his expertise in all things tech, enables him to guide DECODE's technical vision as CTO to make sure we're always ahead of the curve. Part engineer, and seemingly part therapist, Mario is always calm under pressure, which helps to maintain the office’s stress-free vibe. In fact, sitting and thinking is his main hobby. What’s more Zen than that?
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