Reviews, News and Opinion with a Canadian Perspective

By Sonya Davidson

Runners often say they don't just go for the exercise, they also get out to explore different routes and terrains to make a run more interesting. So, when it comes to this form of outdoor activity what comes to mind? We often map out a start and a finish point.

We generally have an idea in mind of a route to get to our final destination that is familiar to us. Sure we can take a run up Yonge Street in Toronto that can get a bit boring (minus that brutal hill at Yonge and York Mills) or we can head to the Beaches area but that always leads to the local coffee and bake shop.

But sometimes we want a change of scenery. I admit to sticking to my usual familiar routes so I won't get lost in unfamiliar territory, or terrain beyond my limits. But recently I had discovered the RunGo app that not only offers some interesting routes in my city, but also in other places around the world.

RunGo is a free app that was developed in beautiful Vancouver where no doubt they have some of the most stunning running routes in the country. Founder Craig Slagel realized that while he loved to run, he always had a terrible sense of direction. It wasn't until he adopted a guide dog, that he had the idea of creating a running app. "I adopted Dynasty in 2012 when she retired from being a guide dog. My friends joked with me I should use her to guide me on my runs since I had a tendency to get lost. Dynasty doesn't run but the more I learnt about guide dogs and the visually impaired, I realised I could make an app based on this so I wouldn't get lost running. It's exciting now to see that RunGo not only helps runners like me who used to get lost but also helps visually impaired runners," said Slagel.

RunGo is the first running app that offers this voice turn-by-turn navigation and tracking that can be used on the Apple Watch Series 2. Not only does it guide you with the built-in GPS system and you can even LEAVE your iPhone at home! The app offers running routes that can be easily transferred from your phone straight to the Apple Watch so you can run independently while offering more control than any other running app.

Crown Control feature also allows you to pause, resume and stop your run by using the digital crown on your Apple Watch. The app allows you to navigate offline and only requires data or wifi when you want to add your run to your library. It also provides all the usual statistics such as distance, pace, and calories burned and provides a logbook to store your results.

Currently, the RunGo app has 60,000 routes worldwide with over 100 new routes being added every day from users around the world.

What are some of Slagel's favourite routes? "I love our running tour routes - they are routes that include points of interest and custom messages telling you about the area you are running through. They are great when you’re travelling and are short on time but want to see as much as the city has to offer while getting your run in as well."

He also tells us about this route created by a local running store in Dublin. "It was a beautiful route that took me through places I wouldn't have known about without RunGo and a gave me a tour of Dublin's tech hub."

U2, Google, Docklands and Facebook 6.3k http://routes.rungoapp.com/ route/BwrLQnqMiC

Another one of his favourites is this annual race the RunGo team started called RunGo Dash for Dogs where they give 100% of proceeds to BC Guide Dogs. The route is a very scenic tour of the trails of Stanley Park in Vancouver BC. RunGo Dash for Dogs 10k http://routes.rungoapp.com/ route/dUjvrPdSuB

Slagel tell us about one of their most popular running tours in London. "One of our users also described this as her "most cultural running experience"." The London Running Tour http://routes.rungoapp.com/ route/9mFfHaXJHE

Why did RunGo decide to get moving with the Apple Watch Series 2? "I always wanted RunGo to be able to work standalone on a wearable but prior to the Apple Watch Series 2 being available, there was nothing that had the technology we needed. As soon as the Apple Watch Series 2 was released, we started working on RunGo for the Apple Watch. This has added more convenience for runners by getting voice navigation for their runs right on their wrist," said Slagel.

Can we share our running routes with our friends? He tells us that's the best part about RunGo - the community. "A lot of running clubs use RunGo to create and share their routes. When anyone creates a route, they have a choice to make the routes public or private and it's great to see so many local runners share their favourite routes around the world. We are also currently working on a new groups feature to make it even easier to share routes."

The RunGo app for Apple Watch Series 2 is available for free download from the App Store on iPhone and Apple Watch, or at AppStore.com. For more information, visit RunGoApp.com/watch.