The hugely approved virtual cycling platform now has a version for runners. But can running through a virtual world persuade a treadmill-phobe to hop on the belt? I acquire a theory approximately treadmill running. Much as a dog year supposedly equates to seven human years,so a mile run on a treadmill equates to seven run outdoor. It doesn’t matter what tricks I try to build it more interesting, time on a treadmill passes slower than a snail on Valium through molasses. But could a saviour finally be at hand (or even foot) with the launch of Zwift running?Keen cyclists will probably already be familiar with the hugely successful virtual platform. Launched in 2014, and there are now 500000 cyclists signed up,averaging 1m miles a day between them. Zwift is essentially a platform that gets you fitter, with a game element. You link up your home turbo trainer to a computer (or TV) using a speed or cadence sensor, and then,when cycling, you move – at the same speed you are cycling on the trainer – through a hyperreal virtual world. Alongside you are other athletes doing the same. That’s one of the platform’s USPs: all the people you see around you are “real – there are no bots save into the game just to build it survey busier. You can ride with a “real” group – or with a friend who happens to live on the other side of the world. Some of the big group events attract up to 3500 participants.
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Source: guardian.co.uk