Sport: New Race App Enables Organizations to Profit from Running Events

Press Release

PIONEERING USE OF “RACE RUNNER” APP PAYS OFF FOR MELBOURNE

When Melbourne Cricket Club held a 5K Run / Walk in support of Special Olympics and the Sickle Cell Unit this past weekend (4th March), they the first Club to host an event using the app RaceRunner in the Caribbean.

The app however yielded another, more tangible – and more welcome – benefit. Through the use of Race Runner, the organizers were able to realize an additional J$80,000 in contributions as persons outside of Jamaica made use of its real-time functionality to participate virtually with their counterparts in Jamaica.

RaceRunner was developed as a platform for Event Organizers to create / manage a 5K, 10K, half marathon, Marathon using less resources (for registration, donations and participation). It also allows persons from outside the physical event to participate from their city / country at their convenience.

Mark Neita, president of the club, confirmed that the event had  have runners from several countries competing virtually via their smartphones.

“We were the first 5K event in Jamaica to have a race runner app that allows people to race anywhere in the world by just downloading the app.... they all got their bibs, and joined on the race from start to finish, all through their smart phones and the RaceRunner app,” Neita explained.

Neita added that the ability to run the event virtually was a huge milestone for the club and the added benefit of a greater monetary intake meant that the technology had “more than proven its worth.” 

RaceRunner, RaceRunner, is based in Canada and according to the Jamaican born Chief Marketing Consultant, Othneil Harris was created as a solution for runners, meet organizers and fundraisers.RaceRunner allows runners to not only improve performance, but also to improve their overall lifestyle by teaming up with other members sharing your performance data, in running as well as in a range of other sports.

Meet organizers have greater reach without sacrificing control over their events, and using less resources – including a global platform for fundraising and awareness-building for charitable causes.

The race app, which is gaining popularity worldwide, will also be used during the Boston Shadow Run on April 18 and a #MeToo 5K on Intl. Running Day, June 6, 2018, where participants can download the app, which shows the various events slated and click on to join and receive all the updates and information from the start of the race and its progress.