The best way to get fit? Some friendly competition, of course. And now that summer is upon us, the time is nigh to get outside and get moving. Here to help is wearables maker Fitbit, which has just announced Adventure Races, a new social experiment meant to pit fellow users against one another in some mutually motivational activity.
Adventure Races serves as a sort of extension from Solo Adventures, a personal and noncompetitive program Fitbit launched last summer. While these Adventures were also intended to convince users to get outside and rack up their daily steps, it seems that Fitbit has discovered that there’s nothing quite as encouraging as the possibility of being beaten by your friends.
Now, with Adventure Races, you can invite up to 30 friends to compete against one another in either the Yosemite National Park or the New York City Marathon courses. The actual steps you take in whatever concrete jungle you may call home will be translated to virtual steps taken along stunning trails, and as you continue to move, you’ll be able to unlock 180-degree views of various destinations and landmarks. And thanks to Fitbit’s in-app messaging and synced maps, you can virtually cheer on your frenemies.
And as an added bonus, you can uncover various fun facts about your selected Adventure, as well as health information (because you gotta know what you’re really doing for your body), and mini fitness challenges if you want to do more than just track your steps.
According to Fitbit, these Adventures are more than just fitness gimmicks. Rather, the company says, users who have participated in either a Fitbit Adventure or Challenge take an average of 2,000 more steps every day than those who have not been in a Challenge. So if your goal this summer is to get out and get active, an Adventure Race just may be the kick in the pants you need to get you (and your friends) started.
