RunForIt app teams up with charity for virtual runs

UK-based charity Trees for Cities has teamed up with a new workout app called RunForIt in order to allow runners to take part in races no matter where they happen to be.

The app aims to bring people from all over the world together in races, so they can still raise money for charity and raise awareness of the race in different places.

It works by detecting a runner’s speed using the accelerometer and then plays them a video of what the actual real life runners can see on their route.

We’d argue that the whole point of a charity race is that you actually turn up to the race and run the route, but we suppose that’s not always possible and as it’s to raise money for a worthy cause we won’t question it too much.

We’ve seen this kind of tech being used in more advanced ways by the team behind the Kinomap Trainer, which allows you to workout on regular gym equipment while watching a GPS-tagged video.

The new race app between Trees for Cities and RunForIt hasn’t been released yet, but we’ll update you when it has.

UPDATE: You can download the app, Trees for Cities, from iTunes now for free.

Related: Kinomap Trainer app lets you cycle the Tour de France from the gym

[Via Wired Image via lululemon athletica’s flickr]