Zombies, Run! gives motivation to keep moving.
I’ve never been a good exerciser. Growing up, I didn’t want to be involved in athletics and always found myself running slower than the other kids during gym class. In my adult life, I’ve ventured into the get-in-shape space a couple of times, but keep finding myself back at square one. With that being said, I’ve found that the easiest way to get started is to take a step…then another…and another. Soon, you’re taking a walk. That walk might turn into a jog and then, perhaps, even a run. That first step can be the hardest, but it’s also the most important step you’ll take.
Over the years, I’ve worked with several apps on my iPhone to assist with my walk/run journey. Most of them just keep track of my workout (distance, speed, etc.) and play music from my Music collection to keep me motivated. One day, I was poking around at workout apps in the iTunes store and found the ultimate motivation – zombies.
The app is called Zombies, Run!. Originally released in February 2012, Zombies, Run! is currently on version 2.4. This is, without a doubt, the most unique way to get someone motivated to start exercising. The app starts out with a short story clip of you, Runner 5, being dropped into the town of Abel, which has been overrun by zombies. Your mission is to rebuild the base by collecting supplies and avoiding zombie hordes in the process. You are directed by various characters on how to survive.
Written by award winning novelist, Naomi Alderman and developed by Six to Start, Zombies, Run! is immersive and creative and leaves the user hungry for more. When testing this app, I found myself wanting to workout longer just so I could hear how a mission played out. I couldn’t wait until I had the chance to workout again so that I could continue the story. This solved a huge problem for me that I’ve had in the past – motivation to continue working out.
One of the very cool features of this app is that you have the option to turn on “Zombie Chase,” which is an interval training feature. With Zombies Chase on, you’ll have to speed up in the story in order to get away from the zombies and stay alive.
Something else that’s unique about Zombies, Run! is the ability for you to continue the story when you’re not working out. You collect items like ammo, medicine and food while you are working out and then can use those items to rebuild your base at home. When I discovered this feature I thought, “What a great way to stay engaged!” And it is.
Some of the key features of Zombies, Run! are:
- the ability to walk, jog or run anywhere
- a world of stories
- using your own music mix
- interval training with zombies
- ZombieLink – a free service that allows you to view and track your runs
- Sharing through ZombieLink’s social feature
Zombies, Run! is truly a great app. It solves the problem of keeping people motivated and engaged in their workouts so they can get healthy and stay healthy. I’m looking forward to continuing the story.
Zombie’s Run retails for $7.99, but is currently on sale for $3.99. This would be a great gift for any iPhone user who wants to take that first step, but needs motivation.
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