Are you looking for a way to make your virtual event stand out from the crowd? Do you want to make it feel more like a real race? Consider using RaceJoy - an app that utilizes the participants' own phones to provide an interactive experience. RaceJoy’s key features include live phone tracking of participants, remote spectator cheer sending, pre-programmed or live audio alerts, and automatic virtual scored results. Race organizers are able to actively engage with participants through custom audio messages. These can include audio progress alerts at every mile and finish line congratulations. Those races using pre-defined course routes can add geo-based audio messages, including directional cues and off-course messages, and point out local sponsors and other points of interest. In addition, race organizers are able to communicate directly with individuals in audio format and track the progress of participants from their race day monitoring dashboard.
Participants download the free RaceJoy app and carry their phones with them as they run or bike. For "run anywhere" virtual events, the app will track users as they go and once they have completed the pre-planned distance it will automatically send results to the race results web page on RunSignUp. It can be set to give audio progress alerts at each mile or other set distance, with pace, elapsed time, and estimated finish time. Best of all, in our age of social distancing RaceJoy can provide solo runners with a connection to race officials or their own friends and family, who can send audio cheers from their own downloaded RaceJoy app. Non-participants can follow up to 50 people at a time and send them messages and cheers before, during and after the race.
When participants use the app to run a pre-planned route they download the race course map and press the start button when they leave the starting line. They will receive the same pre-programmed progress alerts and cheer messages, but in addition can get directional cues before intersections, off course notifications if they make a wrong turn, and audio alerts when they pass local points of interest. Once they rech the finish line, RaceJoy automatically submits the finish data to the online results area. Separate results pages for run anywhere vs. pre-planned race courses are available.
For virtual events each race can be set to be run over the course of days, weeks or even months. The Race Redo feature allows races to offer their participants the chance to re-do a route to improve their performance time, accumulate miles, or simply for a repeat experience. It will transmit the new finish time and update the race results website.
RaceJoy is great for sponsor engagement as well. From in-app messages to audio alerts there are multiple ways to highlight your sponsors. View this video to learn more about this feature, then use that knowledge to excite your existing sponsors and find new ones who want to get involved with your event.
RaceJoy is only offered through RaceJoy Certified Timers, and Granite State Race Services has been certified. Please contact us for more information about this service, as well as pricing. In the age of COVID-19, this service can be the next-best-thing to actually being there, and at much less expense than our usual timing rates.
Informational links:
RunSignUp Offers RaceJoy Anywhere for Virtual Events
RaceJoy Tracking and Cheers for Virtual Events
RaceJoy Promotional Toolkit
Video Tutorial for Runners
FAQs for Participants
RaceJoy Blog
An Example of a Virtual Race That Successfully Used RaceJoy