Annie's on the run

This isn’t really a post about running, but I wish it was.

Because this new app is amazing and perfect for us runners as the days are getting shorter and shorter. It was designed with college students in mind but it’s great for anyone who lives in a major city that gets a little nervous walking home at night. Through it you can have a friend accompany you home, virtually. The way it works is you select the friend(s) you want to “walk” you home and they’re sent a link to an interactive map where they can track your progress. If you stray off the path, fall, are pushed down, start running (this is the only reason I don’t think it’d work for runners as-is) or your headphones are pulled out, the app detects the movement and asks you if you’re ok. Then you have 15 seconds to hit a button within the app to confirm you’re a-ok. If you fail to do that, or you’re in real trouble, the app turns into a personal alarm system and projects a loud sound to scare away criminals or assailants and it also gives you the option to instantly call the police. At the same time this is happening, the app will also notify your virtual friends and then they have the option to call the police and disclose your location, or call you directly.

It’s such a cool idea, I just wish I could use it for running too. How awesome would that be? I usually have to resort to telling someone when I’m leaving, the route I’m running, and the estimated time I’ll be back. Which is fine, since nothing has ever happened to me (knock on wood), but imagine if something had? It’d be way too late by the time anyone found out. Of course this is a problem I have no intention of having, but you just never know.

Is there something like this out there for runners that I just don’t know about? If not, who wants to make this happen with me?