Happy trails are just around the corner for sociable set
The Runner Lounge Free Rating 9/10
This app is only as good as its users, and as I seem to be the only one in Hong Kong using it, I invite all runners in the city to join me because this one has great potential. Download it, set up your membership (easy) and look for the group called Hong Kong Running.
But there is more to the app than joining a group consisting of one writer who tries to run in Hong Kong. There are already a number of groups, including a popular long-distance runners' group, a 'Run to Drink Beer' group and Nike+ Runners. So far, the members are located mainly in the US.
For example, under the 'group wire' for the long-distance runners' group, one member has posted a helpful description about the terrain of the San Francisco women's marathon. In the 'Run to Drink Beer' group, we learn that the Richmond Marathon in Virginia had beer at mile 20; 'How cool is that?' asks one member.
If you don't want to join a group, you can drop into the lounge section and join in a conversation there. You'll find a number of chats on the go, with running in the cold - snow that is, not our Hong Kong weather - and gaining muscle, for example.
The 'spot' section allows you to post or boast about a running trail. Upload photos, describe the run, and the app will create a map of it using your location. Not all users understood this instruction: in a couple of the trails described as being in a national park or similar, the map is centred on what appears to be a residential area. Other sections are more educational, with a video blog sharing information about hydration, exercises and recipes.
Be warned that this is not as sleek as more commercial apps, but it is fun and could be a great Hong Kong resource. I will do my bit and post the first Hong Kong 'spot', but as we all know, I have to be on the trail, not sitting at my desk. No cheating allowed.
