Welcome to Able Township Runner Five! You have crashed after someone with a rocket launcher has attacked your helicopter, the people of Able Township have taken you in but don’t fully trust you. However, you start to earn their trust with the missions you go on as you learn what has happened in this area during the zombie apocalypse.
In 2012, the mobile app by UK developer Six to Start with the help of novelist Naomi Alderman, came out with season 1 of Zombies, Run! This is the interactive running app that puts you in the middle of an episodic story. The app is available for Android and IPhone, there is a free version as well as a paid subscription at around $40 a year or $5 for a monthly plan. There is also a VIP membership. The free version allows you access to the missions as well as the storied runs (1 mile, 5k, 10k, 20k) but you have to wait 4-6 days to unlock the next mission.
Having just finished all of season 1, I have some thoughts. This is not my first time using Zombies, Run! The app has come a long way since I first started to be chased by zombies around its creation. Now with over 10 seasons, there is a lot to do with the app. There is now a Marvel Move where you can train with the Hulk or start a running training program with a Valkyrie. Marvel Move does not have a free version which is a bummer because I really enjoyed the first training mission.
The way that the app works is that you can have other music, podcasts, or an audiobook playing and the app will pause and interrupt your feed to give you short storied information. There are a handful of characters talking to you and new characters are introduced every couple of episodes. If you finish your Zombie Run before your run or walk is completed the app takes you into radio mode where you get to listen to 2 hosts (Jack and Eugene) talk to you about life after the apocalypse. The radio mode is season specific, so if you complete all of the radio mode for season 1 it will start over until you reach season 2.
In between each interruption is when you, Runner Five, are supposed to be running as often directed by the characters speaking with you. Do you have to run? No, I did not as I was mostly walking my dog, who chose the times I was supposed to be running to handle his business. You could potentially share your wireless earbuds with a friend while running or walking instead of having to sync up accounts. If your GPS is turned on, it maps your run and gives you an update every mile as to how many minutes it took you to get that far.
I enjoyed the stories, you do get attached to some of the characters. If you do the runs at the end of the season you can see other townships’ points of view which round out the world you are in. As you are traveling you are notified that you have picked up items, so many sports bras, and in the app you can use them to build your community if you choose. I did the free version, so it took me almost 7 months to complete one season, waiting 4-6 days to unlock the next mission. I do not feel like it does a good job at spacing out the intervals of run time in between running. There have been many times where the mission says it covers 3 miles but the story is complete well before I reach 1 mile and this is with my data turned on.
I really like this app, it is simple to start and the stories are entertaining. I would not use this to train to run longer distances but if you need a good distraction while on your walk/run I would suggest checking it out. There is a zombie chase option that you can turn off if it gets too intense but I did not find it as intense this time around. So raise the gates and get to running Runner Five!
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