Foursquare and Runkeeper partner to reward you for running — without checking in
I don’t think it’s any secret that I love foursquare’s badges. They’re just pixels on a screen, but they’re a perfect way to reward people for doing certain things. Foursquare’s newest badges, though, are the ones I’m most excited about. Continuing their recent health kick, foursquare has partnered with RunKeeper to offer badges that encourage people to run.
These badges are the first in a series of badges that you’ll be able to unlock without checking in. Foursquare plans to work with a few select partners to offer these badges as rewards for doing things that aren’t necessarily location-based.
RunKeeper is an app that tracks your runs using the GPS in your iPhone or Android phone. You link your RunKeeper account to foursquare on the Sharing page of the RunKeeper settings.
The first badge from the partnership is “Warm Up,” which can be earned for completing three runs with RunKeeper. The unlock text reads:
Congratulations! That’s 3 activities completed with RunKeeper. But don’t stop now… You’re just getting warmed up! Try tracking an upcoming race or some other activities with RunKeeper to earn more badges.
There will apparently be badges for running 5Ks and marathons. There are likely more that haven’t been spotted yet.
As a RunKeeper user, I can’t wait to earn these badges. I’ve already signed up for a 5K this weekend that I wasn’t planning to run. The marathon badge just might inspire me to finally get off my duff and start training!
I can’t wait to see what other badges come out of this new initiative. It certainly opens up many new doors for foursquare partnerships and rewards for activities that don’t rely on location.
What other things can you envision foursquare offering badges for?
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I will be actually be doing my 5k after work today woohoo!
I would expect American Express’ Social Currency to be partner #2 for this effort.
how do you connect your foursquare account with runkeeper?
nevermind … figured it out
how did you do it?
Is there any way to use RunKeeper without having an iPhone or Droid? I have a blackberry and am an avid runner and would love to obtain these badges!
I 2nd that! At least this is better than the AMEX app, which is only for iPhone.
You can still sync your Foursquare via the main website. From there, if you go running, you can manually log in your runs after each one. I know this defeats the purpose of having it while you run, but you can still earn the badges.
earn 5K badge: http://4sq.com/bHPOfT
Damnit… I just started using Nike+… not sure if I want to bother with yet another app to track runs/walks.
You should use Runkeeper instead it’s a way better than Nike+ And also, I prefer to encourage a startup than a mega corporation like Nike !
I use RunKeeper to track my bike rides. Any plans to include biking?
It looks like one of the other badges is Over Achiever, which is for tracking activities in five different categories. So, yes, it looks like other activities will be included to some degree.
This doesn’t help those of us who use treadmills, does it?
Actually they allow you to set your activity and equipment, which has both a treadmill and an eliptical as well as others on it
But BOOOOOooo on 2.0 and higher. They couldn’t start with 1.6? which still most droid users have? I got all excited by it and then after setting it up online realized i couldn’t use it
i’m having trouble getting the badge. I tracked 4 run activities(on a treadmill) and i didn’t earn the badge yet. My 4sq is linked and all that. Am i doing something wrong?
Will this work with the free version of the RunKeeper app as well as the full paid version?
My understanding is that it works from both apps. The app itself technically doesn’t connect to foursquare at all.
[...] su consolidación como espacio de referencia en la geolocalización y ahora ha desarrollado un acuerdo con RunKeeper, una red social para corredores. En vez de hacer check-in ahora para conseguir los badges habrá [...]
you don’t need any app or phone for this to work … just use the web site to track your workouts.
the marathon badge and the 5k badge and the warm up badge are just calculated on distance … not method of obtaining that distance so you can get the marathon badge if you do it running, walking, biking, treadmill, etc …
That’s interesting.. I’d be way more likely to do the 26+ miles on a bike at the gym than I EVER would actually running anywhere. I got the 5k and Warm Up ones already from running/walking.
[...] more here [...]
[...] some point. Although Foursquare already offer a health and fitness badge (the Gym Rat for example), they have now combined with RunKeeper to offer badges which encourage people to run. The most interesting feature is probably the “without checking in†feature which makes use of [...]
I unlocked the Warm Up badge logging my C2 Rowing meters. It would be a lot easier to row a marathon distance than to run one but I think I’m going to go for it. It’s on my bucket list and I hate to admit it but a silly little badge is all the motivation I need to actually go for it.
I can’t unlock any badges? Is there a problem with them? I have linked my foursquare account from the runkeeper website but have not received any badges. I have done 7 activities and 1 of them was a 5k. Is there something I’m missing?
I’ve seen reports of other people with problems as well. I’d recommend trying RunKeeper’s GetSatisfaction forum or tweeting @RunKeeper.
Just got my warm up badge after my 3rd bike ride today. Too bad the badge shows a “runner”. Looks sweet on the updated Android program.
[...] last week announced a new initiative that allows users to earn badges through select partners to encourage positive activities. Their [...]
[...] Foursquare and Runkeeper partner to reward you for running … Posted in Web 2.0 news | Tags: Distance, Going, Nike, RunKeeper [...]
why i can’t open the 5k badges when i run after 5km ?
It has to be done with a registered 5k event
I don’t think that’s the case. I got mine running around my neighborhood.
I wonder if you need to do the 5K outside instead of on a treadmill? I ran 3.25 miles yesterday on a treadmill and didn’t get the badge.
i think having the official Runkeeper app for your phone makes a difference because I used to have the free version and had tracked many activities but didn’t get the badge until today after I’ve had the full pay app for my Android
I downloaded the IPhone App and linked Foursquare, but I can’t get the app to track my movements. The clock runs and I have a green light on my GPS, but nothing happens?