Gamification Meets Running During NYC Marathon Week

No More Lonely Runs Teams Up with ReadySet for a Halloween Scavenger Hunt Hit

How ReadySet brought activity, inclusion, and connection to a marathon-week event for NYC runners.

In the concrete jungle of New York City, it’s easy to feel lost in the crowd. But for the members of No More Lonely Runs (NMLR), running is anything but solitary. This thriving NYC running club is built on the pillars of activity, inclusion, and connection, creating a vibrant community where runners find friends and shared experiences on every mile.

At ReadySet, our mission is to turn the world around you into an interactive adventure that creates connection - a goal that aligns perfectly with NMLR’s commitment to community. That alignment made our partnership for their high-energy, pre-NYC Marathon event a runaway success.

The Challenge: An Interactive, Branded Halloween Dash

NMLR, which frequently partners with top running brands (from hydration and energy bars to tech gear), wanted to capitalize on the excitement surrounding the New York City Marathon with a signature event: a massive, spirited Halloween running scavenger hunt across Manhattan.

To manage a large group of runners, ensure a fair and engaging competition, track progress in real-time, and seamlessly integrate their valued brand sponsors, they needed a platform that was robust, flexible, and fun. ReadySet was the perfect solution.

And the initial results were clear:

“The scavenger hunt was a HUGE success! I think we had around 100 runners and they all had a blast.”

The ReadySet Advantage: Customization and Real-Time Engagement

The event was a thrilling dash across the city. The runners had one hour to hit as many strategically placed checkpoints as possible.

ReadySet transformed this logistical challenge into an unforgettable, competitive, and communal experience. NMLR utilized key features that maximized engagement for both participants and partners:

• Custom Branding for All: The platform was fully customized with No More Lonely Runs branding, and critically, it incorporated their brand sponsors’ logos and branding directly into the game. This not only provided invaluable visibility for the sponsors but made the experience feel deeply personal for the club.
• Live Leaderboard Tracking: Organizers could monitor the action in real-time, watching participants climb the leaderboard as they submitted checkpoint completions.
• Visual Proofs of Adventure: Runners submitted photos and videos for select checkpoints, creating a dynamic, visual feed that celebrated the fun and competitive spirit of the night.

A Runaway Success Story

The scavenger hunt was an instant hit, showcasing the power of combining physical activity with interactive adventure. The founder of NMLR summarized the success and the platform's impact:

"We used ReadySet for our Halloween Scavenger Hunt run, and it was the best night ever! We had about 100 people running all around Manhattan trying to hit as many checkpoints as possible within one hour. The ReadySet team customized the app with our Run Club branding as well as our brand sponsors logos/branding, which made the experience look so personal and made it fun for both the brands and the runners! I loved being able to see the leaderboard while they were out running and getting their POV photos/videos they submitted for a few of the checkpoints! Will absolutely be using ReadySet for more events coming up!!"

Connection in Motion

No More Lonely Runs perfectly demonstrated how to leverage interactive technology to build and strengthen community. By using ReadySet to merge the physical activity of running with the excitement of a competitive, branded scavenger hunt, NMLR created an unforgettable, shared experience. We are proud to have powered this incredible event and look forward to fuelling many more adventures with the No More Lonely Runs team!

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