Apple executive discusses inspiration behind 'Time to Run' on Apple Fitness+

Apple Fitness+ executive says the idea behind 'Time to Run' was to motivate existing runners move beyond their "everyday neighborhood run."

Apple launched the new "Time to Run" feature on Apple Fitness+ on January 10. Apple has now been talking with Runners' World magazine about the feature — and Tim Cook has been promoting that interview.

Fitness+ has helped people live a better life and reach their wellness goals — myself included. Here's to motivating and inspiring many more in 2022! https://t.co/SxFDMwhxLH
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) January 20, 2022

In the magazine, Apple vice president of fitness technologies, Jay Blahnik, reveals that the company's aim is to help runners do more. Where "Time to Walk" is perhaps for getting people walking at all, "Time to Run" is specifically aimed at runners who are already doing at least a little.

"Our key inspiration was determining how we could take your everyday neighborhood run— that's a part of a regular habit of running," Blahnik said, "and provide a little bit of adventure, a little bit of variety, a little bit of coaching."

"[It's about creating] some motivation to make running easier and something that you want do more often," he continued.

Runners' World also talked with members of the Apple Fitness+ team, including new "Time to Run" coach Cory Wharton-Malcolm.

"Often we get stuck doing the same run the same way," said Wharton-Malcolm, "but 'Time to Run' takes the responsibility of figuring out how to add variation so you can just concentrate on the fun part: the run itself."

"It has the power to make a 30-minute run feel like 10 minutes," he continued, "and we hope it will help users become more consistent and better runners."

"Time to Run" launched with three guided runs around popular cities. A new run is added each Monday, and at time of writing there are episodes about runs in London, Brooklyn, Washington DC, and Miami Beach.

3 Comments

robin huber 4025 comments · 22 Years

About 2 years ago

As an avid user of Time to Walk, listening to the narrator’s footsteps and normal breathing, I am curious to hear how one can speak non-stop while running and not be absolutely breathless. 😉

GeorgeBMac 11421 comments · 8 Years

robin huber said:

As an avid user of Time to Walk, listening to the narrator’s footsteps and normal breathing, I am curious to hear how one can speak non-stop while running and not be absolutely breathless. 😉

Pace matters. A lot.
Especially in longer runs, my running friends will be chattering non-stop. But they aren't running fast -- probably 70% of their Max Heart Rate.

But then there are faster runs where the talking is just a couple words.

That's hard for beginning runners where every run is a "fast" run. But increasingly runners and especially beginning runners are using "walk/run" intervals like '60 seconds running, 30 seconds walking' -- or some other combination as needed. That makes chattering away a lot easier even for beginners.

AppleInsider said:

...
"Often we get stuck doing the same run the same way," said Wharton-Malcolm, "but 'Time to Run' takes the responsibility of figuring out how to add variation so you can just concentrate on the fun part: the run itself."
...

I have not yet tried "time to run".   But describing running through other cities does not sound appealing to me. I much more enjoy being out amongst nature surrounded by beauty.

But, when I saw this quote suggesting 'running is fun', I questioned how much this person understands running: running is hard and sometimes painful. it isn't fun.   I don't know of a single runner who thinks its fun or pleasant while they're doing it.   The quote sounds a bit like the proverbial "runners high" that non-runners often speak of.

While the act of running is hard work, it does provide substantial secondary gain:   comradery, better mental and physical health, weight loss, etc...   But, like most exercise, it is more work than pleasure while you're doing it.

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