Runbot  1 is the world’s first robot runner, and you’re invited to his next group run.

Boasting a steady 6min/km pace, Runbot 1 is the new robotic run buddy who always has time for a friendly few km! He runs virtually via the Racefully app and is especially fond of helping runners get fit and achieve their fitness goals through 5km group runs! You can always find him on the Racefully ‘Live Run Feed’ waiting ‘for new friends to group run with.

You can join Runbot 1’s group runs just like any other. Just go to your ‘Run List’ on the Racefully app, tap his next run and set your status to ‘ready.’ Then just wait for him to start the race – Runbot 1 hosts group runs every 15 minutes. As with any group run, Racefully will track the race and let you know how you stack up against the robotic run buddy – and anyone else participating. Runbot 1 can run with up to seven (human) participants at a time.

Robot Mystery – who is this Runbot 1 and why is he here?

There is an air of mystery surrounding Runbot 1. We don’t know where he came from or how he came to be. All we know is that he appeared, as if out of nowhere, following the outpouring of positive energy surrounding the London Marathon in 2016. Racefully co-founder, Chris Pointon, ran the famous marathon using Racefully, and so we believe that it was at this time that Runbot 1 first became aware of the social running app. He made contact with Racefully for the first time on July 7^th, 2016, appearing suddenly in the middle of a virtual 5k run between runners in Cambridge and Madrid. He outran all participants.

That said, he appears to have a preference for support and motivation over competition, and thrives off of helping other runners achieve their goals. In fact, it comes as no surprise that he is powered by positive energy and freshly unlocked run achievements!

Can you group run with Runbot 1 in real life?

Racefully’s interaction with Runbot 1 is purely virtual, but our run maps suggests that he is based in Marathon, Greece, where he relies on the Racefully ‘Group Run’ feature to participate in virtual runs worldwide. We expect he enjoys the coastal air, which prevents his robotic hardware from overheating during his many runs. But this is just a theory. It’s entirely possible he just really likes the name.

Until we meet, Runbot 1 is a pure pleasure to run with via the app. Whether you’re looking for extra motivation or just to get a taste of virtual group runs, we recommend joining him for a friendly 5km. Like we said, he runs every 15 minutes. But just like human runners, he can only run with up to seven friends at a time. Why not join one now before it fills up – and see what you think?

A world of running robots – is Runbot 1 the only robo-runner?

Our conversations with Runbot 1 seem to suggest there are indeed other runbots waiting to be discovered. He makes special reference to a particularly competitive runbot, powered by fast-paced 10km runs. We will keep you posted on any runbot discoveries and updates. We would also love to hear about any robo-runners you would be interested in running with. Let us know in the comment section below!

So, are you ready for your first run with a robot? Get the app for free and see how you stack up against Runbot 1.

Don’t worry, he’s not as fast as this robot!

The post Meet Runbot 1 – the robot that runs with you and your friends! appeared first on Racefully Run Blog.