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A digital fitness revolution

RunSocial

The only treadmill video app that combines social running with HD videos of amazing running routes.

Client

A pioneer of mixed reality running technology, RunSocial is the only app in the world that combines the benefits of social running with videos of amazing HD running routes.

RunSocial

With RunSocial, runners can explore wonderful real world locations with friends and others, in real time. RunSocial runs on iPhone and iPad and offers connectivity to a variety of treadmills, particularly from Life Fitness.

Challenge

RunSocial was referred to us by goToAndPlay —the company behind SmartFoxServer. We’ve had a long relationship with goToAndPlay, developing sample applications and the iOS API for SFS.

RunSocial required a full back–end platform architecture and build to support hundreds of thousands of concurrent users they expected for an upcoming event – The Virgin Money London Marathon. Not only was the marathon going digital, but NASA and the ESA were on board to have Timothy Peake, the first British astronaut, run the race from the International Space Station using the RunSocial platform.

Requirements

High performance real–time multi–user platform

RunSocial had been used by various corporations for events and the app had recently been selected by major marathons as a digital option for runners who were unable to experience the real race. At the start of any race, huge amounts of data would suddenly come streaming in. In a multi–user environment, that data is then sent to all other connected users keeping everyone informed of other users whereabouts.

We need to send 1 million messages per second

With ten users in a room sending data every second, we need to handle 10 incoming messages and deliver 90. Small numbers are easy, however when the app needs to support over 100,000 users, we need to send 1 million messages per second —that’s a lot of data.

User profiles, events, relay teams, leader boards...

The complexity of the RunSocial application is equally as imposing as the messaging requirements. Users needed to be able to create profiles to appear publicly, create events with relay teams, and view results on a separate leader board app.

Solution

RunSocial decided early on to use SmartFoxServer. Without question, SFS provides a fantastic starting point to develop a platform like this. As experts in the field, we’ve utilized many of the core server features to build RunSocial a robust and powerful architecture. Runners can log into an event and be notified by countdown of the start time, relay teams are notified when their team members have completed a leg of the race, a real time leader board has been created for event organizers and supporters, and the list goes on an on.

Big things are happening for RunSocial, and the platform is designed to accommodate huge numbers of users. In the coming months the first large scale Digital Marathon, launched by the London Marathon, will be run by thousands from the comfort of their homes. As the brand gains traction, the platform is ready to support it.

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Toronto International Film Festival
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