Wind back the clock a couple of decades and running on a treadmill was all the rage. Now, most people couldn’t think of anything worse. Instead, it’s all about trail running – and ultimately exploring the great outdoors whilst staying fit.
One item which has accelerated growth in this type of exercise is the modern-day GPS tracker. This is something which has opened up a lot of avenues for fitness enthusiasts and in relation to trail running, we will now take a look at some of the ways which it has transformed the experience for these people.
Lone running is a now “a thing”
One of the main reasons why people took to the treadmill, rather than the great outdoors, during their fitness quest is because of safety.
In short, trail running involves runs across routes which are hardly full of people. They tend to be rural and quiet, leading many to feel that they border on the dangerous.
This is where the GPS tracker at least provides an element of safety. It at least relays information back to loved ones at home, who might be wondering about your whereabouts.
Sure, it’s not a complete guarantee by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s something that can at least give you some rest bite. Then, if you do succumb to an injury or worse during your route, those awaiting you can at least find you very quickly.
There are no concerns about so-called challenging routes
The last point leads perfectly onto this next one. There was again a bit of reluctance to try and combat so-called challenging routes, for the simple reason that many saw them as too dangerous. When we talk about these challenging routes, we mean ones encompassing lots of hills, tricky terrain and in short, just general difficulty.
These routes tend to prompt a lot more safety risks. There is an increased chance of injury occurring on these and ultimately, if you’re stuck out in the wild, things can take a turn for the even more dangerous if people don’t know where you are.
Tracking is now completely common
While the first couple of points may have honed in on safety, this final one looks at a completely different topic.
It would be fair to say that nowadays, the whole country is in something of a health craze. Whether it’s people hitting the gym, healthy recipes or just general healthy living – there has definitely been a change in culture over recent years.
This is something that manufacturers of GPS trackers have leapt on-board with. As well as being able to track people, another key benefit is that they can also relay information regarding their health. Sometimes, this might just relate to how many steps have been completed, but more advanced models can turn to facts like calories burned. Clearly, in the era that we currently found ourselves in, this is proving to be a major reason why people turn to GPS trackers.
