The “Uber for runners” app is coming to Atlanta.
Running Mate is an on-demand running app that matches verified runners. The app got off the ground when Founder and CEO Dena Lewis wanted to take a more proactive approach to keeping runners like herself safe. After successfully launching in Austin, Boston, and Tampa, the app is now poised to enter the Atlanta running community.
Safety First
The app is personal for Lewis. An avid runner and ultra-marathon runner herself, Lewis was assaulted twice while running alone.
Sadly, that isn’t completely out of the ordinary for female runners. Well over half of women who run report being harassed while doing the activity they love. Even when taking precautions, runners can still become victims, as Lewis recounted to Hypepotamus.
“I had done all of the things that you are supposed to do. I notified my husband about where [I was running]. I carried mace. I ran in the middle of the day. And it still happened to me.”
The app idea came when Lewis, who was previously in the medical device world, was on a work trip in Texas. She was lacing up her shoes to go on a run when she had one thought: “I would literally pay someone to run with me right now.”
That safety-in-numbers mentality is why many women will join run clubs or stick to roads with lots of pedestrian traffic. But that isn’t always possible. That is particularly true for women who are traveling or whose schedules only allow for them to get miles in during the early morning.
Inside The App
In an uber-like fashion, Running Mate users can log onto the app and find a verified running companion who can accompany them on a run. Runners only see Mates located within 15 minutes of their location, unless they schedule a run ahead of time. Within the app, runners (and walkers) can find Mates based on pace, distance, and other running preferences to ensure that runners feel the most comfortable. Runners can also select if they want to chat with their Mate or if they prefer to run with headphones, which helps to further curate the run experience without sacrificing any safety measures.
But unlike Uber, everyone on the app – not just Mates – must pass a background check to join the community.
Lewis said that many of the Mates joining the community are men who want to be part of making running safer. Many early running adopters are out-of-towners looking for a companion when excercising in unfamiliar areas.
Bringing Tech To “Running City USA”
While Lewis lives in Florida, she is no stranger to the Atlanta startup scene. She participated in Techstars Impact earlier this year, a cohort that runs out of Atlanta. Lewis also took home the Judges Prize at Startup Runway’s 25th Pitch Showcase in May at Tech Square ATL.
Opening up the Running Mate marketplace in Atlanta feels like a natural next step for the company. Atlanta has dubbed itself “Running City USA” given the strength of its track club and the number of recreational runners.
Those in Atlanta interested in joining the app as either a Runner or a Mate can now sign up. And Atlanta runners can experience Running Mate’s growing Atlanta community in person during their first city-wide event, a glow-in-the-dark run on August 28th at Piedmont Park that is open to runners and walkers of all paces.
