New App to Tackle Loneliness and Safety in Urban Running

The world’s first on-demand running app, myCrew, has launched, allowing active people to connect by creating and joining running communities on their doorstep, at any time.

myCrew was created by the brains behind the world’s largest social running club, Midnight Runners, and global internet phenomenon, Dubsmash, one of the world’s most popular video sharing apps (totalling over 200 million downloads worldwide).

Having seen first hand the transformative power of social running, and technology’s ability to bring people together, Greg Drach, Christian Dorffer and Daniel Taschik knew it was time to bring something new to the running scene.

The app, available from the Apple App Store and Google Play, has launched in London with 5,000 active users who, through the myCrew app are able to create and join intimate runs of up to eight people.

Runners are able to find local groups which match their preference on pace, distance and location. The app’s algorithm then invites them to local runs as they are created.

Instead of focusing on competition, leaderboards and external incentives, myCrew focuses on bringing people together through social fitness.

By bringing people together in local, intimate running groups, myCrew is dedicated to creating:

• Incredible connections: despite us being closer digitally than ever before, we’re seeing more loneliness than ever in big cities – myCrew brings people together to forge connections based on a mutual passion for running.
• Motivation: people push themselves more in social situations and are less likely to skip sessions. The group environment is often the nudge you need to get out of the door.
• Safety: solo running in urban environments, especially as winter sets in and days become shorter and darker, can feel intimidating. Running with others makes the experience safer.
• An alternative to expensive fitness clubs: increasingly gyms and studios are more style than substance and with that comes higher monthly rates – myCrew believes in keeping it simple and getting people outdoors.

Greg Drach, co-founder of Midnight Runners and myCrew says: “Social running led me to lifelong friends, my girlfriend, finding my life calling and lots of adventure. We believe in the power of running together as a way of motivating, connecting and inspiring people. Now, with myCrew, we are making the process of meeting active people as easy and fun as possible, so people can log in anytime and find runs around them.”

Daniel Taschik, co-founder of Dubsmash and CTO of myCrew says: “Despite the fact we live in a world of hyper-localisation, hyper-personalisation and on-demand (and often instant) gratification – when it comes to running groups, we’re forced to adhere to strict unmovable schedules and rigid programs. We’re closer digitally than ever before but we’re seeing more loneliness than ever in big cities. myCrew makes it so much easier to meet new people and forge connections based on a mutual passion for running. We believe in keeping it simple and getting everyone together, outdoors.”

myCrew was backed by a number of tech fitness and social networking leaders including Jakob Jønck (co-founder of Endomondo, Simple Feast & former head of international at MyFitnessPal), AceCap (first investor and currently CEO in ClassPass), Mucker Capital (LA-based Seed fund) as well as former senior executives from King.com, Airbnb, Microsoft and KKR.