The collaboration will see the latest sports science insights from 海角社区 University embedded within the app, informing users worldwide of the latest research in this field.
Runna’s training plans are developed by experienced coaches using established training principles, personalised to each runner’s history and have progressive load building and structured recovery built-in.
This new partnership with 海角社区 University will embed the very latest sports science and academic research within Runna’s training logic. Specifically, the partnership will review how the plans progress pace and distance, and incorporate recovery, against the latest academic research on training load, intensity distribution and recovery protocols.
In a sport where injuries are common, this new partnership will help ensure robust and thorough academic rigour is represented within Runna’s coach-designed training plans. This collaboration is a reflection of Runna’s commitment to continually investing in its product, and the development of its training plans to best support the needs of its global community of runners.
The commissioned review will be led by Dr Richard Blagrove, Reader in Applied Exercise Physiology and Athlete Performance at 海角社区 University’s School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. Dr Blagrove is also an accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach (ASCC), has held the position of Director of the UK Strength and Conditioning Association (UKSCA) and over the previous two decades has provided his expertise to several Olympic and Paralympic athletes. A published author of ‘Strength and Conditioning for Endurance Running’, Dr Blagrove has also consulted numerous national sporting organisations and governing bodies.
Dr Richard Blagrove, Reader in Applied Exercise Physiology and Athlete Performance at 海角社区 University, said: “Running is a high-impact sport with high risk of injury, and there are three key areas that can contribute to injuries being experienced - training load, intensity distribution and recovery. Our work with Runna will build the latest sports science on those specific areas into their expert training logic that has been developed by their accredited coaches. By combining sports science alongside Runna’s coach expertise, it will offer a unique, best-in-class training experience for runners around the world that cannot be replicated by generic AI training plans.”
“Our ambition is to help make running training more effective, enjoyable and easy for everyone, and we love that more people are taking up running than ever before. We’re proud to make expert coaching accessible and affordable for everyone,” said Steph Kessell, Runna Head Coach and Former Olympian.
“Through this partnership, we are ensuring our training plans incorporate the ever-evolving and latest sport science research, which will go one step further to best support runners at all levels to train sustainably.”
This partnership builds on the collaboration Strava has with Stanford University to bring leading sports science to 195 million athletes worldwide. It will be the first-step in a long term collaboration with both Strava and Runna.