Tracking a runner

Rod Simpson

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Dec 27, 2025, 9:43:27 PM12/27/25

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I am looking for a way to real time track one runner who is doing a 100 km Bunker Gear Challenge.

I do a Spring Fire fighters 5K run that has a bunker gear challenge option.

One participant wants to do something special in May and do a solo 100KM challenge on his own to raise money for a charity.

He has asked me if there is a way to share his progress live so others can follow along.

I thought I'd put it out to the vast expertise of the group for suggestions how to live track and share someone out running a 100km challenge.

Thanks in advance,

Rod

Ted Finch

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Dec 28, 2025, 2:21:05 AM12/28/25

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I suggest you use GPS tracking of some sort.

There is probably a fairly easy solution using a GPS watch.

It is feasible to publicly share a Garmin track live for example. Strava possibly.

Ted

William Sanchez

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Dec 28, 2025, 5:34:57 PM12/28/25

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There are running apps that can do this. Also, you can share your location via iMessage on Apple. Here are some others from google.Best of luck!

You can share your location while running

using built-in phone features like Google Maps or Apple Messages, or dedicated apps like Strava (Beacon), Garmin LiveTrack, or Runkeeper, which send real-time updates via a link to chosen contacts for safety or tracking, requiring cell service to work. Simply open the app, find the sharing/beacon/LiveTrack feature, select contacts, set the duration, and start your activity.

Using Popular Apps

Strava Beacon: Open the app, tap the record button, select the Beacon (shield) icon, add contacts (up to 3), and start your run; they get a link to track you.
Google Maps: Tap your profile picture > Location sharing > New share, choose duration, select contacts, and tap Share.
Garmin LiveTrack: Start an activity on your device, and it can automatically share your route, speed, and heart rate with selected contacts through the Garmin Connect app.
Runkeeper/MapMyFitness: Use their built-in "Live Run" or "Live Tracking" features within the app to broadcast your activity.

Rod Simpson

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Dec 28, 2025, 10:11:47 PM12/28/25

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Thanks everyone for your great thoughts and suggestions.

The GPS part seems to be the easy part of the equation when I follow the group's ideas and my own research.

The trickier part seemed to be to having an easy way to have others follow along with the runners progress in real time.

Right now in the lead is Google Maps.

The runner can activate Location Sharing and obtain a link that could be shared via a social post or website.

The one downside I see is that to get a stable link, the runner will turn on Location Sharing and the sharing starts right away. So if you are promoting ahead of the event, people will be able follow the runner around the week before he actually runs. Or the runner activates the sharing just before the run and shares the link at the start of the run. Either way, the runner needs to remember to stop sharing after the event to stop people from following them for the rest of his life :)

Some of the other options for sharing (e.g. WhatsApp, Garmin, etc) had limitations, such as a small number of viewers, having people logging into specific apps, or having to directly invite people to view. Google Maps seemed the easiest so far just by having a link shared and clicked on.