Colorado Start-up Offers Runners a Brand New Motivational Energy Source With Motigo
Denver, Colorado (PRWEB) January 28, 2015 -- Today, two Colorado runners and entrepreneurs announce the launch of Motigo (getmotigo.com), the first personalized motivational running app. It all began last year, when co-founder Dan Nagler challenged himself to run the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon. With his wife and business partner Celeste Lo, home in Denver, he had only sporadic high-fives and ‘good jobs’ from anonymous spectators to propel him through the final agonizing miles.
Nagler says, “It was in those moments of vulnerability that the idea for Motigo was born.
Needing motivation to fuel my run, and embracing the fact that the majority of runners now run connected, I knew I could tap into a new energy source that employs a person’s most trusted and valued network of people.” Nagler and co-founder Lo focused their energy on developing a motivational mobile application that delivers personalized messages just when runners need it. Motigo creates a powerful and timely connection between runners and their friends, family, coaches, and supporters via personal, pre-recorded audio messages, which the runners automatically hear at selected intervals throughout any of their races.
With a stellar team of developers and advisors from across the fitness and technology spaces – including from MapMyRun and Running USA – the former Silicon Valley couple made a beta version of the app available last fall and took it on the road. After testing the app and polling thousands of runners across the Utah Valley, Eugene, Chicago, Denver and St. Jude marathons, Lo notes, “Runners and fans alike expressed their love for Motigo, as they can now, for the first time, share the milestone event experience and help the runner overcome the mental and emotional challenges often associated with race day.”
Manda, a finisher of the St. Jude Half-Marathon felt that the app had a direct impact on her performance, “It for sure helped me finish strong and make me feel loved. I believe you guys have created something that puts some good back in the world.”
Here’s how it works: After downloading the Motigo App, the user simply selects the event they are running and can use built in social features to invite their friends, family and other supporters to easily record personalized cheers for the runner that are triggered to play automatically at pre-selected mile markers. “The real beauty of Motigo,” says Nagler, “is that it’s complimentary and personalized. It simply runs alongside any other music or fitness apps. When it’s time to play a cheer, Motigo automatically lowers the volume of your music, plays the cheer, and returns your music to its previous volume.” Lo adds, “And the coolest part is that Motigo inspires runners by bringing their cheering friends and family with them to any of their races whether they are near or far. Unfortunately not all of our loved ones can attend every event, but with Motigo, they are ‘there’ with you, encouraging and motivating you to reach your goals.”
Nagler and Lo see Motigo as part of a greater cause, one that encourages people to move, whether for themselves or for a greater purpose. Motivation is paramount in helping people achieve goals, and any distance accomplished is a milestone that requires emotional fuel. “We like to say that Motigo enables people to #runLOVED – runners become supercharged as they are moved and motivated by the supportive and familiar voices of their friends, family, coaches and even donors,” says Lo.
Due to their early success, Motigo is now in the midst of raising seed funding and has also launched an INDIEGOGO crowd-funding campaign, both to support planned growth efforts which are shaping up to include a number of cause, event, and brand partnerships. Additionally, they enlisted the help of ModCraft, a boutique brand communications agency representing authentic people and innovative brands across fitness, health and sport. The partnership is designed to help bring the power of the Motigo App to the mainstream running community.
Motigo is always free to download and anyone who signs up between now and March 1, 2015 will receive five complimentary cheers loaded into their account. After this period, runners will have the option to choose from subscription plans or can elect to have their supporters buy cheers via in-app purchases. Each cheer is currently $1.99, or a five-cheer bundle can be purchased for $7.99.
About Motigo
Motigo is a mobile based, social application that connects runners to their biggest supporters. Created by a Colorado husband and wife team, Motigo professes the power to #runLOVED. Its patent-pending personalized audio messaging creates a timely and powerful connection between runners and their friends and family via personal, pre-recorded audio messages, which runners automatically hear at selected intervals throughout their event. The app, currently available for iOS, helps runners overcome the mental and emotional challenges associated with running-event participation, while enhancing the experience for all. From consumers to non-profits and race sponsors, everyone involved in running events wins with Motigo – now available in the iPhone app store. For more information, visit getmotigo.com.
Rob Vermillion, ModCraft, http://www.modcraftstudio.com, +1 (541) 556-3245, [email protected]
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