First, let’s look at Six To Start’s Zombie’s, Run! 3 app.
Aside from a pedometer app (I sometimes walk in places were a
GPS won’t work) this was the game I originally I downloaded to help me with my
walking routine. Being in touch with all things zombie, I watched it explode into
being on Kickstarter years ago, but of course avoided it like a, well, like a zombie
because it was associated with that dreaded E word. (and I don’t mean ebola!) I
mean, I love the shambling hordes of undead but did I love them enough to let
them drag me into a regular exercise routine?
Hell no!
Once I changed my mind about not wanting to remain a gelatinous
pile of flabby goo, I had all but forgotten about the Zombies, Run! game. Out
of sight, out of mind I suppose. After about three months of struggling with
walking, someone mentioned the app online and I was like ohhhh yeah, I remember
that. But it’s for runners. I can’t use it. Can I? I avoided it again for a few
more weeks. Around the same time, some much healthier friends of mine began training
for a 5k run. They were (and still are) very supportive of my efforts. I was
inspired by their training routines, and looked into a different Zombies, Run!
app that I thought perhaps I could manage. This was the 5k run training app.
It
starts you with walking and shifts into running over a number of weeks. I
thought I could at least do the first week or two of walking routines, and when
it shifted into running I would just repeat the walking stuff until I was brave
enough to try and run.
Turns out I was wrong about the whole running versus walking thing to begin
with! As I used the app, it slowly dawned on me that they had no idea if I was
running or walking. The game didn’t require I turn on the GPS or the pedometer.
It wanted me to move, but didn’t care what form that movement came took. This
meant I could use it with a stepper, or on a stationary bike, or just plain old
walking, which I was doing anyways!
As a side note, Zombies, Run 5k training is responsible for
getting me to walk for a steady half hour, a feat I had yet to accomplish. This
was made possible by doing exactly what it claimed it would do. I was
distracted long enough to not care that I had just walked a mile and a half. My
legs turned to jelly afterward, but it was delicious jelly.
This changed everything. That evening, I downloaded the full
Zombies, Run! 3 app and the next night I began the full story game from season 1,
episode 1. I am now up to episode 18. It is slow, considering I am still walking
only 3-4 times a week with the ZR app. But I am doing it, doing something, and that’s all that
matters to me.
Join me tomorrow for the final review of this app.