I never thought I would say that the latest video game craze is the perfect fit for runners, but Pokemon GO may just fit that bill. The app is, after all, an urban scavenger hunt at heart, rewarding players who move quickly from place to place and cover a lot of ground. Whether they’re hatching eggs or trying to earn medals, runners can hit all of their targets in a matter of minutes, rather than hours. Here are my tips for using your running skills to level up in Pokemon GO:
1. Stay alert.
This may seem obvious, but it needs to be said: Keep your eyes on the ground and on the road while in motion, and stop when you need to look down at your screen. The first time you trip over a curb, you’ll understand that you need to pay attention to your running, not your phone. Fortunately, Pokemon GO rewards you most in urban areas where more Pokemon spawn, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to safely check out what’s around you at stoplights and street crossings.
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2. Adjust your settings.
When I started playing Pokemon GO, I immediately noticed that it’s a big phone battery hog. But I soon discovered the “battery saver” setting under the settings menu, which can extend your phone’s life when you set it to “on.” You can also reduce battery drain by turning off “AR” (which stands for augmented reality) when the Pokemon capture screen comes up, rather than turning your camera on and off every time you find a Pokemon. Using these settings, my 2015 Google Nexus 5X lasted much longer and was generally less prone to crash.
3. Put eggs your incubators before hitting the road.
The more distance you log in the game, the more Pokemon eggs hatch — one of the game’s objectives. This is when it helps to be a runner, since you can log more mileage running or jogging than walking. Keep in mind that there is a speed limit of approximately 10 to 15 miles per hour. Moving faster than this means Pokemon will stop counting the distance toward hatching eggs and earning medals. (This limit is to keep people on foot, rather than in cars.) The speed limit is high enough that most runners will have no problem staying under it. Many cyclists, on the other hand, won’t benefit from the miles they log. So, before you head out, make sure to stick a few eggs in your incubators, since they hatch at 2-, 5- and 10-kilometer increments.
[See: Easy Ways to Get 10,000 Steps Per Day.]
4. Listen.
The best way to keep track of your progress while running is to listen, rather than look, at the game screen. Admittedly, the music gets old after running around for a while, but keeping it on a quiet level will still allow you to hear specific sounds that indicate you’ve come close to a Poke Stop or you’ve encountered a Pokemon in the wild. When you hear one of these sounds, stop, collect your goodies and continue on.
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5. Wear the right gear.
My first couple of days scavenging for Pokemon, I made the mistake of wearing regular shoes or flip-flops. But I quickly figured out that to dash down this street or check out that park, it made sense to wear my running shoes. Since then, I’ve been gearing up to run before playing the game, which allows me to cover a lot more ground. While it won’t feel like a regular run — you’ll need to stop and start a lot, which feels like most scavenger hunts or urban challenges — equipping yourself with running shoes, socks and water is still a good idea. So, runners: Keep your eyes on the road, your ears tuned in and your body well-equipped. Your fleet-footedness will be rewarded.
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5 Ways Runners Can Excel at Pokemon GO originally appeared on usnews.com
