What is territory running? How GPS turf games work

Territory running is a type of running game where your GPS route claims part of a shared map. Run a closed loop, and the ground inside it becomes yours, until someone else runs through it and takes it.

How the idea works

The basic loop is the same in most of these games:

1. You start a run in the app, which records your GPS route.
2. You run a loop that closes, so you finish where you started.
3. The area inside the loop is added to the map in your colour.
4. Other runners can take your area by running over it. You can take it back.

Games differ in the details: whether you claim an area or tiles, how much ground you hold, whether it fades over time, and whether you play alone or in teams.

Examples of the genre

We checked these through their store listings and published descriptions. This is not a ranking, and we have not tested them.

• RunWar. You run a closed loop and the enclosed area becomes your territory on a live map. Other runners can capture it by running over your zones. Its listing says your location is only used during active runs and that profiles can be public or private.
• Terrarun (also called Stride Running). Its listing describes closing a loop to capture the area, measured in square metres, a route planner that snaps loops to streets, and club-versus-club battles. It states that any territory can be taken at any time.
• INTVL. An Australian free-to-play app where your GPS route claims the ground you cover and other local runners can contest it. Captured area converts into entries for monthly competitions, at 1 km² per entry. It syncs with Strava and several smartwatch brands.

The listings are not always complete, especially on privacy and cheating. Read an app's own privacy policy before you sign up.

Why people like it

• A goal for every run. A short loop around the block is suddenly a mission.
• A reason to explore. You run new streets to expand or defend your map.
• Teams and clubs. Territory is a natural team game for friends, offices, colleges and run clubs.
• Gentle competition. You do not have to be fast; you have to be there and cover ground.

Regular activity is good for you; the World Health Organization recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week for adults and links it to lower risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes and better sleep and mental health. A game that gets you out the door is not a bad thing. If you are new to running, start with our 5K plan.

What makes a good territory game

Because every app has a different set of rules, it helps to know what to look for before you play:

• Clear claiming rules. You should know what counts as a closed loop, how big a loop needs to be, and how long territory lasts.
• Visible privacy controls. Look for private profiles, hidden home areas and a choice about live sharing.
• Fair-play checks. The best games explain how they spot fake GPS tracks or runs done on a vehicle, and let players report problems.
• Healthy design. Rewards for consistency and variety are kinder than rewards for running further every day. Rest days are part of training, not a loss.

Privacy and safety concerns

Home location. Any app that shows where you run can show where you live, especially if your runs start and end at your door. Researchers at the University of Illinois studied 23 million public Strava posts and found that Strava's privacy zones did not reliably hide home locations: they could pinpoint homes within a few metres with 84 percent certainty, and Strava and Garmin then added protections such as a random offset. The lead researcher advised making profiles private and not posting activities in isolated areas. A territory game that shows your loops on a public map raises the same issue, so a good game should never show a runner's home or start point.

Live location. Some apps show runs live. That can be fun, but it also tells strangers where you are right now. Prefer settings that delay or hide live position.

Isolated places. A game can tempt you to run unfamiliar, dark or quiet places for more territory. Do not. No tile is worth your safety. Run in well-lit places and tell someone, as in our run club guide.

Fair play. GPS can be spoofed, and someone could cycle or drive instead of running. Games need checks and a way to report cheats. Store listings rarely say what checks exist; we have not found this for the apps above.

Overdoing it. Do not run when injured or in extreme heat for a score. The NHS lists confusion or hot skin that is not sweating as signs of heatstroke, which is an emergency. Read running in Indian heat and monsoon.

What Treqz Run plans

Treqz Run is coming soon. It is not available to download yet, and we are not giving a date. Here is what we plan, and it may change:

• Close a loop to claim hexagon tiles. Your city is divided into hexagon tiles, and a loop claims the tiles it covers.
• Team turf. Run for a team, whether a run club, an office or a college. See Treqz Crew, also coming soon.
• A home location that is never shown. You can set a home area, and it is not shown to others.

You can read more on the Treqz Run page. For other apps, see best running apps in India and Strava alternatives in India.

General information, not medical advice. Always run in places you feel safe.

Sources

• MWM: RunWar app listing summary
• MWM: Terrarun (Stride Running) app listing summary
• Notes on INTVL (dsebastien.net)
• University of Illinois Grainger Engineering: research on fitness app privacy zones
• WHO: Physical activity fact sheet
• NHS: Heat exhaustion and heatstroke

Quick questions