How do I Complete a Virtual Race? – Help Center | Pacer Pedometer Walking App

This article explains in detail how to complete a Pacer Virtual Race,

Virtual Races include:

Solar System Series (excluding the Sun 100K)
Wild Animal Series
Ocean Animal Series
Happy Easter Virtual Race
Leo Zodiac Virtual Race

*Virtual Races work differently from Virtual Challenges. If you need help with a Virtual Challenge, please refer to this article. If you are not sure which category are you having an issue with, this article might help.

Know about the rules

To complete a Virtual Race, you must finish the required distance in one go. Virtual Races accept all distance-based exercises: walk, run, hike, cycling, wheelchair, etc. Manual submission is also accepted.

Finish in one go

We've listed below how to submit a result that's considered "in one go":

✅ Use the Pacer app to record a GPS-tracked exercise, such as a walk or a run.
✅ Manually submit an activity in the Pacer app
✅ Connect the Pacer app with a supported wearable device or app, and record an exercise with the device or app.

Two examples of scenarios that are NOT considered “in one go”:

❌ The Pacer pedometer app automatically tracks your 24x7 daily steps and converts them into distances. However, these distances won't be considered "in one go" as they were accumulated gradually throughout the day.
❌ It may sound obvious, but submitting two 5K runs doesn't qualify as "finish 10K in one go".

Timeframe

When you enter the race, you will be asked to choose a month to complete the race.

If you choose the current month, then you have the time from the moment you join to the last day of the month to complete the race.
If you choose a future month, then you have the entire month to complete the race.

That is to say, exercises that start before you join a virtual race (down to the minute) will never be counted. If you submit your results manually in the Pacer app, you also need to pay attention to the "date and time" to make sure it's not too early.

Acceptance Rules

Virtual Races accept all types of exercise, as long as they are distance-based. Manual submission is also accepted.

Distances produced by 24x7 pedometer are NOT accepted as they are "accumulative", not "in one go".

How to Submit Your Results?

There are 3 methods that you can choose from to submit your results.

Method #1: Use the Pacer app to record a GPS-tracked exercise

The Pacer App can record your outdoor activity with its built-in GPS tracking feature.

To do this:

Step 1: Swipe to the left on the main screen to go to the "GPS" page;
Step 2: Choose a sport type, tap the "Start" button, and do your exercise;
Step 3: Tap the blue ⏸ button at the bottom to stop recording, and then save to complete your exercise.
Step 4: Confirm the details and save the result.
Step 5: The distance will be registered shortly.

Method #2: Manually input activities in the Pacer app;

You can manually submit a result in 2 different places in the Pacer app, as shown below.

After you tap the button, you will be asked to choose an exercise type. Then you will land on a screen where you can input detailed information of the submission.

Pay attention to these 3 items:

Date: Make sure it's within the challenge timeframe.
Distance: No matter what type of exercise you choose, don't leave the distance empty. If you only enter "duration", "steps", or "calories", your exercise won't be credited.
Proof of completion: It's recommended that you upload a photo of proof when you submit a manual input. Manual submission without one may be subject to rejection.

Method #3: Record an exercise with a wearable device or a 3rd Party

Pacer supports connection with many popular 3rd party devices and apps, including Garmin, Fitbit, Apple Watch, Apple Health, Google Fit, Samsung Health, etc.

Click here to learn more about Wearable & 3rd Party App Integration.

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