How to make a race story from your marathon: time, route and photos

A race story is one page that shows your finish time, your route and the photos, clips and cheers from the people who were there, in the order the day happened. You make one by recording the race, collecting contributions through a single link and publishing when the story is ready.

A medal tells you that you finished, but a race story tells you what the day was like. Here is how to make one, with or without an app.

What goes in a race story?#

A good race story has five parts:

• The result: your finish time, your pace and, if you have them, elevation and splits. A marathon covers 42.195 km, so the numbers are worth keeping.
• The route: a map of the course, so each photo has a place.
• The moments: photos and short clips, in time order.
• The cheers: messages from people who could not be there.
• A few words from you, written after the race, while you still remember.

How do you build a race story?#

1. Record the race. Wear a watch or use a phone app, and then save the activity. That gives you the time, the pace and the route.
2. Send one link to the people who will be there. Then ask friends and family to add photos, clips and cheers on the day.
3. Ask for photos that evening. What to do with race day photos has the steps.
4. Pick the best moments and add your words.
5. Publish and share. Send the story to the people in it.

RaceTale does steps 2 to 5. The runner shares one link, and contributors add from their phones with no app and no account. The app then places each moment on the timeline and the route next to the result. It also plays the day back as a replay with music, and it makes share cards for your feed.

Who sees your race story?#

Only people with the link. A RaceTale story is private by default and unlisted, with an address nobody can guess. Also, you can turn the link off and delete everything at any time. Contributors are told that you will see their uploads and may publish them, but they can delete their own.

Public photos have their location data removed, and you can hide the first and last 200 metres of your route, so your home stays private. Apple also shows how to manage location metadata in Photos, and GPS in photos explained tells you why it matters.

Frequently asked questions#

What is a race story?#

It is a page that combines your result, your route and everyone's photos, clips and cheers in time order.

Do my friends need to install an app?#

No, because they open your link in the browser and add their moments with no account.

Can I make a race story after the race?#

Yes. First create the race, then send the link that evening and add the result when you have it.

Is a race story free?#

It is free to preview, and one unlock lets you share it, with no subscription.

Does it work for a 5K or a half marathon?#

Yes, because any race works. A first 5K or parkrun is a good place to start.