Strava-owned Runna just launched the feature I've been waiting for to plan my race calendar

• Fitness app Runna just launched Races by Runna, a new race-finder platform
• Users can choose a race and 'seamlessly' integrate it with Runna's plans
• 'Tens of thousands' of races in 'multiple countries' promised for expansion

Fitness app Runna is well-known as one of the best fitness apps for runners, thanks to its AI-generated and adaptive workout plans. Now it's launching a platform to find you the right race to participate in too – and automatically generate a training plan to lead you right up to race day.

Runna has unveiled Races by Runna, a new website said to be 'separate' from its popular app while still operating with 'seamless integration'. The new platform will be a search engine that enables users to find and sign up for races in multiple countries, although we don't yet know which regions are being rolled out first.

Races by Runna will allow runners to 'browse thousands of events worldwide without juggling multiple tabs or incomplete listings', simplifying the signup process. Users will be able to browse races via tags, ranging from the standard distance and times of year to more specialist tags filtering for events with specific elevation levels, climates, night runs and even dog-friendly races.

Runna states that once a race is selected, users with a Runna account will be able to 'instantly' build a personalized Runna training plan around it. Presumably, if you enter a 10K race in three months, you'll be able to input your desired times into your Runna app and follow the instructions to generate a plan based on both your goals and the route. All that's left is to shop for some of the best running shoes to help you cross the line.

This is one of the first major new features from Runna following its acquisition by Strava earlier this year. In a statement included in the press release, Runna's CEO and co-founder Dom Maskell said: "we realized that we were well positioned to build the world’s most comprehensive race discovery platform and it’s been a true labour of love from our team. Having Strava alongside us will help further strengthen our credibility in this field.”

The platform is now available in public beta, with expansions planned to events in 'multiple' countries.

Analysis: A comprehensive all-in-one solution

Finding a race can be challenging: often, it's a case of scrolling through races alphabetically across multiple listing sites until you find something that happens to be both within driving distance and far enough ahead to suit your calendar. Even then, it's a bit of a shot in the dark, and different sites host different events.

Races by Runna could be about to change all that. Even if you're not a Runna subscriber – and it's a really good app, earning 4.5 stars in our official Runna review – a comprehensive tagging system to filter for the races you want seems like a no-brainer.

I opened the early version up and tried searching for a nature-filled 10K 'fun run' in or around my local city, and I got a perfect match on an event taking place next March, that fit my criteria exactly. I most likely wouldn't have heard about the event had I not tried searching on Races.

With Strava's backing – bringing along partnerships with major events companies such as Let's Do This – it seems like a recipe for success. With the public beta now available, I'll be diving in to find my next race very soon.

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