Suggested by the linked idea.

MPORG treadmills are normal in most respects, but are linked to one another web-wise, and are also each linked to a display screen.

You can now race against other treadmillers anywhere in the world. Simply choose an avatar for yourself, find other runners with similarly equipped machines, and off you go.

Your screen shows the other runners, either on a generic 'road', or perhaps in some mutually agreed virtual setting, from your own viewpoint. As you pass them or are passed, so they disappear from view, or come into view and vanish into the distance.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 10 2013

Suggested by: Virtual_20Marathon
which I thought was going to be this. [MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 10 2013]

That too.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 10 2013


I don't think it would be all that exciting, since you can't really vary how fast you're running with a treadmill except by modifying the speed setting to a higher constant speed, and that's lame. Cheating would be really easy too—just jump off the treadmill.

Adapting this for bicycles is brilliant, though.
-- ytk, Nov 10 2013


So beat the cheat by installing a pressure switch on the belt chassis: if you step off the treadmill, your avatar goes idle or disappears.
-- Alterother, Nov 10 2013


Roller skates.
-- ytk, Nov 10 2013


//you can't really vary how fast you're running with a treadmill except by modifying the speed setting to a higher constant speed, and that's lame. //

I don't see the problem. What's the difference between turning up the treadmill speed to the maximum I can cope with, and running as hard as I can on a road?

//Cheating would be really easy too—just jump off the treadmill.// Fair point. The pressure switch suggested by [Alterother] would solve that. Or have a sensor that detects footfalls so that, if you step off the mill, your avatar just appears to glide forward with no leg movement - that would show you up.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 10 2013


It would require a noticeably longer treadmill bed, but it should be possible to make a treadmill which responds to your running speed (sensor arrays towards the front and back that adjust the speed when broken).
-- MechE, Nov 10 2013


// neat if adapted for stationary bicycles //

Something very similar was available in some hotel gyms in the mid-1990's. A video monitor was mounted in front of the rider. The braking device on the bike was a large centrifugal fan. The monitor showed a variety of road scenes, and could be selected for flat, slightly hilly, mountainous, city streets etc.

The faster the rider pedaled, the more wind blew in their face, and the faster the video moved. It was surprisingly convincing, given the simplicity.
-- 8th of 7, Nov 11 2013


// stationary cycle racing //

Good work; that would be almost, but not quite, as stupid and futile as playing golf ...
-- 8th of 7, Nov 11 2013


Curling is very useful. All that dirty ice needs cleaned you know, may as well get volunteers to do it.
-- pocmloc, Nov 11 2013


Besides, at least with curling there's a possibility that someone will get an amusingly painful injury to their lower limbs ...
-- 8th of 7, Nov 11 2013


I always thought that's how one got into golf.
-- FlyingToaster, Nov 11 2013


^ metabun for that anno ^
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 11 2013



random, halfbakery