Privacy at Runnersway

Who operates Runnersway

Runnersway is operated by Gotoh Industries LLC. References to “we,” “us” and “our” on this page mean Gotoh Industries LLC.

For privacy questions or requests about your information, email contact@runnersway.com.

Location and route requests

When you search for a place, what you type and the area the map shows, rounded to about 10 km, are sent to our server to find matching places; we do not store what you type, only how many searches there were. When you choose a starting point, its coordinates and your route preferences are sent to our service to generate running routes. Your browser asks for location permission only if you select “Use my location.” We do not continuously record your movements or track you while you run. If you choose “Show my position,” your browser shows where you are on the map; that position stays on your device and is never sent to us.

The map may initially show an approximate area based on your IP address. The country your IP address is in decides only whether distances first appear in miles: they do when both it and your browser’s language are set to the United States. Routes are computed on our own server from a weekly OpenStreetMap snapshot, so your starting point is not sent to a map-data provider. Only if that copy were unavailable would we request a rounded surrounding area, never your precise pin, from a public Overpass API server. Your browser also requests map tiles from OpenStreetMap; those requests reveal your IP address and the map areas being viewed to that provider.

Shared routes, reports and your last start

A route is stored on our server only if you choose to share it or to report on it. We then keep that route, including where it starts, under a random link. Anyone who has the link can open it; we do not list shared routes, and we ask search engines not to index them. To have one removed, email us the link.

A report records the route, the kind of report you chose and the time. It contains nothing about you.

Your browser remembers your last starting point and distance, and whether you use kilometres or miles, on your own device, so you do not have to choose them again. They are sent to us only when you search. “Start over” removes the starting point and distance.

Anonymized data and commercial use

We may use anonymized, aggregated data for commercial purposes, such as developing products, understanding broad demand for running routes, or providing statistical insights to partners.

Data used for these purposes must not identify you, be associated with an individual user, or be used to track anyone. It excludes individual starting coordinates, route histories, IP addresses and browser identifiers. We will not use it to build individual profiles or attempt to identify people.

Removing a name or replacing an identifier is not enough. Information must be combined and generalized so that it does not reveal an individual’s activity or location. This commitment applies to anonymized commercial data; the operational and analytics information described elsewhere on this page is separate.

Website analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand overall site usage and improve Runnersway. We do not use it to identify people, build individual profiles or follow individual users. The site loads Google Analytics automatically; Google Analytics can use cookies and browser identifiers to distinguish visits and sessions. Those identifiers are not the same as anonymous data.

Our route-search events describe choices such as distance and preferences, whether a search succeeds, and how long it takes. We do not include precise starting coordinates, route geometry or GPX contents in these events. Google also receives information through its analytics service, including page visits and device or browser information.

Read how Google uses information from sites that use its services and how Google Analytics uses cookies. You can use browser privacy controls, block analytics requests, or use Google’s Analytics opt-out browser add-on. The site does not currently offer an analytics consent control.

Operating the service

Our service and infrastructure providers process technical information, including IP addresses and request details, to deliver pages, handle route requests, protect the service and enforce usage limits. The routing service uses IP addresses for its hourly request limits. Infrastructure providers may also keep operational or security logs.

Prepared regional map data can be cached and reused for later route requests. This map cache is separate from the anonymized statistics described above.

Our own server also keeps daily totals: how many times each page was viewed, which websites and countries visits came from, how many route searches succeeded or failed and how long they took, and how many GPX files were downloaded. These are counts only. They contain no IP address, cookie, identifier, starting point or route, and they are not shared with anyone.

How long we keep information

Retention depends on the purpose of the information and the continuing commercial or operational need for it. We consider whether it is still needed to operate and improve Runnersway, understand usage trends, investigate security incidents, resolve disputes or meet applicable legal obligations.

Our policy is to keep information that can identify a person or browser only for as long as it is needed for those purposes, then delete it or anonymize it. Anonymized, aggregated statistics may be retained while they remain commercially useful, subject to the safeguards described above.

Google Analytics and hosting or security providers also apply their own retention settings and policies. These vary by service and data type; there is no single retention period covering all information described on this page.

Your choices

You can select a point on the map or enter coordinates instead of granting device-location permission. You can revoke that permission through your browser settings. Choose a public starting place if you prefer not to use a home or other private location.

Links to other websites, including Things to Do In (TTDI), take you to services with their own privacy practices. We will update this page when our data practices change.