Whether you enjoy running when you wake up and want to hit your routes before traffic picks up or train daily for big races and marathons, your devices can be a really great asset. It doesn’t matter if you have a designated path through your neighborhood or trails through wooded and rocky areas. The following top apps for runners can help you not only keep track of your statistics but keep you motivated and focused.
Google Fit – Fitness Tracking
Unless you’ve been in a coma or under a rock the past few years, you’d have to have noticed the amount of fitness apps and wear on the marketplace these days. From watches to bracelets, to mobile devices and headgear, the ability to track and record your fitness routines are endless. Google has made a huge splash into the industry, and with this app, which users can use to keep tabs on everything from steps, distance traveled, speed and more. You can you set goals and compare your running, cycling and walking stats to see if you’re pushing yourself far enough. Google Fit – Fitness Tracking makes it easy to track your progress and login wherever you are and with various other fitness tracking software and products such as Sleep With Android, Strava, and Android Wear.
Walk with Map My Walk
MapMyFitness has carved out a niche in the marketplace offering both tracking and inspirational work-out ideas. This particular app is one that relies heavily on its community, and really makes you feel part of a family. With hundreds of activities and adventures ranging from cross-fit, running, walking, cycling and working out to choose from, users never have to worry about doing the same old routine. They can spice it up, and keep track of things such as how long it took them to do it, how fast they went, the elevation peaks, how long it was and the distance traveled. Everything is recorded via your devices GPS, leaving users a chance to easily record and monitor their progress. You can use them to motivate and push yourself to improve, sharing your accomplishments with your loved ones and the community. They even have app-wide challenges where users from around the world can take part in various different activities in fun, bragging-rights competitions.
Runtastic Running & Fitness
Looking for a virtual coach? Well this app offers something similar. Users can get motivated for the first mile of their runs by a voice coach, have your friends watch your progress in real time to lend their support and even a built-in music player to pump you up when you need it most. You can set year-long goals of how long you want to run over or how many miles. Challenge your friends to compete and see who runs more over any given amount of time. It will even keep track of the condition of your shoes, the wear and tear you’ve put on them, and let you know when you should upgrade to avoid aggravating or starting any new injuries. A paid feature gives users a chance to watch and learn from personal trainers the most effective running techniques as well as provide training plans designed to make you a better runner and get in better shape. It’s compatible with fitness wear and all your personal stats, routes and regiments are stored on their website so that you can go back and watch your progress and make changes where you need.
Nike+ Run Club
Nike has been a heavyweight in athletic gear and fashion for decades now, so it was only a matter of time they jumped into the virtual fitness game. Here, they’ve created a community of runners where you can compare and compete against others in how far you push yourself. With daily workouts, training routines and online coaching sessions, this app pushes users to make goals and crush them. While on your trek, you can pump yourself up with a Powersong or get audio feedback on how you’re doing. Look back at any time to see your total miles run, your NikeFuel score and every run you took the app on. Not only can you wear the coolest Nike runners, decked out in the coolest Nike tracksuit, your super cool Nike ballcap blocking the sun from your eyes, but run until your legs wobble as part of Nike’s most exclusive and fit Run Club.
Runkeeper – GPS Track Run Walk
This app was put together by FitnessKeeper, and of the top apps for runners, it’s a keeper. With training plans specifically geared to your goals in mind, it will show and motivate you on how to become a better runner. It’s compatible with FitBit, Spotify and other apps and gear, and you can great your own virtual running group by simply adding friends. Keep track of your stats with audio updates in real time to pump you up for the final mile or push you to pick up the base. And you can use it for any movement type fitness activity, such as biking, walking and hiking, and record your routes to upload to the app for friends and others in your area to test out. You can even share your routes on social media to get the word out and inspire a real running club. With app-wide challenges offering rewards and pride, this app is as motivating as it is expansive. With over 450,000 ratings on the Android marketplace and a 4.5 rating, this is an app users should be eager to add to their collection.
One reason people avoid things like running or cycling is the lack of interaction. They’re solo events that leave you pitted against the road or pathway. But runners don’t need to join a formal group anymore to feel as part of something bigger. Many of the top apps for runners listed are community-based and encourage you to share your stats and routes with others. If anything, it can create for some healthy competition or motivate you when you see how others are doing. Regardless if you have fitness equipment or not, your device’s GPS can keep track of a lot of the stats you want access to. If you’re looking for more of a challenge, more motivation, more of a community, download one of these apps to up your run game and take it more seriously than you are.
