Whether you’re looking for a simple way to track your workouts, find new routes, or recover more efficiently,Ìýthere’s a runningÌýapp for you. We rounded up our favorites for every type of athlete, from the ultracompetitive to the total newbie.
Best Running Apps for: Training
MapMyRun (Free or $6 per month for MVP subscription)
is a simple run tracker and a great option for beginners. Just press startÌýwhen you hit the road, and the app will record your route and paceÌýand estimate how many calories you burned. You can create basic training plans to help you ease into running andÌýjoin motivational in-app clubs and group challenges. The MVPÌýsubscription includes features like heart-rate analysis, live tracking, and the ability to export training files to other software like .ÌýThe mapping system relies heavily on Google maps, so this is best for road runners.
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Strava (Free or $6 per month for all three Summit Pack subscriptions)
Like MapMyRun, Ìýmakes recording runs, creating routes, and discovering new loopsÌýeasy,Ìýbut it really excels atÌýpost-run analysis. If you run in a popular location, you can seeÌýhowÌýyou stackÌýup againstÌýthousands of other users, as well asÌýhow your times compare to your previous runs. It’s a great way toÌýtap into your competitive side without signing up for races. Beyond the free version, there are three subscriptions availableÌýcalled Summit Packs. Analysis, Safety, and Training include extras like heart-rate analysis, live tracking, and training plans. Compared withÌýMapMyRun, Strava’s trail maps are superior, making it theÌýapp of choice for many off-road runners.
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Interval (Free)
allows you to create your own customized workout by setting times for highÌýand lowÌýintervals plus theÌýtotal number of sets, as well as alloting a warmup and cooldown. Once you start your programmed interval session, it vibrates and beeps your phone as you move through your customized workout, soÌýyou know exactly when to push it and when to back offÌýwithout having to look at your screen. The programÌýruns in the background, which means itÌýwon’t get in the way of music, podcasts, or mapping apps. Interval training isn’t justÌýfor elite athletes—if you’re new to running or recovering from an injury, use the app to do a run-walk session and keep track of your time jogging versus strolling.
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Trailforks (Free)
was originally designed for mountain bikers, but it’s a helpful tool for runners looking for new trail systems. While apps like Strava have some good intel on trails, TrailforksÌýgoesÌýin-depth on what to expect, including live user updates about conditions.ÌýGoing way off the grid? You can download the area map so it’s available even when you’re out of serviceÌýrange.
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Best Running Apps for: Recovery and Wellness
Sleep Cycle (Free or $29.99 per year for Premium subscription)Ìý
There is no cheaper recovery techniqueÌýthan getting enough sleep. monitors your patterns using your iPhone’s accelerometer to detect movement, which indicates restful versus restless sleep and crunches that data into a graph showing the quality of your z’s. (Don’t worry, your phone doesn’t have to be strapped to your chest. Placed on the corner of your mattress is fine.) Over time, you’ll be able to track how your daily activities—say, running at night or opting for a second beer—impact your sleep patterns.ÌýThe alarm feature is designed to wake you up while you’re sleeping lightly within a preset time frame, so you’re ready to hit that early morning run feeling energized. Premium users have the ability to record moreÌýsubjective data, like your mood in the morningÌýand how you felt by the end of the day.Ìý
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HRV4Training ($10)
In recent years, heart-rate variability—the space between your heart beats—has become a popular and Ìýindicator of recovery among endurance athletes, and is one of the easiest and Ìýways to track yours. The app records your HRV using your phone’s camera flash to take your pulse via fingertip (a method that was Ìýin a study published in the International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance). ItÌýasks subjective questions about your fatigue levels and crunches the data to recommend whether you should push it or go easy that day.
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Clue (Free or $0.99 per month for Premium subscription)
For some women, nothing derailsÌýa workout quite like a painful period. Others perform their best during menstruation. Regardless of how your cycle impacts your fitness, it’s nice to know what to expect and when to expect it, and period tracking has never been easier, thanks toÌý. You can track symptoms and start to understand how your hormones impact your running, which is useful when you’re writing a training schedule.
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MyFitnessPal (Free or $9.99 per month for Premium subscription)
Ìýis the natural choice for runners focusing on nutrition. The user-friendly app, which has thousands of foods in its database, makes it easy to record what you eat throughout the day. In the free version, you’ll get a roughÌýcaloric breakdown of how what you ate stacked up against your caloric burn for the day. Premium users get daily macronutrient breakdownsÌýas well as the ability to export data and set custom goals. It’s a solid way to ensure that you’re getting enough post-workout protein and hydrating throughout the workday.ÌýPlus, it syncs up neatly with MapMyRun, since they’re both operated by UnderArmour.
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Best Running Apps for: MotivationÌý
Charity Miles (Free)Ìý
It sounds too good to be true, but you can earn money for charity . When you create a profile, you’ll choose charities—likeÌýthe World Wildlife Federation, the ASPCA, and the Wounded Warriors Project—you’d like to support. The app tracks your runs, and each mileÌýearns money from Charity Miles’s corporate sponsorship pool. You won’t get a lot of run data, since the app doesn’t save workouts and relies on a pedometer-style tracking method, but you’ll feel extra good about logging miles.
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Rock My Run (Free or $5 per month for Premium subscription)
The Rock My Run app senses your running cadence and creates a playlist with tempo-appropriate tunes, adjusting as you tick off miles. You can opt to sync your music to your pace or your heart rate.ÌýSlow down andÌýthe jams chill out. Speed upÌýand the app kicks the perfect track to get you psyched. Premium subscribers canÌýskip ads and have playlists longer than 45 minutes.
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