iPhone App Review – Runkeeper Pro
As I’ve started to train for the Belfast Marathon, I’ve been using Runkeeper app for the iPhone to track my training and I must say I’m very impressed. I had the free version but upgraded to the Pro version at the start of last week week. At £5.99, it is quite steep for an iPhone app, but having used this for only a week, I think it justifies the cost.
It’s incredibly intuitive to use and has the ability to track my run via GPS, my time, pace, distance covered, calories burned and altitude. Once I have finished my run, I just hit save, and this data is then uploaded to my Runkeeper profile where I can view the route I ran on Google Maps and get a more detailed description of my workout. This information is public by default but you can set it to private if you wish. You can set this information to then propagate across your various networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook. I can also easily drill down stats in a nice graph on my to see what I’ve ran each week/month which makes tracking my marathon training a cinch..
Incidentally, Runkeeper can also be used to track cycling, walking, skiing, hiking and oddly enough, swimming, among others. I don’t know how confident I’d be taking a dip with the iPhone on my arm. Speaking of my arm, I use an iPhone armband for running with which I’d highly recommend as not only does it protect your iPhone but also doesn’t disrupt your running.
So, what has the Pro version got that the free version doesn’t? The Pro version allows you to set up custom training workouts with your own training play list. More importantly, the Pro version can be set up to give you updates through your headphones as you run. This can be set to update you based on time or distance. The update tells you how long you’ve been running, the distance covered and your average minutes per mile. You can also double tap the screen at any time for an update. I’ve found this invaluable as it’s a great motivator when I’m starting to flag. The Pro version of the App is also ad free.
The Runkeeper website is compatible with Polar heart rate monitors and although it doesn’t talk directly to the heart rate monitors, it seems very simple to just upload your data file after each run to factor it into your training summary. Runkeeper is also compatible with Withings Scales, which look like the daddy of bathroom scales. I really tempted to buy a set despite the pricey tag as this would really give a complete picture over time of how I’m doing. I’d also feel a bit like RoboCop powering down for the night after a run…
A nice community aspect of Runkeeper is the ability to create street teams. This is basically connecting with other users to track and measure your progress against each other. If so inclined, you can even buy a t-shirt to show your allegiance. If you think that’s a bit much, check out what some go even further. I currently only have one other in my street team so if you’d like to join mine or vice-versa, I’d welcome the invitation.
A couple of small issues I’d like to see improved – If you receive a call or text when running, the app pauses. I have a feeling this is due to the iPhone rather than the app but it is slightly annoying as I didn’t realise I got a text last week half way through my run and didn’t realise the app had stopped tracking until I’d finished.
On a geeky note, It would also be great if Runkeeper developed their API a little so that I could interrogate my own data. Right now, all they provide to work with is a GPX file which is far from ideal.
In conclusion, if you’re a casual runner, you should definitely download the free version, and if you’re anyway serious about running or training for an upcoming even, I’d highly recommend you download the Pro version.
Download: Runkeeper Free | Runkeeper Pro
