Are you trying to get back into shape with a running watch or a fitness app on your phone? Looking for one that is specialized in running? No problem!
There are so many great interval training and free running apps available to download which allow you to hone in on your fitness and practice regulated rhythms. Interval training lets you alternate between phases of slow and fast running to really boost your fitness levels and endurance when it comes to running.
It’s an ideal way to train for those who want to work on their stamina and practice different kinds of running and for varying lengths of time, so it’s great for the 100m sprint and marathon training!
With an interval training app, your intervals will be determined for you so that you have a varied and disciplined workout. It's an excellent choice if you can't afford an online personal trainer, and the other online training possibilities are not for you.
What are the Benefits of a Running Watch or Interval Running App?
Whether you want to lose weight or become a better runner they both have the same process. You need to put in the work and have the discipline to perform the work regularly. Without these two things, you won't see any results.
Hiring a personal trainer can be the best way to reach your running goals. Your personal trainer takes of everything from start to finish, and can push you when you need it most. It's easier to stay motivated with a personal trainer, but they can be expensive.
Unfortunately, a personal trainer can also be expensive. Luckily there are many other options thanks to the the proliferation of fitness apps and watches. Using a fitness app or watch can be a great way to stay on task and work on your wellness goals.
Pros and Cons of Using a Running App
- Inexpensive or free
- Easy to track and record progress
- Notifications help you to get into routine
- May be easier to lose a sense of accountability
- Intensity of training may be less than having a personal trainer
What is the Best Free Running App or Fitness App?
For interval running there's a long list of great fitness apps that will help you with training. A lot of these apps are free, but some have additional costs for more features. These costs will still be cheaper than a personal training session.
Your interval running app will be like your trainer in your back pocket. They can keep a schedule, track your record and show you ways to progress. You won't have the accountability feature of working with a trainer. You're more likely to go to a trainer because they are there waiting for us at the gym but fear not - these apps can give you the same sense of accountability.
Here is a list of the best fitness apps on the market today.
Strava
Cost: Free for first 30 days, then $8.33 CAD a month or $99.99 CAD a year. Family and student pricing available.
With 100 million+ users Strava touts itself as the top fitness app. The app features 30 activity types and a variety of tracking charts and metrics so you can monitor your fitness gains. Strava syncs with other products like Fitbit, Apple Watch, and Garmin, giving it a flexibility difficult to find in any other app.
Strava is a modern, slick app that attracts users for its ease of use and ability to track so many different things. You can probably find your gym friends and running partners on the app, which makes it a fun way to make fitness more than just a personal journey.
The Pros of Strava
- Tracks many activities, including running, cycling, and swimming, and metrics like distance, pace and elevation.
- Connect with friends to share workouts, and motivate; join fitness clubs.
- Get route suggestions for running, create custom routes, or follow frequently used heatmaps.
- Premium subscription offers performance analysis , training load, advanced analytics, and fitness trends, and more.
The Cons of Strava
- Limited free features.
- May reveal sensitive information if privacy settings are not adjusted properly.
- GPS feature takes up battery.
- Emphasis on leaderboards or comparisons can discourage less competitive users.
- Lack of offline features.
Runna
Cost: $27.99 CAD a month or $162.99 CAD per year.
Runna is a top rated app that has been covered in numerous fitness publications, such as Men's Fitness and Runner's World. Focused on running, it creates personalized workouts and syncs with most devices.
Runna has specific training programs for athletes running a 5k or 10k race, a half-marathon, marathon, or ultra. There is also a community function, and you can find invitation to in person running events.
Pros of Runna
- Plans adapt to your fitness level, schedule, and progress
- Seamless activity tracking and data import/export with most popular devices
- Opportunities to engage with other users and receive community support
- Tips, videos, and articles on running technique, nutrition, and injury prevention for beginner and advanced runners
- Tracks metrics like pace, distrance and times.
Cons of Runna
- Best features are in paid subscriptions
- Focused primarily for runners
- Depends on other devices for GPS and heart rate
- Requires regular updates
- Heavily reliant on internet connectivity
- Features may take a long time to learn
Runna is a great option for those committed to structured running programs but less ideal for casual users or athletes doing a variety of fitness activities and sports.
Map My Run by Outside
Cost: $8.49 CAD a month
Are you a fan of the Under Armour brand? In their partnership with Map my Run by Outside, they have synced their shoes with the popular app. In their HOVR shoes, Under Armour has embedded a sensor in the right foot that connects seamlessly to the Map my Run app via Bluetooth.
As a result, runners can get detailed metrics on different elements of their running.
Map My Run is a great option for runners of all levels. It integrates with Under Armour’s product ecosystem and features lots of tools that make it an appealing option for fitness enthusiasts. However, if you are and advanced runner you may find it more worthwhile to invest in a premium subscription.
Pros of Map My Run
- Gait coaching when paired with Under Armour shoes
- Provides detailed maps of running route alongside other data
- Create custom running routes or discover routes shared by others in your community
- syncs with other trackers and devices like Apple Watch and Garmin
- get personalized training plans for your levels and goals
- Participate in global leaderboards
- Also tracks cycling, walking, and strength training
Cons of Map My Run
- Some users have reported inconsistencies in GPS tracking, especially in areas with poor signal
- Advertising presence in free version
- coaching and GPS can be draining on your battery
- lacks some advanced options offered by apps like Strata
- The free version of Map My Run has robust features, but you’ll have to pay the premium for advanced analytics, live training, and additional tools.
- App can seem overwhelming to beginner users that prefer a simple interface.
Sportractive
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
With over a million users, Sportractive Running and Fitness improves health and fitness with a particular aim of fat-burning with its intense interval workouts. The personal trainer provides an analysis of your performance and lets you establish clear goals to reach for both the short- and long-term.
As well as practising interval training, there are also loads of health and fitness apps to help you work on other activities such as walking and power walking, cycling, and stretching, for example.
The personalization feature of this app gives you the option of different interval intensities, so you can gradually build up to new levels of fitness without straining yourself, and it also provides recuperation exercises to make sure you adapt and relax properly.
The pros of Sportractive:
- The colour-coded mapping system to help you follow your course easily
- Its Bluetooth compatibility
- The import and export of data so that you can share it with other fitness apps and software
- It’s a completely free app with everything you need for a great workout
- You can sync it to Google Chromecast
- It has a really accurate distance tracker
The cons of Sportractive:
- It’s not compatible with ANT protocol
- It doesn’t have an auto-pause option
Decathlon Coach
Cost: Free
Decathlon is the go-to for all things sports and fitness – so why not give their app a try?
This retail brand has shops in 28 different countries worldwide, and now they’ve developed their own fitness app to help its customers put all their kit to good use! Whether you’re preparing for a marathon, or simply discovering new fitness hobbies, this app is could be the solution for you.
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This app intuitively adapts to all levels of fitness, letting you follow a program that helps you improve and progress as the weeks go on.
The Decathlon Coach app offers you a real coaching experience: you’ll be accompanied by a real personal trainer in your ear to encourage you during your session. The coach provides detailed explanations of the exercises you embark on and guides you as you carry them out.
The pros of Decathlon Coach
- High-quality vocal coaching
- A pleasant and easy-to-navigate display
- The option of using a heart rate monitor as you work out
- It’s not full of adverts, even though the app is free
- Your weight is analyzed and divided into fat, muscle and bone mass
- An accurate GPS tracker
The cons of Decathlon Coach
- Not compatible with Android
- There have been issues with bugs in the past
- Uses significant battery power
So overall, a great app to help you get to and stay on top form!
iSmooth Run
Cost: $4.99 CAD a month, $24.99/year
The iSmooth Run app is great for people who love speed and getting out in the open. The app lets you set custom intervals before you set off on your run, so your workout session is perfectly tailored to you.
And once you’ve set up your intervals, the app will count for the rest breaks that you need to balance out the effort. It cleverly also has a weather-logging feature to let you know how the weather might be affecting your performance, and it reminds you of this whenever you use it.
iSmooth Run boasts so many useful features and connects up to your Apple HealthKit too. Benefit from a built-in metronome and heart rate-based training to help you keep your pace and breath properly.
The pros of iSmooth Run:
- A helpful in-app coach to guide and encourage you
- Cadence tracking and a built-in metronome
- Maps, graphs and statistics of your activity and progress
- Accurate GPS and pedometer for both indoors and outdoors
- Custom interval workouts
The cons of iSmooth Run:
- App requires payment
- There isn’t an enormous choice of varied exercises
Runkeeper
Cost: free for basic features, $11.99 CAD per month or $39.99 per year for "Go" (premium) options
This app is fairly basic in its running and interval training features – its specialty, however, is its built-in DJ. This app seamlessly syncs up your pace with your music, so you’re never bored or lagging.
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The app analyses the music on your phone by detecting its tempo, genre and mood, and then creates a playlist to match your speed.
This app reminds us just how important music can be for exercise! The right playlist setting a good rhythm will enhance your activity and improve your pace, boosting the overall effectiveness of your workout.
Music can be really helpful during interval training too, and it’s easy to find songs that contain long sections of different beats to help you take measured intervals and breaks. And thankfully, Runkeeper does this for you!
The pros of Runkeeper:
- It tailors a workout schedule to the individual
- You can design your own exercise regime
- It shows the weather forecast to help you plan
- The built-in DJ keeps you pumped and motivated, connecting up to iTunes and Spotify
- You can set goals and compete
- You can compare statistics and celebrate progress with other users
- It’s free!
The cons of Runkeeper:
- There isn’t a huge choice of different exercise activities
- It’s quite simplistic compared to other running apps
- It doesn’t have many show-stopping features besides music syncing
Nike Run Club
Cost: Free
Nike is one of the most famous brands in the world of fitness, so it should not be surprising that its running app is one of the most popular ones out there. What could be more motivating than buying a brand new pair of Nike running shoes and hopping on the app to track your mileage?
The Nike Run Club app is a great app for beginner and casual runners that are looking for a starting point into running and want some additional motivation. If you are already an experienced runner and want more detailed analytics, however, than this app may not be for you. However it is free to use and has lots of social features that will keep you engaged.
Pros of Nike Running App
- Perfect for novice runners
- Tracks essential running metrics
- Motivational challenges and rewards system to keep you engaged
- Fitness plans adjust to your progress and level of activity
- Fun and exciting endorsements from professional athletes and coaches
- Free to use - no need to sign up for a subscription!
Cons of Nike Run Club
- App focuses solely on running, and does not include other cardio activities
- Some users report inconsistencies in GPS features
- Missing in-depth performance analytics such as cadence and vertical oscillation, which are offered by other apps like Strava or Garmin
- Some app updates have been frustrating to users
- Features are optimized for Nike gear, so you may not maximize the app if you use a variety of products
If you are a fan of the Nike brand and want to start running or are already running on a somewhat casual basis, this could be the app for you. The app is highly rated on the Apple app store, with hundreds of thousands of users giving it a 4.8. Best of all, the app is free to use!
Pacer
Cost: $3.99 CAD a month, $49.99. a year
Pacer is an easy to use running app that also tracks everything you do on your feet from walking, running, and hiking. Pacer keeps track of your steps daily, but it is perfect for runners looking for a great app.
The app offers GPS tracking, calorie tracker, activity time and shows you your activity level for the day. The majority of features are free on Pacer, but it does have a payment option. By paying a monthly fee you'll have access to an AI coach that can help increase your runs. You'll also have a long list of workouts to improve your runs.
The pros of Pacer:
- Gps tracking
- AI Coaching
- Community
- Access to workouts
- Tracks activity level
The cons of Pacer:
- Paid version
- No schedule for runs
- No intergerated music feautre
Pacer is like having a trainer in your pocket. The app focuses on running and definitely stands out from other apps. The paid feature can be negative for some people but the amount of value you'll get from the fee is worth it. Pacer can definitely help increase your interval training for running.
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Run Coach
Cost: $39 CAD per month
Run Coach is just like the name says. It's an app that is your very own personal running coach. You can create a workout schedule or have the app create one for you. The app will also provide recommendations based on how to improve your runs. Run Coach does have a paid version where you can access real personal trainers to help improve your runs.
The pros of Run Coach:
- Customized guidance
- Set goals
- Programs adapt with you
- Option to work with a coach
The cons of Run Coach:
- The paid version is more expensive than other apps
- Missing other features most running apps provide
The Run Coach app is perfect for those who need a schedule or help with their runs. The app makes it easy for anyone to use with there easy interface. It customizes runs for each user which makes it very unique from other running apps. It gives you the option of working with a personal trainer which is a great add-on for users that need extra help.
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Start Using the Best Running App Today!
Having the right app for your runs can help you. A lot of apps have good features. There may be one app you may find that works better for you compared to another one. Try out a few apps before making the commitment to one.
We like the ones with added training programs because they incorporate an accountability component. It gets you in a schedule so you can stay committed to reaching your goals. Have a goal in mind and find the best app that works for you.
Think about your fitness goals, whether it’s weight loss, increasing endurance, or simply moving around more. Whatever your objectives, the perfect app is waiting for you! Or why not look at the other online training options available to you?
And if you are ready to invest more in your health, find an online personal trainer on Superprof. Superprof offers lessons online and in-person giving you the freedom and flexibility to work out on your own time. They have the knowledge and experience to help you where you need. Start improving your runs today!
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