What's the best running app?

February 5, 2013 5:09 AM

I just got a new iPhone. I used to have an adroid and had a favorite running app. Unfortunately, that app is not available for the iPhone. So, MeFite runners, what works for you? I'd like something what won't seize up or shut down in the middle of a run, that will let me listen to music or a podcast, and that will track my runs for me. If possible, I would also like an app that lets me record cross-country skiing and time on the elliptical machine (my winter and non-running day activities). Thanks.
posted by Area Man to Health & Fitness (14 answers total)

The Nike+ App?
posted by nikkorizz at 5:17 AM on February 5, 2013

Runkeeper does all those things. I've had absolutely no problems with it, and it has some nice features that I really enjoy (tracks your progress toward mileage goals, shows you your pace vs. elevation per run.) And it's free.
posted by punchtothehead at 5:29 AM on February 5, 2013 [5 favorites]

Another vote for Runkeeper. It's had a major update recently and works very nicely indeed.
posted by Catseye at 5:41 AM on February 5, 2013

I just got the polar app which integrates with a bluetooth enabled heart rate monitor.
posted by shothotbot at 5:58 AM on February 5, 2013

Runkeeper!
posted by MadamM at 6:00 AM on February 5, 2013

Using Runkeeper and it keeps out of the way and tracks running and cycling. Haven't tried it with hr-monitor if that's what you're also looking for, but everything else aside it's good.
posted by monocultured at 6:12 AM on February 5, 2013

I use MapMyRun and am quite happy with it.
posted by mynameisluka at 6:29 AM on February 5, 2013

I'm a fan of RunKeeper, which has been very reliable. Runmeter has the same features and also tracks the weather during your runs, which is nifty.
posted by JuliaKM at 6:59 AM on February 5, 2013

I like Strava. It was originally designed as a cycling app (I think) but works well for running, and the developers seem to be trying to adapt it even more to add features that runners might appreciate.
posted by gubenuj at 7:16 AM on February 5, 2013 [2 favorites]

Another vote for Runkeeper.
posted by barnoley at 7:20 AM on February 5, 2013

RunKeeper for running (and biking) here.
posted by Brian Puccio at 8:47 AM on February 5, 2013

As someone who used both runkeeper and strava - strava kills it because of the segment leaderboard feature.

Strava has 'segments'; for example a very well know segment is the Central park loop in NYC; but there a tons of segment all over the country.

The genius of segments is that whenever you run a segment (and it can be small, a hill, a sprint, etc...), Strava automatically recognizes it, tells you how fast you were compared to other times... and places you on a leaderboard with other Strava users.

It adds a 'game/fun' aspect to it that you really don't have with runkeeper.
posted by Riton at 1:11 PM on February 5, 2013

Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I did some skate skiing on Sunday and used Runkeeper for the first time. So far, so good. I liked the updates I got every five minutes with my pace and the distance I had covered.

Strava sounds pretty cool, but I don't usually run in well-known areas (more around the streets of my neighborhood than in parks or on trails), so that particular feature isn't as of much interest to me.
posted by Area Man at 10:04 AM on February 11, 2013

Just so you know, the segment thing in Strava isn't at all limited to parks. It can be anywhere, and that is part of the fun of it--realizing, for example, that you're not the only one who ever runs down 5th Street SE from 10th to 15th Avenue SE. I don't know Minneapolis at all, but it looks like there are a fair number of segments mapped throughout at least portions of the city.
posted by gubenuj at 12:16 AM on February 13, 2013