So, given what happened on marathon relay day when I had to quickly download the Runkeeper app for my phone and realised I really liked it, I have since flirted with the idea of selling my watch and using my iphone as my main running tool...controversial eh?
Runkeeper is ace, but nowhere near as ace as Mapmyrun+, a fantastic app filled with features. I donwloaded it last night and had a wee play about, so thought I would share my thoughts incase you too were looking for an inexpensive way to log your runs.
Firstly, there are two versions, one is free but doesn't have ipod controls built in and is filled with ads, so I opted for a blind testing of the mapmyrun+ app for only 69p.
Before having a fancy GPS watch i used map my run all the time to figure out how far I had ran, and I realy like the functionality of the site. So when I saw the app I already had a good idea it would be of a decent standard.
The app is laid out incredibly clearly and has some amazing functions. The main function is "recording" your runs which tracks your progress in real time. You can set this up to give you prompts as to your pace,distance, time etc. at any given interval, I like this about the Runkeeper app and found it allowed me to enjoy the run more rather than constantly looking at my watch.
They have a cool, and possibly slightly creepy feature, which is "Live Tracking". This brings up a map and shows where you are on the map in real time. This is cool because you can also sync it to twitter so it tweets a link to a live map so people can watch your progress...Live! That's exciting, so the lovely Chars will know where I am on my run home without having to call me so she can get the dinner on (I am joking of course, but you get the idea).
There is also a brilliant Routes section of the app where you can store your routes, but even cooler than that, you can check for nearby tried and tested routes based on your location. So if you are somewhere unfamiliar, check this section and you will have a wealth of information on where to go for a run.
The nutrition section of the app is great too. I know a lot of people are using My Fitness Pal app where you can log your foods and count calories, but Mapmyrun+ has this built in and syncs with your runs giving you a more accurate description of your calorie expenditure for a day.
I know it is early days but I think this app is great and I would strongly recommend it to anyone looking to get started with running. It will give you tonnes of information and if you are a stat/tech geek like me, you will love following your progress.
Let me know if you have tried it or indeed if you have found a better running app, would love to know your thoughts.
