A SHORT SUMMARY
Pros
- Offline usage
- Route planning
- Goal setting & Personal records
- Challenges: Every so often Runkeeper adds community challenges that users can participate in
- Connect with friends
Cons
- Premium availability
Runkeeper
An application that allows users to utilize their phone’s built-in location service to track their fitness activities, such as walking and running. Though less popular, users can also track exercises such as weight training, yoga, and other recreational activities. Upon initiation of the app, users are asked to create a login via email or social platforms such as Google+ or Facebook. Immediately after signup users can begin tracking their exercises via the “Go running” button.
Runkeeper was released by a Boston based company Fitnesskeeper Inc. in 2008, where it reached its acclaim. It’s no wonder that Runkeeper gained popularity quickly, as it was implementable as an accessory to runners who participated in the Boston Marathon every year. Runkeeper gained so much popularity, that in 2009 TIME Magazine ranked it among the top ten iPhone apps that year. Since then Runkeeper has found its way onto Android and other devices, making it a cross-platform app for fitness enthusiasts everywhere.
Pros
Offline usage: Runkeeper is designed to track exercises offline so long as the GPS service on the user’s phone is activated. This means wifi isn’t necessary to log activities, which provides peace of mind against interrupted service.
Route planning: Users can plan routes to walk or run online via the Runkeeper website and upload them to their devices. This allows user ease-of-access when they want to get up and go, without having to divulge into details. This also allows for future schedule setting.
Goal setting: Runkeeper allows users to enter specific goals they wish to achieve and keeps track of their progress in achieving them.
Personal records: Users have access to all previously recorded activities and can browse over them at their leisure.
Challenges: Every so often Runkeeper adds community challenges that users can participate in. These challenges typically sponsor a socially-based cause such as running for breast cancer and other concerted efforts. Each challenge has rules and guidelines that the user must follow, as well as a specified amount of days to complete the challenges. This creates an inspiration behind fitness as well as a sense of community while doing so.
Connect with friends: Users can connect with friends and compare and contrast results, or schedule exercise times for accountability and support.
Training plans: Users can take advantage of professional plans to improve health, running ability, prepare for races, and achieve weight loss. All training plans are generically organized by trained professionals who have trained countless professional athletes before.
Cons
Premium availability: The only down side is that while there are a lot of free options, many training and data analysis capabilities are only offered via a premium membership. Premium costs $9.99 a month or a yearly $39.99 fee.
In conclusion
Runkeeper is an outstanding app that not only allows you to keep track of exercises and data, but will also offer plans that target your specific training needs. Many people have found this app useful for improving their athletic ability, losing weight, or simply testing their limits and keeping track of how they did so in a graphical, engaging way. Runkeeper is a great app with virtually no downsides.
