With Christmas just around the corner, you might be getting a new phone, tablet or smart watch.
And one of the first things you’ll need to think about is which apps you’ll get on your new device.
Of course, being a runner will mean that apps that improve your performance should be top of your list!
But with a huge amount of choice out there, which ones are the best?
Here are the apps that have helped my running performance. Some are obvious, but there are some hidden gems in there too.
I hope they’re useful.
Note - During the festive season, you might have extra time to train too - If so, check out my last blog with 12 tips for keeping up training during Winter.
Apps that Help with Running Training
The most important apps are the ones that actually help with your training.
Below are the apps that I use to plan or track my running.
1) Excel/ Google Sheets
Before you even set foot out for a run, you should have a solid plan.
Each session should have a clear reason why you’re doing it. Even if that reason is simply ‘easy recovery’ or ‘for fun’.
One of the easiest ways to plan a training schedule is in Excel and/ or Google Sheets.
I find excel easier to use when you need to start something from scratch. So I will often create my main training plan in Excel.
But Google Sheets is much easier to use when you need access to the document from multiple places. And only need to make small tweaks here and there.
So I’ll upload the excel plan to Google Sheets for tweaks and general tracking once I’ve started a plan.
I also use this approach with the athletes that I coach. Because in Google Sheets you can see when someone else has made a change to the document. For example, if I make a change to a training session for an athlete.
Plus, you can both easily edit the document.
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2) Polar Flow
I use the Polar Vantage V GPS Sports Watch which automatically syncs to Polar Flow. So naturally I use this app as the main way that I track and analyse my workout data.
It’s really user friendly and gives you lots of ways to cut the data.
Plus the app has lots of other interesting data, including your ‘training load’ - how much effort and strain you’re accumulating over time. And it shows your sleep tracking. Whether you’re getting enough. And what the quality of your sleep is like.
3) Strava
It goes without saying that I also use Strava too. But this is mainly because Strava syncs as soon as it connects to Polar Flow. Rather than me making a direct choice to use the app.
I mostly use Strava for the social aspect. Chatting to followers and following other people too.
If you fancy following me, check out my Strava profile here and below.
4) Zenly
Zenly is an app which allows your contacts to track you at any time. So it’s similar to one of the features of Strava’s paid-for version, Summit.
But Zenly is free.
You probably won’t find it on many ‘top apps for runners’ articles.
But it’s on my list because it means my wife can easily see where I am, when I’m out running.
This is useful for a number of reasons.
First, when I’m commuting from work, she can see when I am likely to be home. Second, she can see that I’m still moving, and I haven’t dropped dead, on my longer runs!
5) The Nike Training App
This is one of the best apps that I have.
The free Nike Training App gives you loads of workouts that you can easily filter in a number of ways:
Workout Type - Strength, yoga, pilates, etc
Length of time you have available
Equipment you have available - e.g no equipment vs a full gym
The videos and instructions are really easy to follow. Even if you’ve never done these type of workouts before.
My favourite two sessions are the 20-minute ‘glute and hip strength’ workout and the 20-minute ‘lower body strength yoga’.
Everyone I have introduced this app to has absolutely loved it and found it very useful.
Apps that Keep Me Entertained During Running
So you’ve got some apps that will help you to create a plan to get fitter, faster and train more often and for longer.
And now you’ll need something to keep you entertained on those long training runs. Here are my favourites.
1) Audible - Get a Free 30-Day Trail with One Book, Here
There seem to be three groups of runners that I’ve met:
Those who can’t listen to anything whilst running
Those who can only listen to music
The ‘try-hard’s’, who want to make the most of their running by listening to something educational or entertaining
I’m part of the third group - A ‘try-hard’.
I love to make the most of every moment of my run. And so I listen to lots and lots of audiobooks. Because I run quite a lot, I often get through a book a week.
And Audible is perfect for giving me the huge choice of some of the best books.
For £7.99 a month, you get one free book a month.
And you can get a free-30 day trial, by clicking here, or the link below.
With this trial, you’ll get…
One free audiobook - which is yours to keep, even if you cancel in the free trial period. If you’re a Prime customer, you’ll receive two audiobooks in the trial.
The ability to choose from the world's largest selection of audiobooks - including best sellers, new releases, sci-fi, romances, mysteries, classics, and more.
The option to cancel easily, anytime
It’s definitely worth taking the free trial, as you get the free book and can cancel whenever.
One of my favourite books has been ‘Can’t Hurt Me’ by David Goggins. Which was a truly inspirational and amazing story.
Try the free 30-day trial here.
2) Podcasts
Continuing my admittance that I’m a ‘try-hard’, if I’m not listening to an audiobook whilst running, I listen to podcasts.
I’ve got a number of podcasts that I listen to regularly. You can see some of my favourites here.
And if you’d like some ideas for specific podcast episodes, you can check out my podcast review series - here.
3) Spotify
Although I listen predominantly to audiobooks or podcasts whilst training, there are rare occasions I use Spotfiy.
This is for the very, very dark times during races, when I need something uplifting to get me out of a bad place.
And for those occasions I have my special ‘Ultra-Running Motivational Playlist’.
This is a playlist filled with the most upbeat, cheesy pop and Disney songs that you can imagine. It has songs from Steps, S-Club 7 and more. And by ‘more’, I mean ‘worse’.
A motivational ultra-running playlist can be an extremely powerful technique for getting you through a tough time during a run. And so I highly recommend that any runner create their own.
But you should only use it sparingly, when you’ve exhausted other options to recover, first.
If you use the playlist too often, it will lose it’s power… And become very annoying rather than uplifting.
Embarrassingly, here’s a link to my playlist to give you some inspiration for your own.
Apps that Help with Running Nutrition
And finally, once you’ve finished that long run, after listening to something extremely educational, you’ll need to make sure you fuel in the right way.
Apps that track your nutrition can be extremely helpful. I’ve used two apps for this
1) FatSecret
A couple of years ago, I wanted to start tracking my food and drink intake very specifically. And so I was looking for an easy-to-use, but thorough app.
I did quite a bit of research as there are loads of options out there.
And I ended up using FatSecret for about 18 months. I tracked nearly every single calorie that I put into my body.
FatSecret was great for a few reasons.
First, tracking your food intake this meticulously really does open your eyes to your eating habits. As well as how many calories are in certain foods and drinks.
Second, it is quite easy to find and input foods on the app.
Once you’ve input a food once or twice, it’s quite easy to select it again and again.
Although, it does still take a lot of time to input everything you eat. Especially for ultra-runners who tend to eat a lot!
Third, it does really make a difference to what you end up eating and drinking. Mostly because you’re so much more aware of what you’re putting in your body.
But you also begin to skip that chocolate bar or pack of crisps… Because you remember how much more effort it is to put it into an app!
2) Way of Life
I don’t use FatSecret any more, because I found that I had got most of the benefits of using it.
And it was taking up a lot of time to input into it.
Now I use the ‘Way of Life’ app to track broader habits, which include my eating habits.
The app is great for tracking multiple habits in one place.
You create the habit in the app, then every day you can track your progress against it with a simple ‘tick’ or ‘cross’ to show whether you were successful that day or not.
The style of the app means that you’re more motivated to get more ticks than crosses. And so it’s a great way to change current habits, introduce new ones or get rid of bad ones.
At the moment, I track a range of habits, including; ‘drinking water when first waking up’, ‘doing push ups’, ‘doing yoga or strength and conditioning’, ‘ eating healthily, with no treats’ and ‘not drinking’.
I’ve really noticed the difference since using it, as it’s changed some of my good, and bad, habits.
What Apps Do You Use that Help With Your Running Performance?
Let me know in the comments at the bottom of this blog, on the Contact Page or on social media below.
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What Should You Read Next?
Check out these 12 tips for keeping your training on track over Christmas
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