After you run a half marathon and the runner’s high is long gone and the glory of the medal seems to just hang in your bedroom’s back wall, I wondered, “how am I going to keep myself in check and in shape throughout the winter?” Let’s be honest – winter is hard. There are lots of carbs to be eaten, darkness and SAD set in fast, and it’s not easy to get outside and run as much as you want.
Well, for one. I already signed up for the Pittsburgh (half) Marathon in May. I know that if I have goals to meet, I’ll keep that in the back of my mind. I might still eat a full bowl of pasta, but I know I can go out and burn it off (carb loading, right!?).
Second – I’ve embraced the competition. I like competition, and I like being held accountable. When I started running, my “run buddies” told me to download an app that would track my runs just so I could use them as measurement. Everyone who runs uses an app to track it, and here’s why someone like yourself NEEDS a good app like RunKeeper.
Why I Love RunKeeper:
– The Social Aspect.
All your friends who run can be your friend and you can see each other’s runs. Now, I don’t know about you – but I like to show that I REALLY AM OUT RUNNING. So, I like that they can see I’ve been active, how far I’ve been, and what my splits are (no walking!). I love being held accountable – knowing my real runner friends will see my time means no slacking. I need to show them that I’ve been keeping up, and I end up holding myself to a higher standard. Plus, when I look back and see all the runs I’ve accomplished along the way, all those miles really add up! It’s great for morale!
PS – did you know you can tag in your friends who run with you on the RunKeeper app? Very cool.
– Running In Detail
Since I’m a newbie runner, I love all the components RunKeeper gives me after my run. Unlike other apps, it breaks the map into miles (giving mile markers), which I love to see visually, and know for next time if I want to run that same route again. I also love that that it gives splits (you time per mile), and even shows you the elevations AFTER you ran. That shows you if you were climbing a huge hill and were a little slower. Just knowing that info gives you more data to improve your run for next time, or know your strengths and weaknesses.
– Extra Extra! Train All About it!
There is an upgrade option for RunKeeper which is really worth the extra $$. If you are training for a race, or just trying to lose those extra baby weight pounds, you can have your own customized plan – right on your phone! Working on that upcoming marathon? You can even get plans from real coaches! It’s all about simplicity – have your training plan and runs tracked all in one centralized place – and then also share with friends (or even on Twitter and Facebook if you want some extra motivation!)
Since I am running the Pittsburgh Half Marathon in May, I am signed up for the Intermediate Half Marathon Plan. It’s 23 weeks (six months) with four workouts each week. This way, RunKeeper will get with right through winter with no slacking – ti will give me rest days, motivation, and a countdown to the big day. Seriously, can I tell you I love this app anymore?
RunKeeper is a FREE app download in Apple iTunes or Google Play. Once you grab it, let me know so we can be friends and tracks our runs together!
I was given a complimentary upgrade of the RunKeeper app to test the product, but all opinions of RunKeeper are my own. Thank you to MomTrends and RunKeeper for keeping me on the right track – literally!
