Although where I’m from, we’re still experiencing the dreaded winter weather; we’ve actually had a few days recently that have gotten above the low 50s and that means that I’ve actually been able to get outside for a comfortable outdoor run. That being said, running season is just around the corner and before we even know it, the snow will be melted and the birds will be chirping.
There’s a lot of things that you have to do to get ready for outdoor running season again. New running shoes, new equipment, maybe new clothes, there’s a lot of parts that go into the outdoor running season. And whether you’re a seasoned outdoor runner or are just looking to get started with running, i wanted to share with you some of my go to apps that help me get into and keep up with running season!
Of course, you need a music app
Everyone has a preference for what app they use for their music when they are working out. Some people even choose to just use their own personal musical library and not expand past that. However, I get bored with music pretty rapidly so I need to change up what I listen to pretty regularly. Also, I have a very odd selection of different music I listen to depending on where I am running. During a race I listen to a lot of Imagine Dragons and similar music, when I am running outside by myself I listen to a lot of movie tracks, and when I’m on the treadmill in the gym, I listen to a lot of Mumford and Sons and other lyric driven music. I’m weird like that.
Because I am always trying to change up what I’m listening to, I find that Spotify is the perfect place for me to keep my music collection for when I’m running. I can make different playlists for the different types of runs I am going on or I can just play random band radios so I don’t know what exact songs will be coming on so I won’t be bored with them. And it’s a really easy app to navigate. Spotify also breaks down music by activities. So you can find a playlist created for running or you can create your own.
My favorite feature of spotify that I think makes it stand out against other music apps is that there is a section full of music for different “genres and moods.” There, you can find different playlists that fall into a certain “beats per minute” category that can help you keep up with a certain pace throughout your run. Sadly, spotify used to have a feature where the app would track your running pace and play music that matched it, but early this year they decided to retire that feature, a decision that I’m still sad about. But hey, maybe in the future they’ll bring it back.
But if Spotify isn’t for you, there are other music apps such as Pandora and IheartRadio that are also commonly used and also very useful when running!
Couch to 5k
If you are just getting into running, I cannot stress to you how helpful apps such as “Couch to 5k” are. Really, if you would have told me 4 years ago that I was going to someday identify as a runner, I would have told you that you were absolutely insane! But with a little bit of extra boredom and some pent up energy, you can put your mind to anything.
I originally started using a couch to 5k app just to see how far I could get myself to go, never really expecting to actually get up to the 5k level. Give it a few months and there I was, able to run a slow, but steady 5k. These apps really work.
And it’s because they take it slow and they know what they’re doing. You can’t just wake up one day and decide out of no where that you want to run a 5k suddenly. No way. You have to ease your way into it and train your body to get there. These apps are great because they start you off really slow: walking for a few minutes, running for a minute, walking again, and then running another minute. And they slowly increase your running time and decrease your walking time, all while making sure you still get plenty of breaks in between each run to catch your breath, get some water, and prepare for the next one while you work up the stamina to go for longer and longer runs.
And the important thing is, these apps aren’t just for people who are learning how to run. When I was having medical problems last year and basically had to retrain myself to run, I went back to using an app like this to retrain my body new techniques to limit my abdominal pain. (Granted, I started at around a 15 minute run with a 5 minute walk in between), but the point is that these apps can help runners retrain after breaks or help them train to go further than a 5k!
An app like this is a wonderful arsenal to have on your phone even if you don’t use it every single run. And you don’t always have to go with the one that’s most expensive or the name brand. I downloaded an off brand couch to 5k app that was completely free and I absolutely love it!
A Run Tracking App
There are hundreds of these out there and everyone has a preference for which one they like to use (personally, I used Runmeter, which was free), but a run tracking app is the most important thing for a runner to have on their phone, especially if they are training for a race.
Basically, these apps are a runner’s best friend. They can record the average speed of a run, the overall time of a run and can track the route you went on and how far you ran. This is an important tool if you are preparing for a particular race or just getting used to running outside.
The one I use, and I am sure that plenty others do this as well, allows you to mark down certain routes you run often. This lets you track how well you are running on that particular route vs. other times you have run it and you can compare that route with other routes you have run as well. It’s a really helpful feature when you are trying to determine if things like hills slow you down or what kind of factors are affecting your running speed.
You can also share the results of your runs on social media which helps to keep you motivated! If you have your friends cheering you on, you can do practically anything!
Those are the main types of apps I use often when I am running, mostly running outside! Do you use similar apps? Let me know in the comments below what apps you use and I might check them out myself and begin a review series!
Until next time,
Kat
Kat Classics 