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What’s the No. 1 New Year’s resolution? To lose weight and get in shape, of course. What’s one of the best ways to do both? Running.
If you’re a novice runner, an app like Couch to 5k is a great place to start. But for anyone who’s already accustomed to hitting the pavement, I’ve yet to find an app I like better than RunKeeper.
The Pro version normally costs $9.99, but from now until the end of January, you can get RunKeeper Pro absolutely free.
Way back in July 2009, I called RunKeeper the “coolest freakin’ iPhone application ever.” And to this day I still think it ranks in the top 10.
The app tracks your physical activities: running, walking, biking, skiing, and even gym-based stuff like treadmills. For most of these it relies on your iPhone’s GPS to monitor your location, speed, distance, time, route, and so on.
When you’re done with, say, a run, one tap is all it takes to upload your data to the RunKeeper Web site, where you can review your route on a map and check all your statistics.
Along the way, RunKeeper can pipe your chosen playlist and/or provide audio cues, like your time, distance, and average pace. It also offer “coaching” options (target pace and interval training) and geo-tagged photos (which are a pain to take while running, but still cool).
In short, it’s nothing short of a killer app for runners. There are countless others, but I haven’t found any reason to switch. It’s definitely worth $10, so getting it for free is like getting a belated holiday present.
While we’re on the subject of fitness, be sure to check out my previous post on four apps that can help you lose weight. Now put down that Twinkie and get off the couch! (This from the guy whose butt has been in a desk chair all day.)
