With an ever-expanding lineup of new phones and apps, BlackBerry users have a breadth of options when it comes to tracking their business and personal lives. In addition to business-centric apps, the BlackBerry App World features a great number of running programs that track running routes, calculate distances and speeds, and allow runners to keep pace with friends and teammates virtually. With many developers of hit iPhone and Android apps moving their content to the BlackBerry on top App World exclusives, BlackBerry users have a range of high-powered apps to help them improve their speed, go for longer distances, and access a wealth of data directly from their pocket.
1. iMapMyRun (free)
iMapMyRun Screenshot
iMapMyRun is a full-featured app which allows users to track outdoor fitness activities, create running routes, and monitor their progress across multiple sports. By using the phone’s built-in GPS technology, iMapMyRun plots running routes in real time—giving runners an accurate, at-a-glance method of tracking their progress during and after a workout session. The program uploads activities to a user’s profile on the MapMyRun.com website, providing even more details about individual entries and overall user statistics. From the website users can review their workout history, browse through their finishing times, assess the amount of calories burned per activity, and keep track of weight loss. Additionally, iMapMyRun and the MapMyRun.com website allow users to challenge friends, teammates, and rivals who also use the site. Runners can create races, boast about their accomplishments, and review the progress of their friends. This free app comes to the BlackBerry App World after finding success on the Android and iPhone platforms, giving BlackBerry users a chance to compete against friends across multiple carriers.
2. Adidas miCoach (free)
miCoach Screenshot
The Adidas miCoach system is a high-powered training option for runners, providing the standard GPS map and timing functionalities in addition to a customizable training plan and digital coaching. miCoach’s basic functions include GPS mapping, run timing, elevation calculation, and pace information. Delving deeper into the app provides users with an opportunity to create customizable training plans based upon their sport—creating comprehensive cross-training and running-based activities to improve performance and build strength. Users can track their progress, monitor their workout plan, and even receive real-time coaching. The miCoach app provides real-time directions, positive coaching, and up-to-the-minute updates of user data and accomplishments. By providing users with daily workouts and coaching feedback, miCoach makes sticking to a training plan easy and hassle-free to set up. Users need only to check their training plan, update their progress, and review their accomplishments in order to keep on-track. As an added, unique bonus, the app even features a monitor of shoe wear-and-tear, notifying users when they need to consider replacing their trainers for a new pair.
3. runtastic (Lite Version: Free; Pro Version: $5.99)
Runtastic Screenshot
Runtastic is a popular, multi-platform app which has recently found its way into the BlackBerry App World marketplace. Focusing on personal accomplishments in tandem with fitness-based social networking, Runtastic is a full-bodied app that allows users to not only stay motivated, but also stay informed of their achievements, milestones, and challenges. The app allows for multiple sports to be entered as activities, including running, hiking, biking, and skating. During an activity, the app can track a user’s path on GPS-enabled devices, providing current position and route information during activities. Post-workout, users can review created maps to monitor distance, speed, elevation, and calories burned per workout. Working in tandem with the handheld app, the Runtastic user page on the app’s web site allows users to maintain an automatic activity log—activities, calories burned, and personal stats are all visible to the user in order to track personal progress. Additionally, account holders can link with fellow users to monitor their progress, send messages, and issue challenges to help friends and competitors gain speed, increase distance, or shed pounds.
4. Endomondo (Lite Version: Free; Pro Version: $3.99)
Endomondo Screenshot
Endomondo is a widely-popular running app that allows users to track their runs, keep tabs on their pace and time, review routes, and challenge their friends to rise to the competition. The program allows users to track their progress via the BlackBerry GPS unit, recording any outdoor activity with accurate maps containing route and incline information. During activities, the app also provides audio feedback to indicate distance markers, time elapsed, and pacing. Users can also enjoy full audio functionality for listening to music or audiobooks while running. What separates Endomondo from other apps, however, is the pep-talk feature: friends and supporters can write text blurbs on the Endomondo website for a specific user, which are then read out by the app mid-activity. This innovative feature allows runners to stay motivated even without the thrill of a crowd cheering them on. Additionally, Endomondo features an extensive social networking feature which allows users to race against their friends’ times and create customizable challenges to send to other app users. Users can also run pre-set routes and attempt to beat the best time recorded by all Endomondo users for that path—being crowned as the route champion in the process. The full roster of features mentioned can be found in the Pro version of the software as available at BlackBerry App World.
5. Greattrainer (Free)
Greattrainer Screenshot
Greattrainer is a free and fully-featured running app that tracks all outdoor fitness activities, creating maps on GPS-enabled BlackBerry models that accurately depict mileage, elapsed time, pace, and topography. The app is an extension of the GreatRun website (www.greatrun.org), which hosts races throughout the United Kingdom and provides online coaching for runners of any experience level. The app allows users to record workouts, detail their routes and statistics, view calories burned per activity, and receive audio feedback based on set distances and time markers. The app allows users to set pace targets, informing them as to how close to targets mid-workout. Syncing activities to a user’s customized “Training Room” page, Greattrainer keeps a log of workouts, accomplishments, weight loss, and more. The app also provides a real-time tracking feature, allowing peers and friends to see a user’s progress mid-run. As this functionality is usually reserved for Pro versions of apps, including this feature for free is a perk for many runners. The app provides a comprehensive way of keeping track of progress, monitoring shifts in performance, and staying motivated during a strenuous workout.
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