The 5 Best Running Apps of 2022

BySean McKlveen
Best Running Apps 2022

Running can appear to be one of the least complicated forms of exercise; all you need to do to get started is lace up a pair of running shoes, put on some upbeat music, and hit the pavement. In point of fact, nothing could be further from the truth. Running takes a lot of skill, which can be gained via good conditioning and practice. This is especially important in order to prevent injury. Because not everyone has the opportunity or the resources to pay a coach, a running app is an excellent tool for getting into your stride, regardless of whether you are a seasoned professional runner or are just beginning to dabble in the sport.

When evaluating a running application, there are a few key characteristics that should be looked for. Tracking your pace, heart rate, and distance are the three metrics that matter the most, according to Keegan Draper, a certified personal trainer and fitness specialist with Mindbody. Once you begin making progress, the mapping and elevation features will assist (as well as motivate) you by suggesting routes and popular parts that have already been completed by other app users. Additionally, a GPS tracking service is an essential component to have, particularly in critical situations or in the event that you become disoriented. The advanced athletes should also incorporate pace variability characteristics, according to fitness guru Anthony Crouchelli. He encourages people to “change up those paces” and “work towards becoming comfortable in a new rhythm” so that they can “unlock their future potential.”

Runs are a lot more enjoyable when they include social and competitive elements since they bring more people together. There are many running applications that include them, and they are wonderful for keeping you accountable to yourself, moving you closer to your objectives, and giving you the sense that you are a part of a community.

Are you prepared to start piling on the mileage? The following are five running applications that have been recommended by trainers to assist you in reaching your goals.

The Top 5 Running Apps for the Year 2022

  • Best Overall: Nike Run Club
  • Strava is the winner when it comes to community.
  • The Couch to 5K program is ideal for first-time runners.
  • Top in Terms of Its Features: Keep up with Meg.
  • Best for Outdoor Runs: Relive

Best Overall: Nike Run Club

  • There is no charge.
  • Experience Level in the Fitness Industry: Beginning to Advanced

Why Did We Go With It? The trainers favor the app’s tracking and audio-guided runs (which you can overlay with your favorite playlist), goal-setting functionality, and the ability to track personal progression against previous runs. The app comes highly recommended by Steve Stonehouse, NASM CPT, USATF Run Coach, and Vice President of Programming and Education for STRIDE. Brittany Watts, CPT, is also a certified personal trainer. The professionals like the built-in photo and stat sharing aspects of the software, in addition to the one-of-a-kind functionality of tracking both miles and shoes as bonuses.

Pros

  • High-caliber training and organized races
  • Tracks important stats & GPS
  • Goal-setting
  • Compatible with the Apple Music platform
  • Focus on the local community
  • Locator for shoes

Cons

  • May seem challenging for those just starting out
  • There have been reports of problems while pairing with Apple Watch in several reviews.

The Nike Run Club (NRC) app promotes itself as the ideal running companion, and the company suggests that you picture it as a close friend whose mission it is to cheer you on at every step by providing you with helpful coaching cues. The free software provides guided runs with vocal prompts, much like a motivating voice that is already there in your head and believes that you are capable of accomplishing the goal. There are other versions that are synchronized with Headspace, which will help you enter and remain in the zone of focused attention.

This application has a built-in GPS and gives you the ability to monitor your progress using a variety of useful metrics, such as your pace, position, distance, elevation, heart rate, and mile splits. You are in charge of determining what you look at when you are out running. Therefore, if you’re only paying attention to one or two KPIs, you should get rid of the others and make them your top priorities.

The NRC app is designed to keep you inspired and striving by providing you with in-run shouts from the app community, special Apple Music mixes, and words of encouragement from great athletes. Community features also provide you the ability to compare your runs with those of other Nike runners by making use of a hashtag to determine where you are in relation to particular goals or challenges.

You can even obtain a tailored plan from a Nike Coach based on your fitness level and goals—as you grow, the program evolves with you. When sharing your runs with the NRC community, you can personalize them with images, stats, stickers, and select who sees them, whether you’re the kind to blast your hard work over your whole social network or closely share with a few close pals.

The most unique feature: You can track your kilometers with every pair of running shoes you possess (even those from non-Nike companies) (even styles from non-Nike brands). Plus, you can monitor the wear and tear of your shoes, so you know when it’s time for a new pair.

Best for Community: Strava

  • Price: Free; $60 annually for premium access
  • Fitness Experience Level: Beginner

Why We Chose It: Strava is trainer-recommended for its fitness and community features—from staying connected with pals to hitting personal records and checking popular route suggestions. Trainers also enjoy the app’s ability to interface with a variety of key wearable trackers and health apps so that you can sync your food and exercise for a clearer picture of your health.

Pros

  • Community aspect with “kudos”
  • Audio cues
  • Easy-to-navigate data dashboard
  • Tracks important stats & GPS

Cons

  • Advanced and premium features cost more

The Strava app is for runners (and bikers) of all levels and is recognized for its inspiring community features—a particularly valuable tool for staying connected throughout your fitness journey, no matter where you and your pals are.

From the odd, fast jog to many runs a week, Strava helps you work toward your goals and track progress with customized voice-guided cues. Whether you want to be reminded of every half-mile achieved or maintain tabs on your elevation, speed, and split times, Strava will notify you to keep you in the zone. Users can record every route and measure by saving the data from each run and marking progress (you can even submit images) (you can also upload photos).

The Strava app effortlessly shares your numbers with your pals, which is a motivating technique for staying in touch and encouraging each other along the way—the app’s “kudos” button is a fan favorite for encouragement. Runners of any level can participate in challenges, set objectives to attain personal records, or engage in a little friendly competition.

The Strava app is free and great for beginners, with in-app payments available for premium capabilities as you develop.

Best for Beginners: Couch to 5k

  • Price: $4.99
  • Fitness Experience Level: Beginner

Why We Chose It: This app is a great choice for novices because of its structured and supervised approach.

Pros

  • Designed for beginner runners
  • Offers a fixed plan
  • Emphasis on pace and endurance development
  • Variety of connected apps given for progression

Cons

  • Not appropriate for intermediate or advanced runners

The greatest running program for new runners, Couch to 5k does precisely what the title indicates: It helps inexperienced runners learn the ability to run a 5K (3.1 miles) in nine weeks.

The beginner program eases newbies in with a schedule of 20- to 30-minute runs three days a week, with voice cues from a motivating run coach (you may choose from four); users can select their preferred amount of voice-cued contact for support.

With built-in GPS, your runs are logged, from the route to your distance and pace accomplished. While the GPS feature can deplete your phone battery, Couch to 5k works and delivers audio notifications when your screen is locked, or another app is in use (like your music) (like your music). And, don’t worry, you can listen to tunes and your jogging cues at the same time.

You can track your progress within the app from your overall mileage to your average pace, which you can share with friends on Facebook or the app’s running support network. The app also gives graphs for workouts to compare the distance and pace of past runs with recent ones, and there’s even treadmill compatibility so you can manually enter an indoor run on a machine if you don’t clock your miles outside.

As your running abilities grow, there are different versions of the program to set new goals, like a 10K.

Run With Meg is the Best in Terms of Features

  • Monthly fee of $19.99
  • Experience levels ranging from beginner to advanced in the fitness realm

Why Did We Pick It? This app made it onto our list because it was designed by a running expert who takes into account runners of all skill levels and goals. Run With Meg promotes a healthy and well-rounded fitness journey by providing content such as strength training, flexibility training, and mobility training in addition to offering individualized workout routines.

Pros

  • On-demand videos
  • Adaptable to users of any degree
  • Additional material on flexibility training, strength training, and mobility training
  • Customizable programs
  • Uninterrupted communication with a running coach

Cons

  • Individualized programming carries a higher price tag.
  • There is no GPS and no tracking.

Meg Takacs, a running expert, developed an app for runners of all abilities called Run With Meg. The software requires a membership in order to use it. There are running plans for both the treadmill and running outside, so regardless of whether you prefer indoor or outdoor running, you will find a suitable program here.

But that’s not the end of it. This app is loaded with premium features in addition to the daily on-demand movies, all of which are designed to improve endurance and power while simultaneously shortening recovery time. It provides users with runner-specific strength training programs that are video-guided in order to maintain users in ideal mental and physical shape. These programs include exercises that focus on high intensity interval training (HIIT), body weight, and flexibility. In addition, there are programs for races ranging from training for a 5K to training for a full marathon.

Users of Run With Meg have access to handpicked Spotify tunes that correspond to each run, in-app demonstration videos that break down exercises and guide running form, and a supportive community that cheers them on as they work toward their fitness objectives. In addition, Takacs makes herself available to app users for any questions they may have by incorporating a direct messaging tool into the mobile application.

This app has been given the stamp of approval by personal trainers and provides a few different workout programs for a starting price of $19.99 per month. These plans include both treadmill and outdoor workouts as well as strength training. In order to test out a workout routine before making a purchase, you have the option to sign up for a free trial that lasts for one week.

Best for Outdoor Runs: Relive

  • Access to the basic content is free; a monthly subscription costs $6.99
  • Experience Level in the Field of Fitness: Intermediate to Advanced

Why Did We Choose It? Because Relive’s creative mapping and post-run video components are superior to anything else on the market, we felt they would be ideal for tracking our progress while running outside.

Pros

  • Perfect for people who enjoy being outside.
  • Unique mapping and trail guidance
  • Videos of a very high quality
  • Community

Cons

  • Designed with open-air runners in mind
  • Focused on unusual routes and adventure
  • Less direction and training

Relive is the app for runners (and cyclists, too!) who frequently head out onto the backroads and trails, and its development was inspired by a love of the great outdoors. If you have trouble getting motivated to work out on a treadmill or at a local track, combining the Relive app with the breathtaking environment that you see outside may be the key to unlocking your full potential as an athlete.

Using this one-of-a-kind application, you may record your activities, take pictures and videos, and then generate a one-of-a-kind video story depicting your path through a 3D environment. A fun fact about the app is that it hosts more than 100 million different videos. You are able to view statistics within each video, such as speed, and then post those statistics on social networking platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

GPS monitoring is, without a doubt, one of the most important elements for any outdoor activity that takes place in the great outdoors (this includes walks and treks). And Relive has obtained it. In addition, you are able to view your location and key information in real time. Additionally, Relive is compatible with a number of different tracking apps, such as Suunto and Apple Health.

Relive is offered for free, but members of the Relive Club, which costs $6.99 a month and includes a free one-month trial, provide users access to additional features such as higher-quality HD video, additional editing capabilities such as the ability to add music, and interactive 3D routes.

Bottom Line

When selecting a running software, one’s own preferences are of the utmost significance. You may reach your fitness objectives and stay injury-free if you maintain a consistent workout routine and follow recommended best practices (which is crucial for longevity).

A few additional important suggestions before you lace up your shoes and start downloading happy: Finding the appropriate pair of sneakers is essential, regardless of your running level or the distances you hope to cover. According to Watts, poor distribution of impact can lead to problems such as sprained ankles, tendinitis, shin splints, knee injuries, and lower back pain. This can be caused by a pair of shoes that is either too worn or does not fit properly. It is highly recommended that you visit your neighborhood running store for a personalized fitting.

Watts says that if you want to be able to manage bigger impacts, you should supplement your jogging routine with a resistance training program. This will strengthen your muscles and joints, making it possible for you to take on more force. Strength training can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including the use of free weights, participation in sculpting classes, and even yoga.

Also, don’t push yourself too hard or go too fast, whether you’re driving or searching for new apps. Since there are a lot of free apps that have important functions, it is a good idea to look into those first before purchasing more sophisticated software or paying for an update.

Questions That Are Typically Asked

What Exactly Is a Running Application?

A running app’s primary function is to record data, and in some situations it also provides users with training programs and guidance. Additionally, it links runners of various skill levels, from beginners all the way up to advanced runners.

How Much Does It Cost to Keep an App Running?

There are a lot of running apps that are free, other running apps are free but provide in-app upgrades, and there are other running apps that require a subscription that can cost anything from $3 for a trial to roughly $99 for completely customized running programs.

How do I decide which running app to use?

Search for tracking options for essential data variables such as distance, heart rate, and pace. The more advanced you are, the more useful extra metrics like mapping, elevation, nutritional facts, popular routes, and suggested routes will become to you.

What is a Respectable Time for the 5K?

Because of the significant role that age and fitness level play in determining standards, there is no single answer to the question “what is a good time for a 5k?” Self-improvement should be the primary focus, above anything else.