I should say that this is not a Sponsored Post – RunKeeper isn’t paying me for this post. However, if RunKeeper wanted to send me a free t-shirt, size Large, I would have NO problem with that.
The above image includes some statistics from a 2.94m run I did on July 29 – you can see the details here. This was just my second day of getting back into running using RunKeeper, but I was feeling pretty good about being able to run nearly 3 miles. It’s been just over 2 weeks since I started, and I’ve been running 3 days a week. So today I decided to run the exact same route and see if there was any improvement in my pace and speed. The image below shows you the statistics of my 2.94m run today on August 13 – you can see the details here.
As you can see – I really look like a different runner. In fact, I’d say that after just two weeks of using the RunKeeper iPhone App, I am a different runner: a better, smarter and faster runner. Here are 3 ways that RunKeeper has helped me:
It’s Made Running a Better (more fun!) Experience
I’m a techie…and so I’m pretty enamored with most gadgets, especially cool iPhone Apps. RunKeeper is awesome. As soon as I get back into the house after my run, I check out the stats online. It makes sharing the information super easy, and they keep coming up with really cool new features. RunKeeper’s built-in integration with iTunes on the iPhone means I just press “Start” and my music automatically is cued up and off I go. I’ve started running before in the past – and given up relatively soon afterward. I think that RunKeeper is going to keep me going longer now.
I’m a Smarter Runner Now
Being able to keep track of all my stats when I get back from a run has been great – being able to analyze where I ran into problems and where I have room for improvement has been great. But the on-the-go stats, and being able to get updates throughout the run is even better. It’s helped me learn how to pace myself better – and that has made me smarter with how I expend my energy on the run.
I’ve Gotten Faster
As you can see, I went from running 2.94m in 32:46 to my current page of 26:42, thanks to RunKeeper. That’s a good 6min off my time in just 2 weeks. You can also see that I’ve shaved my average time per mile down from 11:09 to 9:04. That’s nearly 2min in just two weeks. The built-in Audio Cues giving me updates on my pace and distance every 5 minutes is a huge help.
If anyone is thinking about starting up running again (and you happen to have an iPhone 3G/3Gs), I’d highly recommend getting RunKeeper Pro – it’s WELL worth the $9.99 price. And if that’s too much for you – try RunKeeper’s free version out first and see if it works for you like it has for me. It’s a MUCH better deal than purchasing a Nike+ kit and you’ll have a lot more fun with it as well! Download RunKeeper and you’re ready to hit the trails!
