7 Of The Best Running Apps

BEST FOR THE COMMUNITY VIBES: Onetrack Run Club

Headed up by top Equinox running coach Anthony Fletcher, this virtual iteration of his Chelsea-based run club Onetrack is home to a strong community. The live audio sessions are designed around a weekly schedule, spanning intervals on a Monday evening to mid-week tempo runs and slower-paced weekend jogs. Tuning in is easy – you’ll receive a link to join a Google Meet and another to an optional Spotify playlist. With sessions focused on intensity over distance, these genius sessions are perfect for all levels, and guaranteed to put a spring in your step. 
 
Sessions are free to join but donations are welcome; visit OneTrack.Club to book.
 

BEST FOR BEGINNERS: Couch to 5K

This hugely popular NHS app promises to turn you from a sedentary couch potato into a runner in just nine weeks. Guiding you through three runs a week (all of which follow a run/walk format) are a choice of celebrity coaches – think Jo Whiley, Sarah Millican and Sanjeev Kohli. Forget stopwatches, timers or counting how many laps of the park you’ve done as the app does it all for you, telling you when to stop, start and take a break. All you need is a decent pair of trainers and you’re good to go. 
 
Download each week as a podcast or get the entire programme as an app; download here, available on iOS and Android.
 

BEST ALL-ROUNDER: Nike+ Run Club

Whether you’re lacing up for the first time or constantly on a mission to reach that coveted runner’s high, the Nike+ Run Club is an industry favourite ideal for all fitness levels. Not only does it track progress and enable you to set goals, there’s also the option to tune into hundreds of guided runs headed by the likes of Mo Farah and Eliud Kipchoge. Sessions led by Headspace experts designed to beat stress and anxiety while you run are also worth a try. 
 
Free to download, available on iOS and Android; Nike.com 
 

BEST FOR BARRY’S BOOTCAMP FANS: RockMyRun

If motivational music and running to the beat is why you love indoor running classes then RockMyRun is worth exploring. This intelligent platform senses your running cadence (i.e. the length and speed of your stride), and creates a playlist with tempo-appropriate tunes, adjusting as you tick off the miles. You can either opt to sync your music to your pace or heart rate, and with playlists curated by David Guetta, Afrojack and Major Lazer, there’s something for everyone, spanning genres including EDM, rap, dub-step, country and classical. Premium subscribers can skip the ads and get access to playlists longer than 45 minutes.
 
Subscriptions start from £1.49; available on iOS and Android. Visit RockMyRun.com
 

BEST FOR MOTIVATION: One Peloton 

Like a personal trainer in your pocket, Peloton’s recently launched app allows users to partake in thousands of pre-recorded classes (think running as well as HIIT, yoga and strength) and join in remotely with live sessions too. Led by top coaches, Peloton’s audio-guided runs accommodate all levels of fitness while GPS tracking stores data about your pace, splits and elevation metrics, enabling you to track progress as you go. All sessions are set to playlists pre-created by the Peloton team, but you can filter through music type when choosing your class.
 
Free for 90 days, visit OnePeloton.co.uk 
 

BEST FOR THE TREADMILL: Aaptiv

If you’re lucky enough to have a treadmill at home, Aaptiv is the app to know. Serving up heart-raising audio workouts streamed live through your headphones, expect everything from incline runs to sprints and more. Geared at beginner and intermediate runners, Aaptiv takes the boredom out of the treadmill – the trainers are enthusiastic, the playlists are constantly updated and the workouts are ever-changing, meaning you never need to do the same one twice.
 
Your first seven days are free; £10.60 per month thereafter; available on iOS and Android. Visit Aaptiv.com
 

BEST FOR COMPETITIVE TYPES: Strava

If you’re a keen runner, chances are you’re already an active Strava user, but for the uninitiated, it’s worth a download. The clever platform allows you to track all your runs and compete with Strava’s millions of other users over automatically recorded segments – no other app offers you the chance to become the world record holder for the half-mile jog between your house and your local Waitrose. Most of Strava’s features are free to use but the paid version allows you to build custom training plans and enables friends and family to track you in real time – ideal if you’re running in the evening.
 
Available on iOS and Android; Strava.com