Running is fantastic with Runtastic

Track all of your training when it comes to running and just about any other sport with Runtastic.

A free app for Android, Runtastic is designed to assist runners as well as cyclists and other sporting individuals with the tracking of their training and activities. It uses GPS, giving you a detailed account of just about every facet of your exercise.

The interface is really smart with beautiful silhouettes of athletes on the background. You can choose to sign up with Facebook, Email or with an existing account. Then all you have to do is fill in your personal details including your height, weight, gender, name and country. You’ll be pleased to see that South Africa does feature on the list of countries. The interface is very easy-to-use with instructions and simple functions so that just about anyone can figure it out.

Once the app has been set up, you’ll see that there is a nifty main page that includes your name, duration, distance, pace, speed and calories. You simply push ‘start workout’ when you are ready to begin and let the app do the rest, with voice instructions that keep you aware of what is going on with the app at all times. A great feature is the fact that the screen locks so that if you want to pause or stop the workout, you have to unlock the screen first. This is so handy as often you may push ‘stop’ or ‘pause’ by accident without even realizing. This safeguards against this.

On the left hand side of the screen, you’ll also see that there are other options and features on the app. There is a split table as well as graphs that show your elevation, heart rate, pace and speed during your training duration. You also have options with regards to what you would like to graph to display. On the right hand side of the top of the screen, you’ll find that you can also view your route on a digital Google map, which can be really fantastic to look at when planning routes and training sessions.

One of my favourite features of this app is that it allows you to play music through it during your training session, providing you with a short cutting to your list of music on your Android smart phone. This is a nice extra and shows the developers tried to include as much detail as possible, making training convenient for users.

Another detail I find noteworthy to mention is the fact that the settings of the Runtastic app ensure that you have complete control when it comes to using the app from connecting to heart rate sensors to configuring your coach. This allows you to customize the app so that it completely suites your own needs. You can also share your results and progress on social networking sites if you like too.

I would give Runtastic a 4-star rating and suggest that any sporting individual who wants a functional but simple app to give it a try. Easy-to-use and packed with features, this app is a win where you pay nothing to download it off the Android market.

Current version: Varies with device
Requires Android: Varies with device
Updated: 12 June 2012
Category: Health/Fitness/Everyday
Size: Varies with device
Price: Free
Developer: Runtastic