Technology at Hand: Running Apps

Runkeeper | Available on iPhone and Android; Free

Determined to stick to your fitness resolution this year? Runkeeper can be your reality check. The mobile app tracks your workouts, including distance and calories burned, and keeps a log of your progress. Simply choose from about a dozen types of workouts (or add your own), put in the time or upload a map and then get moving. The app can also create workouts based on your fitness goal, workout frequency and skill level. How’s that for motivation?

TempoRun | Available on iPhone; $2.99

Have you ever caught yourself running to the tempo of the music on your iPod? With TempoRun, your music fits in step with your pace. Here’s how it works: TempoRun organizes your music library into levels (scaled one to 10) based on the tempo, or beats per minute, of the song. Before your run, simply pick a tempo level and then start moving to the beat. Level one is a walking pace, five is a jog and 10 is a sprint; aim for level six for a perfect pace—roughly 180 bpm. Other features include a streaming radio and a fitness tracker, allowing you to review your distance, pace and calories burned.

Couch-to-5K | Available on iPhone and Android; $2.99

If you had “run a 5K” on your list of New Year’s resolutions, this is your moment to shine. To get race-ready, download Couch-to-5K from active.com. It provides all the necessary tools to transform you into a lean, mean, running machine. It comes with training plans and virtual coaches to keep you motivated, and users can map and calculate route lengths. Log workouts and listen to playlists with the in-app music player.