Welcome to the first stop aboard the Blogorail. Enjoy the ride as we share our favorite Fitness Apps!
I am so excited to share this with all of you! I’m sure most of you have heard of Nike+ Running, but I’ve got to say that they’ve done some great improvements since I began using the app in 2010! When I first started with Nike+, I had the shoes and the special chip that went inside the sole.
Now, the app tracks me through GPS and I can run in any shoe (Nike or not), and there are so many other great features that I will share here. Lace up and let’s go!
Social Media Integration
I like this new feature. Prior to getting my run on, I can opt to turn on my “cheers,” which will post a status to either twitter or Facebook, and whenever a friend sees and “likes” it, I’ll hear an applause as I’m on my run. It’s a cool feature and gives you some encouragement throughout your run. It doesn’t tell your audience what kind of run you’re on, nor does it give any stats of your progress. It simply says you are on a run with Nike.
Another part of the social media fun is that Nike+ Running has its own platform for interacting with friends and participating in challenges. You’ll need to make sure that your Nike+ account is switched “on” for social sharing, which is different from receiving “cheers.” I don’t like to make my runs public, I don’t feel comfortable with having my route posted all over the internet.
Music Integration
I’m not sure about you, but I can’t run without music. Sometimes I want to listen to Pandora or Spotify, and other times I want to just hear a customized playlist I have in my iPhone music app. The great think about Nike+ Running, is that you can use ANY music on your phone. The option is available to use a playlist, other app, or no music.
Nike Coach Feature
This is probably one of my favorite features. I used it (not as consistently as I should have) when I was training for the Star Wars 10K race. It breaks down a training routine and schedule for you by weeks. It mixes in strength training with running. Now that I have my first race down, I am excited to use this for future races!
It’s great because you enter in the distance or race you’re training for, it gives you the options of a 5K, 10K, 13.1 Half or 26.2 Full. Then each day you can get notifications on what you should be doing. It takes the guess work out of how far to run and how many times per week. I like that it also splits up my run with directions similar to run/walk intervals.
Here’s my recent tracking for the Star Wars 10K at Disneyland Resort.
Graphs, Map & Speed Tracking
I love graphs, they offer a great visual to any statistical information. And since I am not a numbers person, seeing a graph that charts my speed and maps my run, it helps me out. When I’m out for a long run, I like to see how my pace looked overall. It shows it green, yellow, orange, and red, indicating the speed. It will also plot out your mileage points, which is great. You can read more about my race at the Star Wars 10K, too!
I really hope that you enjoyed my thoughts! I’d love to hear if you’ve tried Nike+ Running!
Thank you for joining me today. Your next stop on the Blogorail Loop is The Disney Point!
What are your favorite fitness apps? Comment below and let’s get moving together!
Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail should you happen to have to make a stop along the way and want to reboard:
1st Stop – Sparks of Magic – Nike+ Running (You are here!)
2nd Stop – The Disney Point – MyFitnessPal
3rd Stop – Adventure in the Great Wide Somewhere – FitBit
