Running has never been more fun thanks to a wide variety of mobile apps and wearables that give you an unprecedented amount of stat tracking and community. Apps help you track your progress, set goals, and even turn your exercise into fun games. Even if you run indoors on a treadmill, your exercise can be exciting with wearable technology and applications. With a wide variety of wearable tech to choose from - smart watches, pedometers, and heart rate monitors - you’ll be sure to make the most of your work outs!

Mobile Apps

Apps offer an unprecedented amount of stat tracking for today’s runners. See elevation gains, split times, exact speeds throughout the entire course of your run, ghost runner to race against your best times, nutrition tracking, weight tracking, and so on. There are a lot of apps available, with some focusing on making your runs exciting likes Zombies Run and others focus on in-depth stat tracking for serious competitive runners like Strava. Check out all the apps below and see which is best for your needs!

Strava Running

This is a highly popular app where you and your friends can keep track of each other’s workouts and motivate each other. There are detailed stat tracking showing elevation gain, pace, and much more.

Runtastic

Runtastic is a feature-rich run tracking app. It works with android wearables and has a comprehensive map feature showing a gradient color along your running path, to visually show where you ran fastest and slowest.

Runkeeper

Signing up for Runkeeper is free. This app helps you track your workouts, set goals, make a plan to fit your schedule, and watch as you get stronger. Different challenges and rewards keep you wanting to run.

Map My Run

With this app on your phone, you can track your route, distance, and calories burned while you run. The app also lets you track what you ate before you ran, which can help you figure out why you were faster or slower during a run. You can also get advice about the amount of water you should be drinking.

Pacejam

Setting a strong pace helps you run better. The Pacejam app lets you set the pace, and then it adjusts how fast or slow your music plays to help you run faster or slower.

Nike+

A built-in coach helps you set a goal and make it happen with the Nike running app. If you like running with friends, you can create challenges for your group and keep track of who’s doing the best at them. You can even choose a song to give you the extra motivation you might need at the end of a hard run.

Smartrunner

This app is great for runners, but it also works for biking, walking, and hiking. Set the distance you want to run or the time you want to spend, and the app will track your progress. You can even take pictures of yourself while you run.

Wahoo Runfit

This all-purpose fitness app tracks your progress while you run or do other types of exercise like walking or strength training. Track your heart rate and the number of calories you burn while you run.

MiCoach

Create a custom plan for running to get faster and stronger with miCoach. This app is especially good for people training for a marathon. As you run with headphones in, the app coaches you to help you keep up your pace and will tell you about your progress.

Localeikki

Search for places near you to run with this free app. Just enter your city and state and the app will recommend running routes. The app also gives you information about the surface of the route and restrooms available along the way.

Endomondo

This free app has lots of features that will help you with a running program. Use the app to create a running route and to track the distance, time, and speed at which you run. You can even use the app to cheer on your friends who also run. Endomondo also helps you keep track of how much water you drink along the way to make sure that you drink enough while you run.

Zombies, Run!

Play this zombie game while you run. The app gives you a zombie mission and music to listen to as you run. When zombies chase you, you will have to pick up the pace. You also collect supplies as you run that help you in the game.

Runner's World Go

Runner’s World magazine designed this running app to help both beginner and advanced runners improve their strength and endurance. The app logs in your runs, tracks your progress, gives weather information, and even tells you what clothing and gear you might want to use.

Road ID

This app not only tracks your runs, but it also lets your parents keep track of you to make sure that you are safe while you are out. If you stop running for five minutes, the app will send them an alert.

Charity Miles

With this app, you running can also help a good cause. The app donates 25 cents to your chosen charity for every mile you run.

Treadmill Trails

Even if you run on a treadmill, you can still feel like you are going places. This app gives you fun and free videos that make it seem like you are really running through the mountains or in national parks.

Smart Watches and Fitness Trackers

For those who don’t want to bring their phones with them on their runs, but want most of the same functionality of a phone, then a smart-watch may be practical. Secured to your wrist, as expected, a smart-watch can use most of the apps listed above, with some having blue-tooth connectivity for headphones. This is a great solution for those wanting to quickly pick up and go, and not have to worry about getting a holster for your phone, or your phone dropping, and just having one less bulky thing on you. There are also dedicated fitness trackers without any phone functionalities with lower price points for those who would rather not have the redundancy of a smart-phone and smart-watch.

Fitbit Charge 2

The fitbit charge 2 provides all the necessary features for tracking your activity levels, and at a lower price point. It is also a lower profile fitness tracker, for those who don’t want a bulky tracker on their wrists 24/7. It is compatible with several apps so you may view your stats and see where you need to step up your game.

Samsung Gear S3

The latest offering from Samsung is the Gear S3, which comes in two styles - classic and frontier. It has a battery that lasts up to 3 days, water-resistant design, bluetooth, can make phone calls, and compatible with most running apps.

Withings Activite

For those wanting the classical design of a watch with mechanical features, then the Withings Activite may be for you. It’s as traditional as a smartwatch can get. It is only compatible with the Withings fitness app, and only shows your steps for the day on the watch itself. However the watch can recognize if you’re running, walking, swimming (water resistant up to 50m), and sleeping and will send that information to the Withings app for your review.

Apple Watch

Series 2 is the newest Apple Watch available, and with it comes the standard current changes - water resistant, longer battery life, and better sensors. Do just about everything you’d do with your iPhone while on a run, but strapped to your wrist. There is also a Nike branded Apple Watch available as well for those ‘Just Do It’ fans!

Moto 360

This smartwatch is a beautiful offering from Motorola. It is compatible with iPhone and Android phones, water-resistant, wireless charging, and wifi/bluetooth connections. Easily stream music from Google Play to your bluetooth earbuds with this one. There are a lot of design customization choices as well for this watch, check it out!

Fitbit Surge

The Fitbit Surge is one of the most widely used fitness trackers available. It has several features from heart rate monitoring, GPS tracking, sleep monitoring, and 7 day battery life. This one is at the same price point as some of the smartwatches, but if you don’t want any of those distractions then this is a fantastic choice.

Garmin Vivoactive

Garmin is world-renowned for its GPS technology. Their products in the smart watch fitness tracking industry are among the very best. The vivoactive is rated as one of the most accurate trackers available. It also has a very long battery life, lasting up to 3 weeks, or 10 hours with GPS tracking functions turned on.

Misfit Flash

The Flash is a barebones fitness tracker, just for measuring your steps taken and distance traveled. If all you need is something to track your steps and distance, then this is for you and it won’t cost more than a lunch for two!

Sony Smartwatch 3 SWR50

Sony’s offering is android compatible only, but has stronger water-resistant with a rating of IP68, fantastic sensors, and a decent battery life. The design is sleek, with a comfortable fit to not be a hindrance during your runs.

Samsung Gear Fit2

Gear Fit2 is a more affordable option, it has all the features a runner would need, without the bloat of a full smart watch. Track and view all of your activities on a large Super AMOLED display.

Bluetooth Earbuds

Leave the wires behind. Whether you use your phone, smart-watch, or other tracker for your runs, if they have music playing capabilities then check out these blue-tooth earbuds to avoid untangling wires ever again!

JLAB EPIC2

These are highly regarded bluetooth earbuds for running as they wrap around the head to stay secure, and are water resistant so you never have to worry about sweat ruining the electronic components within. They come with a 1 year warranty and provide excellent sound quality.

Jaybird X3

The X3 bluetooth earbuds were recently released, offering a snug, comfortable fit, and high quality sound. The battery life lasts up to 8 hours, which should last most runners at least a few days worth of runs. These earbuds are also sweat proof.

Powerbeats 3

Beats is a highly recognizable brand with questionable sound quality for how much they cost. However this latest iteration of their bluetooth earbuds has won the approval of many audiophiles, as the brand has stepped up the quality of their products. These earbuds offer up to 12 hours of battery life and are sweat proof, with a built in mic for phone calls.

Plantronics Backbeat Fit

Plantronics is a well-regarded brand among audiophiles, and their bluetooth earbuds do not disappoint. This pair of earbuds have a more solid wrap-around head build, with a variety of colors to choose from. With an 8 hour battery life and a waterproof rating of IP57, these earbuds will meet the needs of any serious runner.

Wired Earbuds

While wireless earbuds can be convenient, having to deal with charging their batteries and the possibility of poor blue-tooth connectivity can be heavily frustrating. Going with one of the following wired earbuds can be the solution for most runners who enjoy listening to music and podcasts during their runs, without adding one more thing to keep charged, and will just simply work every time.

OCX 686 Sport

With a comfortable fit, in-wire volume control, and sweat proof, you’re sure to get your money’s worth with these ear buds. They come with a 2 year warranty, so if they ever do stop working for any reason, you can simply exchange them. This warranty is double the typical 1 year warranty that most competitors offer.

Koss FitClips

Sometimes, it's not worth investing a lot of money into earbuds for just running. You may have a very high quality, expensive pair of earbuds already for your day to day needs, and just want a low-cost alternative for your runs. If this sounds like you, then these earbuds are perfect. They are sweat resistant with 3 sizes of ear cushions, so they are bound to last a long time, but in the case they don’t, then no big deal!

Audiotechnica ATH-CKP200

Audio-Technica is another highly trusted brand by audiophiles. This pair of earbuds is a perfect fit for runners wanting great sound quality at an affordable price. They have a long 2 year warranty, sweat proof, and comfortable fit.

Sony AS210AP Sport

There are several earphones by Sony for active lifestyles, the AS210AP is one of their better offerings. It comes with a long cord so you can take full strides without the cord coming unplugged, great acoustic sounds, and of course sweat proof.

Conclusion

Cardiovascular activity doesn’t have to be a drab when there are so many great technologies and applications that help make it easier, more convenient, and even a ton of fun! Spice up your workout routine with the latest technology in earbuds, wearable technology like smart-watches, and mobile applications that help to track your running progress right from your fingertips!