Best Couch to 5K Apps for Phones

A few months ago my amazing marathon running friend posted on facebook about a race she was about to run and asked every “who’s in?”  I said give me a year and I will do it! Then I promised her I really would.  So I have until November to train for a Half Marathon. WHAT!?!  I know, I feel a bit crazy since 10K’s are as far as my body even likes to go. Doubling that makes me exhausted just thinking about it!  But I am going to do it!  Even if I have to walk the whole thing!

Monday I woke up feeling motivated.  I decided that by March I wanted to be able to run a 5k without walking.  I know, I know, for some of you that is super easy.  For me it WAS easy, but since having my last baby and not running through my pregnancy due to issues I won’t go into, I can’t do it.  It has made me feel so frustrated that I actually stopped trying and didn’t really work out at all for a while! But Monday I got motivated!  I don’t have anyone to run with right now because I am super slow so I decided to see what kind of apps they have to train with so that I can have a personal coach telling me what to do and helping me be motivated.

I was excited to see so many apps.  There are free apps, but most of them only give you the first two weeks free.   A few of them are totally free, but most of them are between $1.99 – 4.99, which is a great deal for a running trainer that is on you phone! Some of them are Couch 2 5K specific, some of them are just great trainers where you can plug in your goals and it will come up with a training program for you.  Here are some that I have seen in the app stores that look pretty good….

Cool Running Couch to 5K (both Android and iphone)
Jeff Galloweay’s Ultimate 5k -(iphone)
5K Runner –  (iphone)
RunKeeper Pro – (both)
MapMyRun – (both)
Nike + Running (both)
Adidas miCoach – (both)
LogYourRun– (iphone)
Run Double Couch to 5K – (both)

I downloaded Run Double, but it only gives me the first 2 weeks free.  I liked it because it is only a little over a dollar to upgrade, and I can also upgrade to a 10K or Half Marathon trainer after I am done with my 5K.  Already being a runner the first workout was pretty easy, but I also haven’t ran in a long time, so I don’t want to injure myself!

Most of the apps I looked at are about the same in what they offer  Here are some things I like about the one I download….

• I love that I can listen to music while the app is running. 
• It has a lock that makes it so if I touch the screen it doesn’t turn off or go somewhere else.
• Since I don’t have anyone to run with, it’s nice to have a random computer lady telling me what to do 🙂
• Most of them only have you running 3x’s a week (which is perfect for what I have time for)
• The audio person tells me when to run, walk, warm-up and cool down.
• You can choose to run for time or distance.
• If you don’t want to pay for the rest of the weeks the workouts are still there to read you just won’t have anyone talking to you telling you what to do.