Vojtěch Gawlas Running has become a bigger and bigger phenomenon in recent years, and who doesn't run doesn't seem to exist for many. He is simply in. In an effort to move towards their set goal as quickly as possible (beat a colleague in a race, run a marathon or just lose weight), many people choose procedures that are at least strange. Can smart technology make you a better runner more easily? Let's take a look at the most popular and top-rated running apps of 2017.
Strava
Let's start with the most widely used running app (also very popular among cyclists) on iOS devices in the US, Diet. In short, Strava can be described as Facebook for running and cycling. Here you can like and comment on the activities of others, compare your abilities within segments (certain, predetermined, timed segments) or within the club and analyze your performances. Also within the site. In the premium version, Strava becomes almost a personal trainer that motivates you with plans, recommendations and other extensions for analyzing your activities. And just like on Facebook, you can spend hours on Strava. If you also like to follow well-known athletes from the side of cyclists or runners, they are right there on Strava.
[appbox id426826309 appstore]
Nike + Run Club
The biggest sports company in the world, Nike, didn't want to miss the train either. That's why it was created Nike +, the full name Nike + Run Club. Application for recording and sharing your sports activities (mainly) on social networks. However, apart from the stickers that Nike+ offers when sharing, the application does not contain anything special that cannot be found in other applications. You can share photos of your sports performance with almost anyone. So it is mainly about the visual aspect of the application and the popularity of this brand.
[appbox id387771637 appstore]
Runtastic & Runkeeper
Applications that, by their name, suggest that they are intended for running are also (obviously subjectively) the worst updated on the market. However, the updates are not about the visual appearance - like other big development companies, they rely heavily on it, but about functions that were previously free, but with increasing popularity have become charged. Specifically, we are talking about exercise plans. For many athletes, this meant canceling their account entirely and switching to other apps. On the other hand, for audiophiles who are not so much concerned with training as with the pleasure of trotting or riding a bike, these applications offer a built-in music player. For some, the most insignificant thing in terms of sports, for others a necessity...
[appbox id300235330 appstore]
Gipis
You are not interested in sharing or comparing. Just a simple running planner and free? The answer is Gipis. It offers nothing more than planning your activities according to a pre-filled questionnaire, what you want to achieve and how you are doing, for weeks or months in advance. So you don't have to invest money in running apps that you don't even have experience with, or you don't know if it's your first and at the same time your last running experience. An ideal choice for introvert hobbyists.
[appbox id509471329 appstore]
Endomondo
The characteristics with which Strava presented itself at the beginning of the article also apply to Endomondo. Record many types of activities, personal trainer and performance analysis. He can do it all. In addition, if you are connected to the Internet during your activity, your friends can support you, which Strava only allows in the paid version. But what does it bring in addition? In addition to the design features that can be found on dozens of other similar applications.
[appbox id333210180 appstore]
EPP & Charity Miles
The last two mentioned applications are intended for those of you who want to help someone with your sports performance. EPP whether Charity Miles. The Czech EPP from the CEZ Foundation allows you to support the project of your choice for any activity. In addition to support, it is a matter of course that the application analyzes your performance and sorts it by type of activity or by day. Charity Miles also offers the same in pale blue, but it is definitely for the American market.
[appbox id505253234 appstore]
Therefore, whether you choose any of the above-mentioned applications, or from the other thousands that can be found on the app store, they will always offer very similar functions. Therefore, the question arises - Does it matter what application I use? And the answer is - Yes. However, it is also important to mention here how you will like it visually, whether you prefer a simple display or a detailed analysis of your performance using complex graphs. Whether you will make full use of the functions of the basic or premium versions and, last but not least, whether you want to share your performances or keep them hidden from the public and all you need is a scheduler. If you own a Garmin, Suunto, TomTom, Polar, but also, for example, Apple and other sports watches, the manufacturers have been specializing in the requirements of their clients for a long time, and in their own applications you will often find better performance analysis options than in third-party applications. These applications can be considered more like social networks of athletes who follow and support each other. They won't guarantee you better results and they won't turn you into Emil Zátopek, but they will connect you with a community that is close to you and you can make friends with many new athletes.
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David Hanak 
I see, according to the description, the main thing is how the application can share activities. I expected a different app comparison, I run for myself, not for others.