Image via CrunchBase
Ever since I got my old iPhone 3G, I have searched, for the perfect Apps to track my walking/running progress, especially now that I am running more again. It doesn’t matter, that I now longer have a data plan or don’t use the iPhone as a phone, the GPS Apps (and others) still work and I can connect to the Internet using its WiFi capabilities.
This post is not a comparison of different Running Log/Trainer Apps, it is about the iPhone App that works best for me.
To let you know which Apps I used during this time, so people don’t go oh this is one is so great too – I have tried the following Apps: RunKeeper, LogYourRun, Pedometer, Distance Free, 5k Runner, Runtastic Pro, Joggy Coach, iMapmyRun, Nike+ GPS, Trails, Endomondo and a few others that I deleted. It wasn’t that they didn’t work or were not good Apps, they just didn’t do what I was wanting from a Running App.
What do I want in my running app
- Free
- GPS
- Fast loading
- Easy to start and easy to stop
- Automatically pauses during the workout, when I stop moving and auto start when I resume moving
- Will not accidentally stop the tracking the workout – on/off/pause locked unless you unlock
- Uncomplicated screen during my workout
- Voice to tell me mile/time or other info that I might want
- KISS design of the App and screens in the App
- Automatic Maps of my route during that workout
- Graphs of Pace, Elevation
- Ability to edit/correct/update data after entry
- Which shoes I wore
- Optional Race Training Plans
- A website to upload my data to – that way if something happens to my iPhone I still have my data
- Be reliable – the damn thing works when you want to use it.
- Can get to your music, without leaving the app
- Has a camera app on the run screen to snap a quick pic while running, without pausing/stopping app. 3G issue
That is asking a lot of a Free App, but I found one that does most of what I want and I have used it for the past couple of weeks with very good luck.
Well what is it?
MiCoach Main Screen
The MiCoach App from Adidas
It does more of what I want out of a free iPhone App, than the others that I have tried.
It reliably tracks my workout, gives GPS mileage/routes/pace/elevation data, the screens are easy to read and use and has most of what I was looking for.
The things that are missing are the auto pause/start when I stop/start moving, still haven’t figured out how to edit an entry, no metronome for my cadence workouts, no camera capability (but none of the others did either and with multi-tasking available on new iPhone models, this is not something that I would believe be available).
No it is not perfect, but overall, it has worked best for my needs. I generally use the free workout to have it just track my runs, but it is nice to know that when or if I want to it will put together a reasonable running plan for me (the only thing I don’t like is that the training plan is based on time, not distance, but I could work around that if I really wanted to).
I just have to get used to the European method of setting a date 03/02/2012 (the date is before the month)
The MiCoach App
Below are screenshots of the App in action
Second Screen Choose your workout, I wish that I could move or remove some items
Where you can make changes before you start
Last check to find GPS & be ready.
Four screens to get to “Start Workout” seems a bit much, but MiCoach does give you opportunities to make changes to your data, so that it is more accurate when you finish and now that I have used it for a little while, it seems pretty intuitive and gives me a chance to double-check myself before I get started.
What it looks like during the workout - Time, Distance and Pace, just what I need, nothing more.
Workout Results from the other day "My Snowmobile Trail Run"
The Workout History and you can choose which workout you want to look at
When you open up a workout to look at how you did
You can also see pace and elevation in graph forms on the iPhone App, but I prefer to go to the MiCoach website to see those. The MiCoach website is easy to maneuver through, although it doesn’t seem to want to remember me, to make my login quicker and easier. Below is the entry screen for MiCoach.
MiCoach Web Portal
Below is the graph comparing pace and elevation:
Graph Showing pace and elevation - shows I slowed down on the hill today
I really find this graphic illustration of the elevation and pace, very informative and I can learn a lot from it. You can tell from about 7-12 minutes I was busy doing something (trying to get rid of my headphones and stow away the iPhone while running), there is a pretty sharp decrease in pace when I turn around and go back the other direction each time. When I came back up that freaking hill – yes it is a tough hill, you can see how much I slowed down.
MiCoach may not do everything that I want, but it does the things that I need it to do. It gives me the data I need to improve as a runner and does it for free. I tried other Apps and while I liked many of them, the MiCoach App simply did more of what I wanted
Which iPhone or Android Apps do you use for your smart phone to track your runs/walks? Does it do more of my list of expectations than MiCoach? If so let me know, so I can take a good look at it.
FTC Disclaimer – This is a free product from the iTunes App Store and I have received no other forms of compensation to do this review. My opinions about this product are my honest observations, based upon my experience while I am using this product.
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bearrunner
February 3, 2012 at 9:42 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
looks like a good app that provides some valuable information to see improvements!
cheers
running_dan_w
February 4, 2012 at 5:30 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Great blog, I did the same hunt and came to the same conclusion and am using miCoach. Like you say, none if them are perfect but miCoach seems to be the best for me.
hshawjr
February 4, 2012 at 8:03 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
It was a long search and some things about MiCoach frustrate me, but of all of them it frustrates me the least and is closer to what I am looking for. I hate to put it that way, but it seems that is how it works for apps.
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