Smartphone running apps are ten a penny. Practically every sportswear brand has its own GPS tracker while charities, gyms and plenty of new tech companies like Strava, Endomondo and Runkeeper have also got in on the action. As a result, the smartphone has become an essential runner’s tool with millions of milers around the world using it to clock distance, report pace and stay motivated.
It makes sense, after all, you get much of the info you’ll find in a £400 running watch for a fraction of the price. The only real problem is that all your vital stats end up tucked away in some unreachable pocket making it hard to monitor important things like real time pace.
Then along comes the Apple Watch Series 2 with it’s new found GPS skills and improved battery life and with it the promise that our favourite Apple Watch running apps are going to be set free.
Finally we could leave our phones at home and still enjoy all the essential tracking smarts but right there on your wrist where you can see them. Granted you’d still have to pay £369.00 for the watch but with it’s other smartwatch skills, there was a chance that we’d finally found a genuinely good all-rounder.
But has that runner’s dream really been achieved? Can we strap on an Apple Watch and run unburdened by our blowers? Have all those smartphone running apps we’re so familiar with been transformed into amazing new tools?
I spent the last month digging deep into Apple Watch app store and testing a whole range of Apple Watch running apps for Wareable.com to find out. Hit the link and head over to Wareable to see what I think is worth a download and what to avoid.
