Running with apps for the Apple Watch
The Apple Watch puts a lot of emphasis on sports and fitness. In addition, it contains a GPS chip, so you can record your running route independently without taking your iPhone with you. You can even get an Apple Watch with 4G, so you can continue to stream music and more while running without having to carry your iPhone with you. But which app do you use? In this overview you will find the most suitable Apple Watch apps for running. Also read our overview of apps for novice runners, if you prefer to take your iPhone with you while running.
- Running apps for Apple Watch
- Apple Workout app
- Workoutdoors
- Strava
- Runkeeper
- Nike+ Run Club
- Runtastic Pro
- Simple Interval Timer
Although the Apple Watch is not a pure sports watch, you do have more and more options for exercising with it. Apps let you add exactly the features you’re looking for, like measuring your pace and distance, heart rate training, and interval training. Apple previously also sold a special Nike+ version of the Apple Watch, but you don’t actually need that to enjoy running. These models offer the same functions as the standard version. That is why Apple now only sells separate Nike+ watch straps, so that you can transform your regular Apple Watch into a Nike+ model.
If you are looking for a good Apple Watch app that allows you to run without taking your iPhone with you, apps such as the Apple Workout app, Runkeeper, Strava and Nike+ Run Club are suitable. You can install the apps below on all Apple Watch models. Keep in mind that the Apple Watch offers fairly simple functionality for runners compared to sports watches from, for example, Garmin and Polar. Fortunately, there will gradually be more and more choice in apps that have just a little more to offer.
#1 Apple Workout for Apple Watch
You actually don’t need a separate app to run with the Apple Watch. By default you will already find the Workout app on the watch with which you can walk, run, cycle and do countless other sports. You may think you’re better off with an app from a specialized party, but Apple has added many features for runners in recent years, especially in watchOS 9. You get to see your step length, ground contact time, vertical oscillation and all kinds of other data.
You also get an overview of your running power and you can see in which heart rate zone you are training. If you often run the same lap, you can try to improve your time on this route by racing against yourself. And with the Pacer function you ensure that you stay at the right pace. For advanced athletes, there is a multi-sport function for triathlons and if you want to follow a specific training schedule, there are tailor-made workouts so that you can alternate pace with recovery.
From your watch face, you can quickly start a new workout, choosing to run indoors or outdoors with your Apple Watch. You choose an open goal or a goal based on time, distance or calories. You can also see what you did last time and improve your performance based on that.
While running you see all the statistics. If you have opted for less information on the screen, you can also turn the Digital Crown to scroll through data such as heart rate and distance. You also have the option to block your screen while exercising. This feature is actually intended for swimmers, where the water can cause accidental screen touches, but can also be useful during sports on dry land. When running, the app automatically recognizes when you are standing still and pauses the workout. If you continue walking, the counter will start running again.
The Apple Watch can also recognize that you are exercising without having started the Workout app. You will receive a notification asking whether you are exercising. If you confirm this, the counter will run from the moment you approximately started exercising, so that the collected data comes together neatly and not as different sports sessions.
Apple’s Workout app synchronizes all data with HealthKit, so you can also read it in third-party apps that support this.
#2 Workoutdoors
If you are looking for another app to run indoors or outdoors with your Apple Watch, Workoutdoors is a good option. It has many functions and can be adjusted in many ways. The app is also suitable for cycling, walking and other sports, with a total of 38 different activities. You don’t have to take the iPhone with you. Via the settings you can choose from more than 600 data fields and graphs. You can export the measurements as a GPX, FIT or TCX file, or automatically upload them to Strava. You can also receive all kinds of notifications, for example your heart rate, a speed that is too low or a change in heart rate zone. If you want to measure it even more accurately, you can connect the app to an external sensor via Bluetooth. The measurement stops automatically if you have to take a break at a crossing. And if you are afraid that you will miss all the new running functions from watchOS 9, we can reassure you: Workoutdoors can also indicate ground contact, power and vertical oscillation. Very complete, for a one-off amount. Everything is synced with Apple’s HealthKit.
#3 Strava for Apple Watch (also for running)
Strava is known as a cycling app, but you can also use this app for running. There is a Strava app for your Apple Watch that can be used without an iPhone. The app shows your distance, pace and heart rate clearly on the screen while running.
While running, you see the duration at the top of the screen, the current pace in the middle and the distance and your current heart rate at the bottom. Unfortunately, you can’t adjust this, like with Apple’s Workout app itself. What you can set is an automatic pause if you stand still for a moment. You can easily do this by swiping right in the Apple Watch app and turning the option on.
Strava also has complications for your Apple Watch dial. These are buttons that allow you to quickly open the app.
#4 Runkeeper for Apple Watch
With Runkeeper you can run with confidence without taking your iPhone with you. You can also record your distance when you’re on a treadmill, just like with the Nike+ app.
Before you leave you can do a workout. It already contains three predefined workouts, namely a 20-minute easy workout, a distance of 3.6 kilometers (2.25 miles) and a shorter distance of 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) with walking in between. You can easily create your own workouts in the app, which you synchronize with the Apple Watch. This way you can easily create interval training, but unfortunately you cannot set distances shorter than 250 meters. You also cannot create intervals based on distance and time goals. But apart from that, Runkeeper gives you many options, for example to enter a training schedule from a magazine.
Before you run away, you can also set a desired pace and maximum heart rate. While running, you can see the duration and strength of the GPS signal at the top, distance and current pace in the middle, while the average pace and heart rate are shown at the bottom. You must view all statistics via the iPhone app. You can quickly launch the app from your watch face.
#5 Nike+ Run Club for Apple Watch
Nike+ Run Club uses the abbreviation NRC, a name that sounds a bit awkward to Dutch people because we mainly know NRC as a newspaper. The close collaboration between Apple and Nike has led to a special model of the Apple Watch, which is technically identical to the normal version and is also the same in price. The only extras are the special watch strap with perforations and a set of dials in Nike font.
The app loads quickly, is easy to use and exudes the characteristic Nike style. You can quickly start a workout from the watch face of the Apple Watch, with the choice of a ‘Quick Start’, the same settings as your last workout or a self-selected distance or speed.
If you want to go further and faster, the ‘Match Your Last Run’ function is a useful option. You can try to improve the distance or speed of your last workout. While running you see pace, heart rate, duration and distance. By turning the Digital Crown you can switch between pace and distance. You will not see an average pace and the app is less suitable for training based on heart rate. After your run, you’ll see a summary of key metrics, including the total distance you ran and the number of workouts. If you want to see more, the iPhone app is the place to be.
#6 Runtastic Pro for Apple Watch
The home screen of Runtastic Pro for Apple Watch is quite simple. You choose your activity and indicate whether you want to enable Live Tracking so that friends can track your location. You can also indicate whether you want to hear spoken instructions. While running you can see the distance, duration, current pace, heart rate and heart rate zone. You cannot adjust this yourself, like with Apple’s Workout app. You can swipe sideways to control the music, although you are stuck with Apple Music and it does not work with Spotify.
After running with your Apple Watch, you can indicate how you felt and what type of surface you ran on, such as asphalt or grass. You will then see distance, duration, average pace, average speed, maximum speed, elevation differences, average heart rate and more. After pressing the button, the data will disappear again and you will have to consult the iPhone app to see it again.
Runtastic is free to use, but there is also a Premium variant with training plans, more advanced statistics and more.
#7 SIT (Simple Interval Timer) for Apple Watch
Simple Interval Trainer is an excellent app for people who want to do interval training and want as much flexibility as possible. As the name suggests, this app has been kept as simple as possible. Choose the number of repetitions, the length of each interval and the desired rest time. As soon as you press the start button, you will see your progress on the screen, a counter for how long you have to continue and your current heart rate.
The downside of this app is that you can only set intervals based on time, not based on distance or heart rate zone. You also don’t get tactile warnings when it’s time to change pace. So you will always have to look at the Apple Watch screen to know how far you are. Because such an app does not record location, it does not require GPS and works on any generation of Apple Watch.
Don’t have an Apple Watch for running yet? See how the Apple Watch can improve your sports performance and read everything about buying an Apple Watch. People looking for a sporty Apple Watch are best off with a special version, the Apple Watch Nike+.
