runkeeper

Are you a runner? Well, there's an app for that! Find out why FitSugar reader the13thmile can't get enough of the RunKeeper app. She shared her review in the RunningSugar community group.

I’ve been using RunKeeper to track my training the past few months and I absolutely love it. It tracks time, elevation, and pace, all while graphing it out and providing mile splits.

If you’ve ever wondered why you speed up during one mile and slow down during the next, this app provides the picture answer as to why.

To find out how RunKeeper helped the13thmile train for a half marathon, read more

RunKeeper Pro may be one of my favorite running apps (well, when I run), but I know how some of you are with paid apps. Cheap. I like to conserve my money as well, so if running more often, taking on a marathon, or losing a few pounds is on your New Year's resolution list for 2011, you can get this awesome app for no cost through January.

Using your iPhone or Android device's GPS, you can track your run, walk, or cycling mileage and route through your city. You can even earn badges on Foursquare for your workouts — no check-ins required. You can download the Pro version on the RunKeeper website, Android Market, or the iTunes store now for free!

Somewhere between getting crunked, staying out all night, and hitting up douchey bars, Foursquare wants us to be healthy, too. The location-based service is partnering with RunKeeper, an app that lets users track their workout stats, to earn badges based on fitness achievements. But wait, there's a twist! No check-ins needed to earn a RunKeeper badge. So unlike the gym rat and healthy eating badges, we get to be fit and show off Foursquare flair without having to tell people where we are.

Earning a RunKeeper badge couldn't be simpler: hit a milestone on RunKeeper, earn a badge. Finish a long-distance run? Bam — get the marathon badge! Hoping to prove that they are more than just a collection of check-ins, Foursquare will be offering up more "real-world experience" badges in the weeks to come — a move which could give them the edge over competitors like Loopt and Facebook Places.

Check out FitSugar reader spacekatgal's very thorough review and comparison of two running gadgets from the community group RunningSugar.

Running is generally a cheap sport — good shoes and good music are generally all you need. However, like most other sports, the deeper you get into it the more you start eying professional gear. For runners, that means heart rate monitors and GPS devices. They help you quantify data about your speed, your heart rate, and your distance. When used properly, they can help push your runs to the next level.

RunKeeper Pro is a $10 download for iPhone, and one of the highest rated running apps available. It tracks your distance and time with your iPhone’s GPS chip. The $315 Garmin Forerunner 405 is a top-of-the-line GPS watch. It uses the same technology to track your runs, and has an optional heart rate monitor. Can a $10 iPhone app compete with one of best reviewed pieces of running equipment available? Find out when you read more