Top 5 Apps for Tracking Your Runs

Training for running events like Ruckus can be challenging.  And sometimes it’s nice to have a coach, workout buddy or motivator to help you push yourself to train a few times a week.  Unfortunately, many of us do not have coaches or personal trainers to help us keep track of our progress.  But we do have accessibility to many mobile apps, online tools and new gadgets that can help us get in tip-top shape for Ruckus! 

In order to keep your momentum going before and after any mud run, we’ve compiled a list of the best running tools available. These tools will help you keep track of your routes, your times, your speed and more.

1.  MapMyRun

MapMyRun is a great tool for tracking your running routes. You can trace a new route on a map to see how long your run will be or you can search for pre-existing routes in the program. In addition to being able to map routes, there are also running groups, nutrition information and even training plans. If you’re looking to learn more about the world around you while keeping track of your regimen, this is a good place to start. Cost: Free for basic, $2.99 on iOS, Android and Blackberry.

2.  Garmin Forerunner

Based in Olathe, Kansas, Garmin changed the navigation industry by creating affordable technology for everyday people. In addition to a slew of other innovation areas, Garmin has created the Forerunner, a watch that allows you to record your distance, time and pace as you run. Additionally, Forerunner allows you to monitor your heart rate. The strength of Garmin’s navigation ensures that you will always have signal and consistent data. Cost: Starting at $152 on Amazon.

3.  Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K is designed for beginners who don’t know where to start when it comes to running. The application includes a rigid training program that, if followed, will prepare you to run a 5K. Integrating motivational talks with custom music preferences, this application also gives users a discount on local 5K races once they are ready to race. This is a great application to share with friends who are interested in getting active but don’t know where to start.  The Couch to 5K structure inspires self-discipline and dedication. Cost: $1.99, available for iOS and Android.

4.  Zombies, Run!

Sometimes running away from something can be just as motivating as running toward a finish line. If you’re willing to suspend disbelief for a while and have fun doing it, Zombies, Run! will create a unique running experience for you. Choose from over 40 storylines (“Hundreds of lives are counting on you. You’ve got to help your base rebuild from the ruins of civilization by collecting critical supplies while avoiding roving zombie hordes.”), choose your playlist, and while you run, your music will integrate with story elements to provide a unique running experience.  Zombies, Run! is a great app if you’re training for a 5K, 10K, mud run or even an obstacle course like The Walking Dead Escape. Cost: $7.99 on iOS, Android and Windows.

5.  Ghost Race

One of the most motivating forces is the idea of beating ourselves. Ghost Race will keep track of all your data and provide you with graphical representations of your progress in beating yourself. If you are curious about where you are in your run but don’t want to stop to look at your device, you can set up Ghost Race to give audio cues for status updates. Knowing you are beating your personal best is a satisfying feeling and Ghost Race will help you do so with clarity. Cost: Free for Lite version, $.99 Pro version available for iOS and Android.

There are many applications, tools and gadgets available for runners these days. What’s more important than finding just the right application is that you remain dedicated to working hard and continue to grow as a runner, which we are confident you will do!

One Month Training Guide for a Mud Run

We are less than one month away from the Kansas City Ruckus mud run (and we’re expecting the 10:00am and 11:00am waves to sell out this week!)  This is an exciting and important time for everyone involved in Ruckus. While one month may seem like a while, it will go by fast! It’s important to maintain strong consistency with your training in order to achieve the mud run goal you’ve been working toward (and maybe even surpass it!).

So whether you’re a veteran runner or a first-time participant in a mud run, these helpful tips will ensure your success:

1.      Step up your training.
When runners are training for a marathon, they begin their hardest workouts a month before the big race. Training for the Ruckus, or any mud obstacle course for that matter, is no different. Begin your longest, hardest workouts now to make sure your body is totally prepared for the mud run. If you’ve been running three miles a day to train, start running four. That extra push will put you over the competitive edge.

2.      Get your gear in order.
Now is the time to take a full inventory of all your gear for the mud run. Leave nothing unaccounted for. This is important to do especially if you are ordering specific types of shoes or clothing that are only available online (this will ensure that ample time is allotted for shipping). It would be really disappointing to have a key piece of gear missing on race day. (Another helpful tip: don’t wear brand new shoes on race-day whether you’re in a mud run or a regular race.  First are foremost, you don’t want to ruin them.  And secondly, without breaking in your shoes properly, you could damage your feet with blisters and calluses.) 

3.      Beat yourself.
If you’re participating in Ruckus, odds are you love the idea of being the best version of yourself you can be. If you haven’t already been keeping track of your mile-times, pace and intervals, do so now. One month out from the mud run, track how long your runs are taking you and aim to improve by a few seconds each time. When it comes time to participate in mud run, a few seconds can make or break a runner winning a heat. MapMyRUN has excellent tools to help you track your routes, progress and times. Set out to beat yourself!

4.      Rest up.
The month before an event like Ruckus can lead to lack of sleep (perhaps you lay awake visualizing crossing the finish line!). However, research shows that lack of sleep can severely impair your physical capabilities. Sleep deprivation also takes a while to recover from, so sleeping a lot a couple of day before Ruckus won’t do you much good. Instead, reorient your life to match a healthy sleep schedule. You’ll be much better off for it in the long run – not just for Ruckus, but in general.

5.      Revel in your impending glory.
You are so close! You have taken a bold risk by stepping outside of your comfort zone and you have prepared for quite some time. Now it is time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Push through and achieve the dream you’ve been looking forward to! In a month, we’ll be applauding you as you reach the finish line. For now, we’re applauding you as you approach the starting line. Let’s do this!

Have tips on how you're training for Ruckus?  Want to share your training experience with us?  Have an incredible Ruckus training story?  Share it on Facebook! 

How to Have Fun on Every Run (Even the Tough Ones!)

Running can be...monotonous.  The same trail run, the same pace on the treadmill, the same routine over and over again can get...well...boring.  So how can you have fun on every single run you do (even the ones that are challenging, difficult, even excruciating?).  We’ve got the four best ways to stay positive, happy and challenged during every single run you do while you train for Ruckus:

Give yourself a challenge

Have you been running at a 6.0/mile pace on the same 3-mile route for a few weeks now?  No wonder you’re bored—you’re not challenging yourself!  Hard work doesn’t just make you fitter, it makes you happier, too.  In a 2011 study conducted by scientists at the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences in the UK, recreational runners who rated their enjoyment after a steady 50-minute run weren’t nearly as exhilarated than with their performance at a higher intensity.

How can you challenge yourself?  Try mixing a few sprints into your normal run.  This simple change of pace can help you accomplish the challenge you need. 

Run with friends

Although many runners enjoy the peaceful, serene solo run, it’s important to run with friends and family too.  Running with others provides greater satisfaction with exercise, increased motivation to reach goals and greater consistency to perform.

Give yourself a reward

A run will feel even more satisfying when there is a reward involved.  If you hold a certain pace, reward yourself with a yummy dinner.  If you run the furthest you ever have without stopping, treat yourself with a massage the next day.  Give yourself incentives and you’ll find running to be even more fulfilling and more fun.

Switch up the course

If you run the same course over and over again, your brain will no longer be stimulated and your body will no longer be challenged.  Every so often, opt for a different course—explore new trails, drive out to the countryside or discover a new neighborhood.  Find your route using MapMyRun.com beforehand so you know exactly where you’re going.

Make running fun again!  Give these four tips a shot and you’ll not only get in Ruckus shape, but you’ll smile while doing it. 

The 6 Hottest Apps to Help You Train for Ruckus

Sometimes a dirt road, a pair of old tennis shoes and mental strength just isn’t enough. As human beings, we need support, we need advice and we need guidance when training for physical challenges like Ruckus. But what if you can’t afford a nutritionist, a coach or even a gym membership? That doesn’t mean you can’t get in tip-top Ruckus shape! There are dozens of cheap (and some free!) apps out there that will help you get in training-mode—even in time for Ruckus St. Louis on May 5^th!

iMAPMYRUN

Free: iPhone

iMapMyRUN (the app version of MapMyRUN) may be the best app to log aworkout—it even finds running courses for you! Record your workouts, find a great running route, plug in nutrition and connect with your running friends with iMapMyRUN.

MYFITNESSPAL

Free: iPhone

MyFitnessPal keep track of both your nutrition as well as your day-to-day activity. Simply plug theword “apple” into your daily intake and your calorie tracker will subtract 80 calories. Type in that you ran for 60 minutes and the calorie tracker will add an additional 600 calories to your daily caloric intake. It’s easy and it keeps health-conscious people on track.

INSTANT HEART RATE

Free: Android, iPhone

This app is a smartphone camera plus an instant heart-rate monitor that, according to many doctors, is one of the most accurate heart-rate monitor apps out there!

INFLICT TRAINING

$1.99: iPhone

This app, developed by Lance Armstrong’s conditioning coach, utilizes video to show you how to perform certain exercises and movements. Get inside the gym and turn on Inflict Training to learn more about which exercises are for you. This app shows moves that center around agility and balance, Pilates, interval training and much, much more.

GAZELLE

Free: Android, Blackberry, iPhone

Gazelle stores all medical records for later viewing. Need to log your Quest Diagnostics lab results? Need help remembering medication names? Not sure how many doses you may need? Gazelle helps with that!

HEART DISEASE RISKCALCULATOR

Free: iPhone

Scare yourself off the couch! The Heart Disease Risk Calculator estimates your odds of having a heart attack, stroke or heart failure within the next ten years! Talk about encouragement to put down the potato chips and sign up for Ruckus!

Our phones seem to do it all—they have become our coaches, our motivators and even our doctors. Start purchasing these cool training apps to and get ready for your upcoming Ruckus challenge!