The programme can be completed in the guided 9-weeks or longer if you wish and this app helps you keep going when stopping seems like the easiest option. This app has five different trainers to motivate you on your journey – as well as telling you when to run and when to walk – including comedians Sarah Millican, radio presenter Jo Whiley and Olympian Michael Johnson. That's a whopping 92% increase on the year before! And, according to the BBC, more than 858,000 downloaded the app (backed by the NHS) between March and June. Wowza.Įveryone from your dentist to your aunty seems to have flirted with the idea of doing Couch to 5k – the running plan that gets beginner runners and never-run-before-runners able to run a full 5k.

Thanks, running!īut, know you how to run, how can you actually keep it up? From motivational run-walk plans to route trackers, navigation-aids and mile-loggers, we've rounded up the 8 best free running apps to help you hit your next PB – including the one that's had a 92% jump in downloads on 2019. National lockdown forced us from the gym to the garden, to the great outdoors, trying to find a way to stay active and fit – running, it seems, has taken the cake in terms of accessibility and scalability.

Nothing better, right? With more people than ever running in lockdown – and the fact that a couple of the most popular and previously-free run apps are now charging for some of their services, finding a free alternative is a great way to keep on track.Īccording to one report, we're not only doing more running, we're also talking about running more – in March, 34 million people discussed the pavement-pounding pastime on social media and 207k sharing running stats from exercise apps – both figures that are more than January and February combined. The best free running apps do exactly what they say on the tin: they're free and help you with your running.

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