RunKeeper

RunKeeper is, in many ways, an enormous sprawling mass of a site. You can add data from a huge range of plugins, and events such as marathons. For most of us though, the appeal is in the combination of the app and the website, which synchronise seamlessly.

Using the app is as simple as selecting the type of workout and pressing go. The app shows you your route, or your pace, time and distance. It also allows spoken prompts, if desired. To add a new workout manually on the website, you simply click ‘post new activity’, select your activity type from the 14 options, and select any equipment used (treadmill or rowing machine, for example). Then enter a route via Google Maps, the time taken, date and time started, and if you wish to, add distance, calories and heart rate. You can upload data direct from a Garmin device, or from GPX or TCX files. The app syncs as soon as a connection is possible.

Like MapMyFitness, you can connect with others to find routes, and share your own. Here, though, there are far more users to share with, and users can also offer and partake of fitness classes – essentially training and coaching – though it takes an upgrade to RunKeeper Elite ($60) to ‘join’ a class. You can follow the plans without one, however. Similarly, unless you’re Elite, you can’t live update Twitter and Facebook, though you can share your completed workouts through either.

RunKeeper has a street team system for sharing your data, and you can log any activity as being by yourself, with your street team, or with partners. This adds to the social aspect, and you can compete against those in your StreetTeam to log kilometres and activities.

RunKeeper’s workout views and reports are detailed, offering time-tracked data for a number of variables, such as calories burned, elevation, pace, distance and speed. The graphs are easily readable and detailed. You can filter reports by activity.

One nice feature is that RunKeeper sends you an alert every time you reach a major milestone, such as your fastest time, longest distance or most activities in a month.

The only thing RunKeeper really lacks is a nutrition tracker (though you can use plug-ins), which is the one area where iMapMyFitness pips it. Otherwise, this is about as complete as you’ll get. It’s surprisingly simple for such a broad-based site, and you need only dip in as far as you desire. It’s ideal for someone looking for detailed, wide-reaching information, especially those with a plan to race.