It may have been around for six years (in fact it was one of the apps that persuaded us to get up off the sofa and start running in the first place...) but the updated version of Nike+ Run Club just got a whole lot cooler (and easier to use). Read on to discover all you need to know about the latest version of the app that has logged 2.5 billion miles globally...
1. Get personal
'From the moment you create an account and log in, we get to know you a little bit and put you on training programmes adapted to you as a runner, no matter what fitness or run level you are’ says Jay Lee, Nike Senior Product Director of Category Experiences.Even better, at the end of session a detailed recap including photos and a progress chart helps you personalise and adapt your future runs accordingly.
2. Improved interaction
More opportunity to report back on what’s working means a more customised experience for you: ‘After every workout we want to know how hard it was. What about your heart rate? Any bruising? Or was it very light? The more information we get, the more we learn about you as a runner’, advises Jay.
3. Nudge nudge
We all know that despite our best intentions, sometimes Netflix and pizza takes precedence over a run. Happily, Nike does too so they’ve introduced a schedule function that’s a cinch to edit, plus reminders that pop up that feel gently motivating (rather than nagging). ‘The reminders help you if you’ve gone off schedule’, says Jay. ‘The important thing is it works around you.’
4. Slick design
For those that are a little tech timid, the good news is that the new design is a doddle to use. ‘This is much more friendly for Apple users on IOS and android users on Google. We make sure that no matter what device you’re using, you’re getting the best from the app and Nike’, says Jay. Improved navigation also means it’s much quicker to log in and get going when you’re struck by the urge to pound the pavements.
5. Beginners welcome
Some training apps can feel totally geared towards the pros but not so now; if you’re new to running and are a little apprehensive about how to get started, don’t fear. With much more emphasis on helping you develop your own style and discover what type of run is best suited to you, this is a great starter option too.
6. Stick ‘em up
It doesn’t take much to win us over; thanks to cool emoji-like stickers (including special Nike artist packs) that allow you to personalise your route or post-run selfie, we’ve never been more keen to cross that (self-imposed) finish line.
7. Get social
No one creates a community like Nike and thanks to a simple hashtagging update, it just got easier to share your running experience with mates or like-minded runners, wherever they are around the globe. ‘It gets you motivated when you see people you know working out,’ says Jamie. You can also join, book and check-in to one of 250 weekly live session experiences run by NRC Head Coaches and Pacers.
8. Voice over
Taking the idea of a pocket personal trainer to the next level, the new app has an audio feature allowing you to hear a master trainer (Olympic sprinter Michael Johnson anyone?) over your workout music. Essential for those mid-run slumps when you need a pep talk to keep you going.
9. Mix it up
Exercise can go awry when it becomes boring. Happily the clever folks at Nike have recognised this and tailored the app to include different types of runs from distance and tempo to recovery runs. ‘This is an adaptive coaching programme,’ assures Jay. ‘It’s dynamic, changing and fluent.’
10. Hands free
Good news for Apple watch users (as if you weren’t lucky enough). The new app negates the need for a phone, meaning you can leave yours at home and just use the inbuilt accelerometer on your run instead.
SEE MORE: Posting your workouts on social media might make you a narcissist