This month, we’re moving beyond our class reviews and diving into the dynamic world of fitness apps, competitive events, and innovative equipment. Each review will be grounded in our thorough “tried and tested” approach. Whether you’re a fitness veteran or a newcomer, we provide reliable insights to enhance your health and workout regime.
Today, we’re diving into the Runna app, a recent addition to the running community that’s quickly gaining traction.
As a pretty keen fitness enthusiast, I’m constantly on the lookout for tools to enhance my training. With a half marathon planned for June, Runna caught my eye with its promise of personalised running plans. I’m not the only one though – many of the team here at FFF are also avid Runna users. I’ve enlisted their help to give an honest review of our experience.
What is Runna?
Runna is a personalised running coaching platform with tailored plans to achieve your goals.
Their mission is to make running training effective, enjoyable and easy for everyone.
What sets Runna apart in a sea of fitness apps? Its tailored approach to helping runners of all levels achieve their personal best, whether it’s improving a 5K time or crossing the finish line of a first marathon.
Moreover, their team is full of actual experts, including Ironman coaches (and finishers themselves), Olympians, experienced coaches and physiotherapists.
How does it work?
Runna operates on a subscription model, with a cost that offers good value for its comprehensive features. Users can test the waters with a one-week free trial before committing to a monthly fee of £15.99 or opting for an annual subscription at £100. This pricing positions Runna as an affordable option for runners seeking structured training plans.
Available on major platforms, Runna is accessible for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, ensuring a wide reach across different devices.
It’s really easy to download and set up. Within minutes, you have a personalised running plan at your fingertips!
What are our favourite features?
It was quite hard to whittle it down, but here are some of our faves:
Personally, the Garmin integration was a large win for me. It makes pacing and following more complicated sessions easy!
I also really like the ability to add in running specific strength sessions and other forms of training such as pilates – something that is often overlooked, but is hugely important for overall performance.
Meghan – Senior Nutritionist:
I love that it tells me what pace I’m going at through my headphones. It makes it much easier to push yourself when you’re running at a challenging pace.
The session overview function is also really helpful. I like being able to see what I have coming up in drop sets/tempo runs, etc.
Being able to change the plan part-way through without having to restart is also great. Adding in strength/pilates sessions or increasing/decreasing the number of sessions per week allows you to tweak if the volume is too high, rather than just giving up.
Caroline – Client Experience Manager:
I’d never done structured training before Runna! I love that every week I get an easy run, a long run (which is often fairly easy as well in terms of pace), and a more structured run, like pyramid intervals or tempo.
It’s great to be able to see the whole plan upfront and know what you’ve got coming up. You can move the sessions to different days to suit your schedule, which is a necessity for me. You can also increase/decrease the sessions per week as you go, so if you know the next couple of weeks are busy, you can go from 3 runs to 2 runs per week, which is super helpful and stops you from throwing the towel in completely.
It’s designed with the user in mind, and people with real lives who have other things to do outside of running!
Alice – Senior Communications Manager:
It’s so useful coming back from injury and knowing I have a structured plan to get me back to where I want to be. In the past, if I’ve ever had an injury and gone back to running I’ve felt nervous but knowing I have a structured plan to follow is so helpful and gives me confidence! I love the fact you can see the whole plan ahead and know what you’re aiming towards.
I also love the fact it tells you your pace in your headphones – it’s so much easier than trying to follow my pace on my Apple watch!
Round up
Was there anything that surprised us? What surprised me was the depth of the strength training component. Often, running apps focus predominantly on running workouts, but Runna’s comprehensive approach to include strength training tailored for runners is a standout feature. It underscores the importance of a holistic training regime, and the workouts were both challenging and complementary to my running goals
Also, the emphasis on being part of the running community and the engagement from users was great to see. They arrange run clubs, and events and have experts on hand at your fingertips.
Would we recommend it? Absolutely! Across the board, all of the users here at FFF gave Runna a definite 10/10. It’s great for anyone from a complete novice to a seasoned runner looking for more structure.
Feeling inspired to lace up your trainers? Runna is your personalised running coach with tailored plans to achieve your goals, from training for a faster 5k to your first marathon – they’ve got you covered. Download Runna today to claim your two weeks of free coaching to help you reach your next running goal with code: FRESHFITNESS. Get started here and thank us later!
Disclaimer Please note that results and experiences can differ greatly from person to person. This review reflects the author’s own experience with Runna and is intended for informational purposes only. Before making any decisions based on this review, we encourage you to consider your personal goals, preferences, and needs. It’s important to explore and evaluate Runna on your own to determine if it aligns with your individual fitness journey.
Need a plan to support your running regime – get involved. Get £45 off a 3-day trial with code: BLOG45. Start your trial here. Order today and start smashing your goals with personalised nutrition!
Fresh Fitness Food provides personalised meal plans delivered straight to your door, ensuring not only that you have the nutrients you need to manage your stress levels, but also that you have the time usually spent shopping, cooking and washing up, to engage in your favourite stress-reducing activity.
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