A couple of weeks ago, I moved to a new city. And the biggest problem I faced was finding a perfect running trail. Obviously, after I got myself a maid, grocery and the laundry guy. I manually hunted dozens of parks in the locality with the help of Google Maps but all of it was in vain. Because the parks were either too small or not ideal for running.
Until I decided to take the help of a dedicated app. Turns out, the apps are pretty helpful and I even joined a running community and ran a 5k virtual marathon. So, on that note here are some incredible apps to find the perfect running trail.
Read: My Experience with Fitvate – Best Workout Trainer App?
Best Running Trails Near Me App
1. RunGo
RunGo is the simplest app in this list. As soon as you open the app, you have the local running trails listed. You click on any one of them and the distance and trail details are displayed. Furthermore, you can also switch to the Group tab to find running groups around you. Unfortunately, I didn’t find any in my neighborhood.
The most annoying thing about the app is random crashes. Almost, every time that I have launched the app, it has crashed on me once. Another small addition that I would have loved would the ability to navigate to the running trail from my current location.
Features: turn-by-turn voice navigation while running, recording and logging of running history.
Download RunGo (Android | iOS)
2. RunKeeper
RunKeeper is another GPS based run tracking app. The app has all the native run tracking and community socializing features like every app mentioned from here on in this list. However, to find a running track you will have to head over to the RunKeeper Route webpage. Search for your city and you will be presented with routes added by the community users. Next, you can add those routes to your profile for future reference.
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Like RunGo, there is no option to navigate to the running trail from your current location. However, RunKeeper has communities, challenges and training plans within the app which help you build yourself towards the goal.
Features: Challenges, Training Plan, Multiple Workout Activities, Socializing, etc.
Download RunKeeper (Android | iOS)
3. AllTrails
The problem that I had with both RunGo and RunKeeper was the inability to navigate to the running trail from your current location. Well, AllTrails got it covered. As soon as you launch the app, it gets your location data and displays running trails around you. When you click on a trail, you have the option to navigate to it, record your run, share the trail or download it for offline usage.
AllTrails also provide you an option to view other people’s recording on that particular trail to get a better idea. The most helpful thing was the user review and ratings which give you a fair bit of idea about the place.
Features: Â Filtering Routes, Plan Training, Review & Rate Trails, Running History & Stats, etc.
Download AllTrails (Android | iOS)
4. Strava
Amongst all these apps, Strava is the one that never got uninstalled from my phone. Strava is an extremely popular app amongst runners and cyclist. When you open the app, you are straightaway greeted with your feed. If you tap on the hamburger icon on the top-left corner, the menu slides in. Select Segment Explorer and it will present you with the running trails around you. The running trails are in the form of pins on the Map which you can tap to have an overview.
The reason I stuck to Strava is the challenges and events happening around me. I ran a 5k race on Strava and would be running probably more. Most of my friends are present on Strava and I can see their training activity and even challenge them. You have to agree that running is more enjoying if it is a social activity and the involvement of friends makes it more interesting which is why Strava deserves to stay on your phone.
Read: Best Apple Watch Workout Apps to Train Harder
Features: Activity Tracker, Socializing, Challenges, Training Plan, Events & Races, etc.
Download Strava (Android | iOS)
5. MapMyRun
MapMyRun is a popular fitness app currently owned by Sports brand Under Armour. It has the biggest routes and member out of all the above-mentioned apps. I was able to find a lot of running routes in my locality and the choices were way more than the other apps. This is conceivable due to the huge community and members on MapMyRun.
However, I would tag the app as “overwhelming”. Since it is owned by Under Armour, you get a whole “Buy my Products” section in it. The number of running trails it populates is huge and most of them aren’t even trails. It’s time that the app support verifies the data uploaded in the app.
Wrapping Up
In case you want a simple app just to get your work done, AllTrails and RunGo will have the best routes for you. But, if you are looking at things more than just running, give Strava a shot you won’t be disappointed. For people with Under Armour gear, you can’t go wrong with MapMyRun *wink* *wink*.
For beginners, I would recommend taking a trail that is straight rather than running in loops to avoid injuries. And make a Spotify offline playlist as well, helps to combat network issues. If you live somewhere, where weather is unpredictable, check out the list of best weather apps.
For more queries or issues, let me know in the comments below and I’ll get back to you.
Also Read: Do I Need a Smartwatch? No You Don’t
