Runkeeper: Fitness For Geeks Made Easy

I’ve only recently joined the gym, because my sedentary lifestyle has been catching up to me. I sit at a desk all day and I didn’t really watch what I ate. Chances are, if you’re reading this, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Fitness doesn’t really play a large role in geeks’ lives. We’re the brains, not the brawn. But who says we can’t combine the two? As geeks, we love data. We love analysing the numbers and tracking our progress. From a social networking perspective, we love sharing our achievements with others too.

Fitness doesn’t have to mean hitting the weights hard to bulk up. Perhaps a little running or cycling could do you good. I’ve quickly learned to love the stiffness that follows every workout, knowing that I’ve really given it my best. One can only really make progress in the gym, on the bike, on a treadmill, or on the road by doing a little more each time. It could mean lifting heavier weights, riding a few extra kilometres, or running your usual route a little faster.

Being a geek, I came home from gym tonight and looked for a few apps for my iPhone that could help me track my workouts and my runs. Today was my first day on the treadmill and I managed to run two kilometres in fifteen minutes. There’s obviously work that needs to be done.

I looked for an app to track my runs. Runkeeper stood out for me, as it could track my run on the treadmill in addition to tracking my route via GPS. Seeing I’m a gym newbie, I’ll be sticking to the treadmill for now. The app works on both iOS and Android.my first day on the treadmill and I managed to run two kilometres in fifteen minutes. There’s obviously work that needs to be done.

You can sign up on Runkeeper’s website or you can simply connect with your Facebook account, automatically connecting you to Facebook friends. What I like about the social connectivity is that while you can opt to share your workouts, you can agree with your Facebook friends who use Runkeeper to hold each other accountable for workouts. You can also set yourself a goal, and track your progress on the website. There are also options to connect across, Twitter, Google, Foursquare and other social networks.

Your iPod also integrates seamlessly with the iOS app, allowing you to listen to music without leaving the app. You can also choose for the app to give you audio cues on your distance and time. Although the app is named Runkeeper, the app can be used for running, walking, cycling, hiking, skiing and even snowboarding.

The GPS is a neat feature for those doing their activities outdoors, although the constant GPS usage on your device will drain the battery pretty quickly.

Do you use any apps to track your gym workouts and keep yourself accountable? Share in the comments below.