Fitness apps are getting social
A partner helps motivate us when we run and makes the exercise more productive and enjoyable. Don’t believe me? Just watch Rocky III and tell me that sprinting down the beach with Apollo Creed doesn’t push Rocky to the limit.
Okay, so most of us don’t have a former world champ to push us when we work out, but for the rest of us there is the fantastic fitness app, Grit, which connects runners with professional coaches.
Taking advantage of the fact that running is universal
One of my favorite things about running is that you can do it anywhere on short notice. If you have an extra 15-20 minutes when you wake up you can get some exercise in. If you’ve flown halfway across the world and your hotel doesn’t have a gym you can still burn some calories by going for a jog. As long as you’ve got your shoes you can exercise.
However, it can be hard to coordinate schedules with a running buddy if you never know when you might have a moment to spare, and it can be difficult staying accountable to a trainer you might see once a week if you’re lucky. Enter Grit.
Connecting runners with coaches
Grit is a social app currently in Beta (it will be released in December 2015) that connects runners with coaches. Grit doesn’t require any new devices: you simply install the app on your phone and go for a run. You may point out that most phones already have apps that track your steps or that you have a watch that will collect the data, but what sets Grit apart is what is done with that data.
Grit connects runners to coaches who look over your data- duration, speed, etc.- and tell you what it means. No more wondering whether you need to go for longer runs or speed it up: your Grit coach will send you encouragement each day to go for your run and provide feedback and guidance to help you improve and reach your goals. No matter where you are, your phone allows you to connect with your very own track coach.
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