Keeping track of the distance that you covered during jogging or running would certainly be a great way to keep tabs on your workout progress. These would be handy for professional athletes and beginners alike. Accurate data of the distance you cover over a period of time can work as a motivator as well as can help you set your workout goals.cBut how can we track the running distance? Well, it’s a technological era and there are no limits on the gadgets and tools you can find around you to get just about anything done. Health or workout tracking is no exception. There is more than one way of tracking your running distance. We’ll be listing them down here so you can make an informed decision. Also, we’ll be listing some brands and specific products you can check out in the process, including the Garmin forerunner 230 vs 235. So, keep reading!
Ways to track the running or jogging or walking distance
Here are the different ways in which you can track the distance that you covered running or walking or jogging.
Using tracking apps
Smartphones have made our lives easier in a lot of ways and the areas in which it’s helped us include health tracking too. There are several applications available for Android and iOS phones that, with the help of GPS location trackers, can help you find the accurate distance that you covered running or walking. Honestly, one of the simplest and inexpensive ways to track the running distance would be getting a tracker app. There are applications that are absolutely free as well. You wouldn’t have to pay a thing (though there are apps that would offer premium features for some minimal amount)- all you need is a smart-phone. If you’d like some advanced features, you can check out the premium features for their trial periods.
Depending on the app that you decide to use, it may offer you data on the time taken, speed, calories burnt, and much more in addition to the distance covered. Popular apps you can consider checking out include Runmeter, Nike Run Club, Runkeeper, Strava, MapMyRun, and Couch to 5K. Some of them even offer interesting features like saved routes, training programs, etc. Just a word of caution- taking phone along during running may turn out to be a disaster if you don’t have the accessories to safely keep it. If we ask us, we recommend having a waist belt or an arm pouch in which you can comfortably and safely tuck the phone in when you run or walk.
Smartwatch
Here comes the next- and really preferably method of tracking your running distance. If you don’t mind spending a bit on this technological aid, you’ll be able to comfortable measure your running or jogging distance. In there of GPS mountain bike watches there are two main categories- “Connected GPS” and “Built in GPS”. The former has to be connected to your phone’s GPS to make it work, while the latter comes with its own built-in GPS.
Many even comes with their associated applications to conveniently access your workout data over a period of time on your phones. You’ll be able to watch the data captured by the GPS watch on the much convenient interface of the app, simply by downloading it onto a phone. Well, we need to tell you that most of the decent GPS watches are fairly pricey
Running in a fixed-length area
This is more of a conventional approach. If you are not in a mood to track your workout progress with the help of technology, you can simply find a park or running track around you that has got a fixed-length walk-route. And it’s fair enough if you feel like you’re having to spend too much money on a smartwatch or if you find taking the phone along during running uncomfortable. However, this method might not give you an accurate idea though, particularly if you choose not to cover the entire route or to walk the same route multiple times.
Now, here are some most recommended GPS watches for your reference:
- Fitbit Ionic
- Garmin Forerunner 235
- Polar M430
- Apple Watch
- Garmin Vivoactive 4a
