Set Goals within the app (and reach them!)

If you’re a typical runner, you thrive on setting goals and working towards them.

It’s why the program works.  You get to look at a plan laid out in its entirety and mark each step complete as you go.  Each week’s workouts are in front of you with those satisfying little green circles marking how far you’ve come.

Top Left: Little Chart Icon

For all of the graph and numbers junkies out there, we’ve also added some other tools to help you measure your progress in a couple of different ways.  If you open up your journal, you’ll see a little chart icon at the top left of the screen.

Give it a tap and you’ll have access to a few interesting cuts of data: distance, walk pace, run pace, weight, and calories burned.  (The first graph will be distance. Swipe to the right for the others.)

By activating the GPS option in the app, the first four can be automatically populated for you with each workout.

As for the weight, you’ll obviously have to enter that one manually.  You do this by tapping the weight field on the journal screen.

(A quick note: if you want your weight chart to look smooth and consistent, you need to be sure to weigh in each day you work out.  Otherwise you’ll end up with gaps in the data that don’t make for a pretty chart.)

Set goals here: can be adjusted at any time

So these graphs will tell you how you’re doing over time, but wasn’t this supposed to be about setting goals?  By opening up Settings and tapping Goals, you can set up which targets you want to reach for each metric.  A red line on each of your graphs will remind you what you’re working towards.

There’s certainly a school of thought that says these programs are designed to get you running the distance you want — whether that’s a 5k, a 10k, a half marathon or a full marathon — and that the rest is just details.  That is absolutely true.  If you prefer to keep your eye on the prize and not worry too much about these other metrics, by all means do that.

But for those of you looking to track your progress in a couple of different ways and perhaps come up with a few additional milestones to celebrate, consider tracking towards an extra goal or two as you work through the program.