Although he Strava-Garmin-Suunto Lawsuit Since it was voluntarily removed, the whole debacle got me thinking about what alternatives are available in case I want or even need to get rid of my Strava usage. It's good to be light on app dependency, and the lawsuit was a timely reminder that perhaps I was too reliant on the globally popular running app.
With so many options on the market, including career guardian and TrainingPeaks, it can be difficult to know who to turn to. After a period of research, I found the adidas running application. To be honest, I had never heard of the app before, but I liked the fact that it wasn't shy about catering to all skill and experience levels.
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Once these setup steps were completed, I was able to quickly access all the features of the app. The app is incredibly easy to navigate, with tabs for activity tracking, community engagement, and progress reporting all located at the bottom of the interface. Let's dive into what this app is capable of doing.
Advanced activity tracking
The app focuses on running tracking, although it is also possible to track a wide range of other activities, such as football, hiking, cycling, and even e-sports. The desired activity can be selected from a 'quick list' of three options or by scrolling down and selecting from a long list of alternatives.
The app is a fully functional fitness tracker that uses GPS to record movement and metrics such as distance, duration, heart rate (with a sensor attached), pace, calories burned, and cadence. These are presented in a well-designed, intuitive interface that is easy to interpret even when viewed during a race.
To help you stay motivated, the app also provides a wide range of audio files that you can play while you run. These can even guide you through warm-ups and warm-ups, as well as guiding you during the races themselves. If you prefer music as a constant companion, the Adidas Running app will work with all music apps, including Spotify, Apple Music, and others.
Set personal goals
After successfully tracking a few different runs, I was ready to take my Adidas Running experience to the next level. This involved taking ownership of my progress by setting goals. I wanted to run more consistently, so I created a goal in the app to run at least 5K four times a week. I loved the responsibility, but I wasn't too thrilled about being told I'd missed my daily goal after running less than my 5K goal.
In addition to these goals, the app includes numerous training plans, including for distances of 3 km, 5 km and 10 km. Each training plan is adapted to the level of each user and includes a step-by-step guide. Think of it as your own personal running coach, but much cheaper. As you progress through the beginner plans, you'll be able to explore other training plans to help you prepare for your first 10K, half marathon, marathon, and more.
One of the best things about the Strava experience is the ability to connect with like-minded people, whether they're friends you know who love to run or strangers from around the world who share the same passion as you. There's a reason it's been dubbed “Facebook for athletes.”
Fortunately, Adidas Running offers a similar level of connection, albeit with less focus on competitive running. Instead, the focus is on making running fun and enjoyable. Like Strava, it has a social element that allows you to connect with friends and participate in local Adidas Runners communities. Unfortunately, the user base is not as large as Strava's, which could be a problem for some users whose friends are not ready to switch apps.
The app allows you to share your tracked runs and other tracked activities with your community. Get support with Live Cheers in real time while your friends (assuming they're on the app) keep you motivated during your activities and return the favor by following and liking your tracked activities. You can also join virtual challenges and races as a group while earning badges.
An evolving Adidas Running experience
At the time of writing, at least in the UK, Adidas has announced that the premium subscription is no longer available. Their official announcement states that they are changing the way they do things at Adidas Running and are preparing for a new experience. This change is “on the horizon,” but there is no timetable for it. It's pretty cryptic, but it wouldn't be a surprise if Adidas unified its offering into one global adiClub membership instead of requiring an app subscription.
Other countries and territories may still offer a premium membership, which previously opened access to adaptive training plans, interval training, personal records of your achievements, automatically pausing your activity tracking when you stop moving, and more. If you download the app, you will be able to see if there is a premium option available or not.
I loved my time with the Adidas Running app, and if I ever need to part ways with Strava, I know where I'll instantly turn.
Download Adidas Running: Run Tracker for iOS and Android.
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