RunKeeper

It took way too long, but spring (summer?) is finally here. For me that means that I played my first game of beach volleyball on Tuesday, but for many others it’s time to go on a run. The amateurs and the experts are both out in force, and many have ambitions of running faster or longer. If you truly want to commit to improving something, you have to measure it. RunKeeper is Boston, MA based company that “transforms your phone into a personal trainer, helping you track your runs, set your goals, and stay motivated to go that extra mile!” If you use Facebook, you’ve almost certainly seen a friend post one of their runs via RunKeeper.

No Run Around

Tracking workouts used to be tedious. RunKeeper makes it seamless. All you have to do is open an app and tap a button and you’ll know where you went, how far you ran, how fast you were, and what your heart rate did during the run (this requires extra hardware). RunKeeper displays your data beautifully, and makes it easy to share with friends if that’s something that you want to do. It’s a pretty simple app, but it does exactly what it’s supposed to. What isn’t so simple is RunKeeper’s business model. Apparently they want to become the platform for personal health information (they call it Health Graph). Here’s a decent explanation of what they’re trying to do with the business. If you’re excited about being a part of this, then take a look at RunKeeper’s Jobs page. Right now they’re only looking for a Software Engineer, but keep watching for other positions (or reach out to them and inquire about them).

Links to Help You Begin Your Research

• RunKeeper.com
• Jobs at RunKeeper
• RunKeeper’s Blog

Do you use RunKeeper?