Running conditions change with the seasons, but up till now, you couldn’t account for everything without manual calculation. Runna‘s new update, currently live for users in the UK, intends to take some of the math out of your pavement pounding.
The latest update for the run coaching app adds a feature called Adapt for Heat. The feature is likely to be welcome in the UK right now, but it’ll be even more so in South Africa in a few months. Basically? It’ll let you plan your runs around weather conditions.
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Not just ‘hot, cold, or wet’ conditions, either. Adjust for Heat will ensure that “pace targets are appropriately adjusted during hot and humid conditions.” In other words, runners will have their movements tweaked so they feel less suffocated by a blanket of humidity.
Part of the update requires user selection. Runna will suggest, based on atmospheric conditions, the best times to run in overheated weather. Once the chosen time arrives, it’ll provide “coach-recommended adjustments to training sessions [that] match pace effort to weather conditions.” This will apparently provide a similar benefit to speedier runs in cooler weather. That… sounds like something runners might have been missing, actually.
These training suggestions are also made for each individual user, so there’s no chance that the system will reckon you’re suddenly okay with intense training in the Persian Gulf. But that’s not all the Runna app is offering its users.
A new Upcoming Plans feature will let runners plot and plan their race calendar months in advance. Up to a year’s worth of training can be set up, covering specific goals, upcoming races, and other events. These aren’t set in stone, giving runners flexibility, but they can also be left alone once fully set up.
