It’s been a couple of years, but I’m excited to be a part of Team Fresh again as we run the RAGNAR Northwest Passage next week! One of the things that helps us individually, and as a team, as we train are the variety of running tech at our disposal.

I’m old enough to have started running when a smartphone was something only found in movies. After each run, I would open up a custom document I created in WordPerfect (anybody remember that?), enter the date, amount of time it took, and how far I’d run. If I was feeling particularly studious, I would add some notes about the type of course I’d run (hills, etc.) and how I felt.

Nowadays, thanks to apps, you can instantly create a full log of your runs: mile splits, elevation changes, calories burnt, and even heart rate if you have a compatible device. You also can run all kinds of reports: time-based, course-based, and a whole lot of other things that, even if you aren’t a data junkie (like me), can greatly help you assess how you are progressing with your training.

Some apps also let you share your location – important in a long relay race with two vans of runners – they can even cheer for you from afar. All of this is easily accessed via mobile app, web app (for tracking), and even your smart watch. While I’ve tossed around a few standalone apps, such as Life360 Family Locator, we finally decided to use plain and simple Facebook Messenger for our Ragnar team. It now lets you send locations to a group chat, in addition to images, audio, and even simple text, which will let us check in at each leg of the race to share our progress. We can also jump into a call if we need voice.

I reached out to our Ragnar team to see what kinds of running tech they’re using to prepare:

I use MapMyRun and Runkeeper – old classics.

– Steve Hulet, CTO

I also use Runkeeper. It’s super social, so I can compare how far my friends (and teammates) are running. We compete against, and congratulate, each other.

– Walter Nicholas, Front-End Developer

I have been using my Apple watch for general exercise statistics like calories burned, and the Nike+ Running app for tracking mileage and feedback when I have hit the next mile mark.

– Kurt Daniels, Project Manager

1) PEAR Sports training – There are plenty of trainings/workouts where there are coaches who talk to you while you workout. Ragnar recommended this one for starting training, so I started using it and love it.

2)  Spotify – Got to be listening to music while you run. Can be used in conjunction with PEAR Sports training for a better experience.

3)  Strava – I use their mobile app to not only track my bike rides when I go out cycling but also for running. I started using this in the past for timing my bike rides, but have definitely used it for my running training as well.

– Raymond Luu, Full-Stack Developer

I really enjoy using the Apple watch. It tracks distance, pace, calories, and time right on my wrist.

– Nuriel Mizrahi, UI/UX Designer

I use my Apple watch, MapMyRun, and, most importantly, Spotify with my meticulously crafted 82-song playlist that matches tempo and intensity in correlation with my energy throughout the race and gives me a nice boost when I hit the wall. Kashmir is a starting line ritual for me; Braveheart helps me channel the spirit of William Wallace spreading freedom throughout the Scottish highlands; and, Sabotage delivers all-out energy like no other.

– Richard Rose, CFO

As a team, we’ve also been compiling a Spotify Training Playlist. Follow us for motivation in your own training, and stay tuned for pics and details of our Ragnar experience.