BACKLOG
Run Mate
When I first started to run I would run excessive at the gym, indoors on a treadmill. The idea of running outside, where the elements and nature could interfere with my feeble attempt at running horrified me. I knew I need help to start running, couch to 5k apps where all the rage. They where all relatively cheap and similarly priced at $2.99. I knew I would eventually outgrow the 5k apps, as I was targeting completing a half-marathon. If I could find a training app that would aid in my endeavor I would be happy, I found such an app, Run Mate.
I would not generally classify Run Mate as useful app away from a treadmill, but I may be wrong. I’ve since moved on to other tools as I dread running indoors and the bulk of my running takes place outdoors. At the core, Run Mate is a powerful, albeit, fickle utility. The User Interface shows some thought was give to the end user, Yet the UX is rough around the corners and implemented in the most vexing ways, that eventually grow tiresome. If you choose to use Run Mate, ignore sound prompts and rely solely on the voice overs. Also, avoid all temptation to pick up your iOS device to multitask or change tracks.
A user can easily create a training routine that fits their goals. I wanted to running an interval set using the Little Method this evening at the gym. I quickly configure a training plan before stepping on the treadmill, six minutes in I wondered why the first prompt had yet to fire. I checked the Run Mate, and sure enough it was on step four. I forgot that the sound prompts are essentially nonexistent, I changed the plan to use the dread voice prompts and started over.
I fact I’ve never once heard a sound prompt from Run Mate until later in the evening after a podcast I was listing to ended. My eyes wondering where wondering the computer screen and I heard these faint repetitive pings in the distant background. It was then I my ear buds where still affixed to my ears and my podcast was over. When I removed one bud the sound was isolated to the other ear. Odd, killing the process halted the pings, starting a run started the pings again. So yes, not only are the sound prompts faint and nonexistent the are also unreliable.