Should have published this before but it slipped when I was unwell.
Firstly an apology for taking so long to write this but I have been unwell (maybe corona, who knows(!)) and then really busy with work and family life. I actually wrote most of this over a week ago, just finished off now.
Peloton Digital
Even without paying all the way through your nasal cavities for a Peloton machine, you can use the app for guided running or cycling workouts. Is it worth it, let’s see.
The app is as you would expect for £12.99 a month, pretty well jam packed with guided training content, including everything from running through strength training to yoga and cycling. It’s a pretty slick app that is well designed but the real strength of the app are the instructors, they’re proper gym bunnies / rats that know their stuff!
The app does not connect to my Bluetooth devices (footpod or Garmin) so, without the actual Peloton equipment, it’s a dumb app, which is a real shame. The workouts are tough and it would have been great to be able to compete with others.
During a workout the instructors are really good at motivating you to go faster or harder up the hill etc, I actually found myself working harder than I normally would, which is interesting. The music is good in the app, shame you can’t use your own though, it is also sometimes a little louder than the instructors so you can’t hear what you are supposed to do, it often sounds like they are talking in code that I felt I might understand if I had a Peloton treadmill? That said, I have had a few great workouts using this and would recommend it if you want that ‘gym session’ feel.
Ratings
App design 9/10
App connectivity 2/10
Workout 10/10
Value 1/10
Do I recommend 3/10 depends on your use case
Conclusion
Will I continue to use it? Probably not, it’s pricey and clearly aimed at the peloton treadmill users, which is fair enough. But it’s not for me, I have a training plan already which is based upon power. These workouts are based simply on relative changes to incline and speed, which is a little too unscientific for me. I enjoyed the workout, and I’m sure if I had a Peloton treadmill it would be perfect, but I’m not willing to drop thousands of pounds plus an ongoing subscription for that pleasure.
Treadmill Trails
Here we have a very different offering. This app seems to aim at simply letting you ‘virtually’ run in the most beautiful places in the world. No coaching, no metrics, just the trails and your music (if you want it).
I have to be honest. I like this app, I can just zone out and enjoy the views, although there is a lot that could be done to improve it.
Starting this app, the menu is a little dated but functional. You can download the sample video which is snippets of multiple videos, giving you a free 30 minute run. I have subsequently downloaded a couple more videos, they range in price from 99p to £1.99 and once you buy, are yours to keep, which is nice.
Using is as simple as playing a video on your iPhone or iPad, I airplay to my Mac from my phone, which works fine. Then I start my Garmin and treadmill then simply run, zone out and enjoy the views.
Ok this is nothing like actually trail running, but while in self isolation it’s as good as I think it could be without travelling (following guidance).
Ratings
App design 3/10 it’s functional
App connectivity 0/10 no connectivity
Workout 8/10
Value 10/10
Do I recommend 8/10
Conclusion
This is a nice simple app that does what it sets out to do at a great price, it allows me to zone out and enjoy my run. Clearly it’s not being outside, but it’s as close as you can get I think! Will I continue to use it, definitely, especially during lockdown and our shabby winters here in the UK.
Big Bloke Running 