



The good news is you can be ready for your first 10K trail race in only eight weeks! Plus, the strength you gain from practicing on trails will translate to faster times when you hit the streets again. This is because uneven trail surfaces demand different muscles to not only propel you forward, but also keep you from toppling over. If you can run on roads, you can conquer trails-but it does take a little bit of specialized training. After your first dirt run, you’ll likely experience soreness in muscles you never knew you had. It might seem a little scary to run through mud, climb up rocky trails and splash through creek beds-but trust us, it’s all part of the fun. Never raced through the wilderness? It’s time to change that! Trail races are a thrilling change of pace from your everyday road race. Ready to download? Here are the best free running apps to help you train for a 10K.Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! What's more, your running-app BAE will always cheer you on and never tell you that you're not doing well enough. If it helps, you can even name your running app something like Sylvia, and make a date to run with Sylvia every day. What's more, if you don't have time to join a running club, and you're having a hard time going it alone, running apps can act as your digital bestie. "Even if you don’t have a physical running group, your friends can cheer you on through Facebook and check out your post-run photos on Twitter and Instagram." "It’s hard to beat the feeling of setting a goal, crushing it, and then letting your friends know," Nike noted on its website. Running apps allow you to set personal goals, design a training regimen that's right for you, and track your progress all the way up to the big day. While it might seem like they're bragging, using an app and posting your run on social media can not only help keep you accountable, it can also help you connect with other runners. If you have friends who are also runners, or you follow running hashtags on Twitter and Instagram, you've probably seen users post their daily progress via running apps. Because, you need some support, and in this case, technology totally has your back. If one of your fitness goals is to run a race, there are some pretty boss free running apps to help you train for a 10K. Training for a road race is rewarding, and it's also hard AF.
