Dear Reader, as you may have deduced, I am not a professional photographer. I had no idea how bad the lighting was going to be in my house this time of year! So, instead of taking subpar photos of recipes, I think I’ll spend this time of year going over lifestyle interventions that help increase brain health and prevent dementia. Please bear with me while I retool my calendar for the next two months. That being said, today I’ll be giving you a Just Run app review.

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If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I recently started running and completed a 10K run earlier this week (that’s 6.2 miles in #runnersmath). I wanted to start running for a few reasons. The main reason was to help with Pillar 3 of the Four Pillars of Alzheimer’s Prevention. I was having a hard time fitting in 150 minutes of moderate activity, so I wanted something more vigorous than what I had been doing. I hadn’t ran in five years and knew I would need a training program to help get me up to speed. I’m excited to let you know how I went from zero running to running 6.2 miles without stopping or walking in just five months. (If you follow the programs exactly, it would only take 15 weeks. I had to stretch my training out due to injuries, illness, and weather.)

Just Run App

Over five years ago, I had signed up for a 5K race and used the well-known Couch to 5K program. It was available then as a phone app, and that’s how I used it. It was free, pretty user-friendly at the time, and worked well. I was able to train for and run a 5K in about 10 weeks. However, since then, it has been bought out by a larger company, requires an up-front cost of $4.99, and requires GPS tracking. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able (or motivated enough) to stick with running, so I didn’t want something that cost money. Also, I have a smart watch that tracks my position, so I didn’t want to deal with two GPS devices and two sets of data. I continued to search for something simpler.

That’s where I found Just Run (available on Apple and Google Play). Just Run is as bare-bones as you can get with a running app. The basic version is free, there are no ads, and no GPS tracking. The runs are all based on time, not distance, which is what I prefer. The app is able to run in the background while you listen to music or podcasts. The trainer voice tells you when to start running, when to start walking, and when to turn around at the halfway point. That’s all it does, and it does a good job at it. I never had an issue with the app unexpectedly closing, losing data, etc.

Just Run Zero to 5K

I started out using the Just Run 5K program. This program gives you nine weeks to go from not running at all, to completing a 5K. Each week has three runs. You should have one rest day in between the first and second runs, and two rest days after the third run. Thankfully, the first week really eases you into running, with short running intervals interspersed with walking. Gradually, you build up from there, until you are running 30 minutes straight for the last week. I will say it felt like a bit of a stretch going from 30-minute runs to completing 3.1 miles. But, I did it! The Just Run 5K program did indeed work for me.

Just Run 5K to 10K

From there, you have the option to switch to a 10K training program. You are able to do this within the app, and the app saves your data from the 5K program. Just Run’s 5K to 10K program takes six weeks. The structure is the same as the 5K, with three running days per week. You start out by running 4 sets of 10-minute runs, then work up to running one hour straight. If, like me, you are not a fast runner, there can be a big gap between running one hour and running 6.2 miles. But again, I was able to cover that gap and successfully complete a 10K run. The training I received allowed me to run the full distance.

Just Run Premium Version

Just Run does have a premium version you can optionally purchase for $2.99. The app’s developer points out that he is a one-man team and upgrading to premium helps him be able to devote time to maintaining the app and keeping it ad-free. I did opt to upgrade after my 5K was complete because I enjoyed using it so much. The premium version allows you to slightly customize your experience by choosing a color scheme and the trainer’s voice. Personally, these perks didn’t matter to me; I just wanted to support the developer and his efforts.

Just Run Recommendation

If you are a beginner runner looking for a training app with all the bells and whistles, you will probably want to look elsewhere. If you want a stripped-down version, I’d recommend Just Run. Having to open more tracking apps, merging data, and mapping out distances just felt like more obstacles to overcome and get my run in. It can be hard enough to motivate myself to exercise, so I appreciated Just Run’s simplicity.

I used Just Run in conjunction with my Garmin smart watch, and I imagine it would play nicely with other systems as well. I never had an issue with it crashing while my Garmin was tracking my run, or vice versa. The only downside I can think of is that I’ll have to look for a different program if I ever decide to run a half or full marathon (don’t hold your breath!).

I am not affiliated with Just Run and I am not receiving anything for my review. I just wanted to share my thoughts and experiences for anyone who may be researching running apps. You can find Just Run in the Apple app store and Google Play. Please let me know in the comments if you decide to give it a try, or if there are other running apps or programs that you like.