Frequently Asked Questions
You don’t need to wear the HR monitor during all your runs, just the key runs we use to track your fitness.
At the current time, we recommend any Bluetooth strap heart rate monitor. These are the most accurate and reliable. Suitable heart rate monitors made by the companies Polar and Wahoo can be found on Amazon.com by searching for “Bluetooth Heart Rate Monitor.” Garmin heart rate monitors do not use Bluetooth, so are not compatible with the iPhone and RunX Fit.
You don’t have to switch – you can continue to use your current device or app. Use RunX Fit periodically for our training tools. RunX Fit includes a pace calculator and patented run-specific heart rate fitness tracking tools other running apps don’t have.
Use RunX Fit whenever you want to test your fitness and/or update your training paces. But we think you’ll love RunX Fit and will want to use it for all your runs.
Our pace calculator calculates the pace you should run at. Running at a target pace that is specific to your current fitness level is an established training tool used by professional runners. And our Virtual Pacer feature guarantees you’ll hit your target pace during your runs.
Use RunX Fit periodically to test your fitness and see if you’ve improved and are now faster. Use RunX Fit if you have taken time off from training and would like to see exactly how much fitness you’ve lost and where to pick up your training.
Finally, use RunX Fit just before a race to predict your estimated race pace – this gives you an estimate of the pace you should shoot for. For example, your 5K pace is the estimated pace you can run a 5K.
First, perform a Baseline Run. After that, what you do next depends on your experience level, goals and whether you are currently following a training plan that is pace-based.
If you run for general fitness: If you typically have just gone out and run without worrying about pace in the past, start doing your runs at your Base Pace. Just select “Base Pace” under Workout Goals in the Main Menu and RunX Fit will pace you during your run. Having a goal pace will provide you with extra motivation and focus. Use our tools to track your fitness: Baseline Run, Fitness Test Run, and Pace Update Run. The best way to improve your fitness is to follow a training plan such as our included free 5K training plan or a pace-based training plan you find from a 3rd party elsewhere. Or, you can gradually increase the amount you run. Periodically test your fitness by performing a Fitness Test. As your fitness improves, your Base Pace will get faster.
If your goal is to run your first race: Follow our included free 5K training plan or a pace-based training plan you find elsewhere. Most of your runs are performed at your Base Pace. During your training, periodically test your fitness with a Fitness Test to see how much you’ve improved.
If you are an experienced racer already following a pace-based training plan from a 3rd party: Follow your training plan, and periodically test your fitness with a Fitness Test to see your progress. If necessary, perform a Pace Update Run to update your training paces so you are always training at the right intensity. Perform another Pace Update Run just before your race to determine your estimated race pace. Use this estimated race pace to guide your race strategy.
The most accurate way to get your training paces is to run a race (or time trial) at your best effort and enter the race result in our pace calculator. However, our 30 Minute Newbie Run gives you an estimate of your training paces so you can get started with your training right away without running a race. The more you use RunX Fit, the more accurate it will be.
Runs at Base Pace should not feel overly difficult, so your estimated Base Pace might be correct. You should not be huffing and puffing, and should be able to hold a conversation. Try training for a few weeks at your Base Pace. To make things more difficult, you could also try increasing your distance.
If your Base Pace still seems too slow, it might be that you didn’t perform your 30 Minute Newbie Run at a sufficient exertion level. Remember, you should perform this run at a pace faster than your normal easy run and it should be difficult to have a conversation with a fellow runner. You can always run a race (or time trial) to update your training paces if you think they are too easy, or even perform another 30 Minute Newbie Run.
Pace-based training is the established standard used to coach and train runners. Runners are given a target pace (e.g., Base Pace, 5k Pace, 10k Pace, etc.) when they perform classic workouts such as long runs, tempo runs, and easy runs. For example, your training plan may instruct you to perform the workout “3 miles at Base Pace” or “2 miles at 10k Pace.” This is how you use your Training Paces. With RunX Fit, all you need to do is select your target pace under “Set Workout Goals” and we will pace you during the run.
Decades of research have shown that pace-based training is the optimal way to improve fitness and race times. Though almost all training plans today utilize pace targets, renowned exercise physiologist Jack Daniels popularized the technique with his book Daniels’ Running Formula in the 1970s.
At RunX Fit, our run-specific heart rate fitness tracking tools work in conjunction with 3rd party pace-based training plans to allow users to see how their training is progressing and, if necessary, update their target paces. As such, RunX Fit can be viewed as a hybrid pace/heart rate based system.
Your 5k pace is an estimate of how fast you can currently run a 5k. Your 10k pace is an estimate of how fast you can currently run a 10k, etc. Your Base Pace should be close to the running pace you adopt naturally, a moderate level of exertion where you should be able to hold a conversation during the run. Runs at Base Pace should not feel overly difficult, and you should not be huffing and puffing. By doing most of your runs at Base Pace, you will build strong legs and lungs without getting injured.
At RunX Fit, our run-specific heart rate fitness tracking tools work in conjunction with 3rd party pace-based training plans to allow users to see how their training is progressing. Our integrated pace calculator calculates your training paces if you do not have them already.
During the course of following your training plan, periodically perform a Fitness Test to see your fitness improving. If your fitness has improved significantly, update your target paces with a Pace Update Run. Or, if you were injured and had to take time off from training, perform a Fitness Test to see if your fitness has decreased and, if necessary, update your target paces to be slower with a Pace Update Run.
Perform another Pace Update Run just before your race to determine your estimated race pace for your target distance. Use this estimated race pace to guide your race strategy.
Since pace-based training is the established standard, almost all training plans these days are pace-based and can be used with RunX Fit. You can find these training plans in running books, from running coaches, or a search online. If you have problems locating one, feel free to contact us for a recommendation.
Have a question you don’t see answered here? Email us at jennifer@runxfit.com.