Whether you spend your weekends seeking mucky trails begging to be trodden or you’re just trying to bolster your endurance to last beyond a 5K, you’ll benefit from Helium, a new pro-level endurance-training app. Designed to work in tandem with Apple Watch, the app (available for download on the Apple App Store) goes beyond the standard metric tracking to help athletes become better runners.
Mike Bernardo, the app’s designer, says it was inspired by his own frustration as a new runner. After trying every running app and gadget available, he still couldn’t understand the impact of his efforts.
“I’m building Helium to be the training app I wished I had,” Bernardo says.
Helium analyzes the biometric data collected by your iPhone’s IOS Health app, then creates a zone-based running plan tailored to your fitness level. Designed with beginner and intermediate runners in mind, it provides a structured regimen rather than blindly offering running programs. It’s like having a running coach in the palm of your hand.
Courtesy Image
Helium makes it easy to maintain your pace or follow interval workouts as you run. Haptic taps on your Apple Watch or tones through your AirPods will alert you when you should be speeding up or slowing down. Going beyond step counts and mileage, it also charts “cardio efficiency” to show how your fitness level is changing over time. It’s a better indicator if you’re training proactively—in other words, if you’re working hard enough to see results: run longer, get faster.
Want to motivate yourself or inspire others to get moving? Helium lets you create replays of your best runs to share on Instagram or Twitter. Now, who’s ready to tackle an ultra?
