Get the most out of your Apple Watch with our personalized training plans for runners
Pair your Apple Watch with Runna to level up your running game
If you’re using Runna and have an Apple Watch, you can sync them to get the most out of your training program. If you connect your Apple Watch to Runna, you’ll be able to:
- Get live coaching during each running session and receive audio cues whenever you need to start or stop running, speed up, slow down, or rest
- Sync your workouts to your watch, so that you don’t have to remember laps, distances, rest periods, or target paces
- Review all your data after each run to compare your performance to what Runna set out for you
- Sync all completed workouts back to Runna to keep track of your progress and stay on top of your running plan
… And most importantly, level up your running game!
Take your running to the next level
Your personalized running coach with tailored training plans to achieve your goals, from running a faster 5k to finishing your first marathon.
One of the best ways to become a better runner is to use a structured approach to training – and, ideally, one that’s adapted to your current performance and goals. That’s exactly what you get with Runna’s personalized training plans for runners of all fitness levels, from beginners to elite athletes, and for all distances, from 5k to 250k+.
Whether you’re just getting back to running, want to run your next race faster, or are preparing for an ultramarathon, we’ve got the right running plan for you.
And the best of all? You can sync all our running plans with your Apple Watch to get the best running experience and make the most of each training session. If you’re looking for the best Apple Watch training plans for runners, you’ve come to the right place.
Get live coaching while you run and track your performance to get in better condition and set a new personal best without risking an injury.
Check out our personalized training plans for Apple Watch:
Beginner Apple Watch training plans: New to running, 5k, 10k, half marathon, and more
If you’re looking to get started with running (or coming back after a long break) but don’t know where to start, our beginner training plans are the perfect introduction to running.
With Runna, you can build a steady (and enjoyable!) running routine without risking an injury. The app will set out a training plan for you and propose you different types of runs to make your training more efficient as you progress.
All our plans sync seamlessly with Apple Watch. During each running session, you’ll get audio prompts whenever you need to start, stop, speed up, slow down, or rest. This way, you can focus on your performance and the way your body feels, instead of on remembering laps, distances, or target paces.
For the best results, add a customized strength training plan for runners. Even if you have no equipment, we’ve got you covered: We have plenty of bodyweight exercises for runners.
Get in shape and see your performance improve, week after week, with our beginner training plans. All you have to do is download the app, sync your plan with your Apple Watch, and start running!
Intermediate Apple Watch training plans: 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon, and more
If you’re already running regularly or semi-regularly but feel that your progress is stalling due to the lack of structure of your training, our intermediate training plans are the perfect fit.
Our intermediate training plans will help you break through that limit and improve your fitness and running performance – while also making your workouts more fun.
Regardless of the distance you’re training for, we have the right plan for you. Train for any race, from a 5k to an ultramarathon, or simply try out our maintenance or get fit plans until you figure out your next goal.
All plans sync with Apple Watch, so you’ll get live coaching during your runs. You won’t have to remember paces, laps, distances, and rest stops – instead, you can just focus on your run.
With Runna, you’ll get a variety of running workouts, including interval and tempo runs, to help you progress faster. You can also add a customized strength training program specifically designed for runners to help you get into top shape and limit the risk of injury.
See your running fitness improve week after week – and get ready to set some new personal records!
Advanced Apple Watch training plans for any goal, from a faster 5k to an ultramarathon
If you’re an experienced runner and have done a few races but feel you can still improve your performance, a personalized training plan that syncs with your Apple Watch will help you achieve just that.
With our advanced training plans, you’ll get a variety of runs to help your body adapt to different speeds, paces, and workout structures. This will help you progress faster and prepare you for longer and more difficult races – so, if you’ve got your eyes set on a new distance you’d like to try, Runna is the perfect app for you.
Add an optional strength training program specifically designed for runners to further reduce your risk of injury and improve your running efficiency.
To get started, you simply need to pick the distance you want to train for, personalize your plan to fit your preferences and schedule, and sync your next workouts to your Apple Watch. You’ll get live coaching during your running sessions, meaning that you won’t have to worry about distances, paces, and rest periods. Simply focus on your running game and see your performance improve, week after week.
With Runna, you can use your Apple Watch to train for any goal and any distance, from 5k to 250k+. Ready for a new personal best?
Elite Apple Watch training plans for experienced athletes & all distances
If you run regularly, have done plenty of races, and are now looking to unlock your full running potential, our elite training plans will help you achieve that.
Get faster, fitter, and stronger with a balance of challenging threshold workouts, easy runs, and endurance sessions. For the best results, we advise adding our strength training program to the mix; it’s specifically designed for runners and you can use it even if you have no equipment at hand – we’ve got dozens of bodyweight exercises for runners.
Train for any race and any distance, from 5ks to multi-day ultramarathons, with our elite training plans that sync with Apple Watch.
Simply download the app, pick and customize a plan based on your current performance and schedule, and sync it to your Apple Watch to get live coaching while you run and track your progress and performance.
Are you ready to set a new personal record in your next race? Don’t forget to tell us how it went!
Elite Plus Apple Watch training plans for top athletes
If you’re looking for the most challenging training plans out there, with the highest weekly mileage, and a mix of complex workouts, our elite plus running plans are the perfect match.
Sync your plan effortlessly with Apple Watch to get the most out of each training session. With our plans, you get a mix of demanding workouts, threshold runs, easy runs, deload weeks, and strength training to help you unlock your running potential and smash your goals. Runna enables you to dial up the intensity of your workouts while minimizing the risk of injuries and setbacks.
Get live coaching while you run and focus exclusively on your performance. Analyze your running data after each run and keep track of your progress in the app and on your watch.
Train for any race of any distance – and level up your running game.
Join thousands of people already training with Runna.
Sync Runna with your Apple Watch to get the most out of each training session and see your running fitness improve, week after week. Pairing your Apple Watch with Runna enables you to:
- Get live coaching during each session, so that you don’t have to keep track of laps, distances, paces and rest periods
- Focus on the run and on your body; our audio cues will guide you whenever you need to slow down, speed up, stop, or start running again after a rest period
- Get real-time information about your current and target pace, the length of each lap, and how much further you have to run
- Analyze your performance by comparing your workout stats against the running session that Runna planned for you
- Track all your health and fitness data, such as pace, distance, heart rate, and progression
- Sync all completed Apple Watch workouts back to Runna to keep tabs on your running plan
- Automatically update your next workouts to your Apple Watch whenever you change plans
… And most importantly, level up your running game.
Take your running to the next level
Your personalized running coach with tailored training plans to achieve your goals, from running a faster 5k to finishing your first marathon.
Here’s how to sync your Apple Watch with the Runna app:
- Open Runna and click Profile > Connected Apps & Watches on the 'Train' tab
- Turn on the Apple Watch connection
- Grant the app the necessary permissions
Your workouts will now sync automatically to the Runna app on your Apple Watch.
If you change plans or edit your current plan, we’ll automatically update your next running sessions. When you mark a workout as done, we’ll remove it from your watch.
NB: Your Apple Watch workout will be in the same measurement unit as your Runna plan. Make sure your Apple Watch is configured in the same units (kilometers or miles).
Set up your Apple Watch to get the most out of your workouts
To get the full benefits of integrating Runna with your Apple Watch, there are a few things you should keep in mind.
Audio cues
Our Apple Watch app supports audio cues, meaning that you can get real-time coaching while you run.
To enable the audio cues, swipe right on the home screen to get to Settings and simply turn them on. You can also adjust their volume.
Depending on how your watch, phone, and speakers are connected, here’s how the audio cues will play:
- Your watch and phone are not connected to headphones: Audio cues will play out of the Apple Watch speaker
- Your watch is connected to headphones: Audio cues will play through your headphones, dimming the music
- Phone is connected to headphones: Audio cues will play through the speaker (this is an Apple limitation, sorry!)
For the best experience with listening to music and podcasts during your workouts, we recommend downloading them to your Apple Watch and connecting your headphones directly to it.
Following workouts
Once you start a workout on your Apple Watch, the app will guide you through it with audio cues and vibrations.
If Auto Pause is activated, your watch will automatically pause your workout when you stop moving.
Free run
When you open the Apple Watch app, you can press Free Run to record an outdoor or treadmill workout. If you double tap your watch screen during a Free Run, the app will automatically create a new lap for you. This way, you’ll be able to check lap metrics (such as lap pace) in the activity summary page.
Pausing and auto-pausing
Here’s how you can pause or resume your workout:
- You can either swipe right to get to the Control menu and press pause/resume, enabling auto-pause from the settings menu
- Press both buttons of your Apple Watch (the digital crown and side button)
Double tap to end lap
From the Settings menu, you can enable double tap to end a lap. This will allow you to end a workout step early if you’d like to move on to the next one – for example, if you’re doing intervals and need to rest sooner, or if you’ve already done a warm up and want to start your workout.
Tracking your progress
Once you finish a workout, it’ll be stored in:
- Your Runna app
- Your Apple Health profile
- And, optionally, Strava, if you have synced your Strava account to Runna
You can then check your workout data to assess your performance. If you notice you’re often beating or not making your target paces, we suggest editing your current performance to make them more challenging or achievable.
Calibrating your device & using the Apple Watch Ultra action button
Find out how to calibrate your device and use the Apple Watch Ultra action button in our Apple Watch support article.
Join thousands of people already training with Runna.
What are the best Apple Watch training plans for runners?
Which Apple Watch training plan should I pick?
How do I start using my Apple Watch with Runna?
Is my Apple Watch compatible with Runna?
How can I make the most out of each running session with my Apple Watch?
As featured in
Join thousands of people already training with Runna.
Our partners
Reviews from users
10,000+ ratings on
Apple App Store
2,000+ ratings on
Google Play Store
Take your running to the next level
Your personalized running coach with tailored training plans to achieve your goals, from running a faster 5k to finishing your first marathon.