I have never been a proponent of New Year’s Resolutions. They never seem to work, and I always end up feeling guilty when March comes around and I can’t even remember what my resolution was.

So this year I switched it up a little bit. I set a goal for myself, which is small in scope compared to member Keith Clemons’ Marathon-a-Month goal  from last year, but it’s a significant one for me.

I am running my first half-marathon.

Even though I played soccer my whole life, I have never been a distance runner. Actually, up until recently, the thought of running has made me gag. I decided to look up some running apps online, because I heard that they can really help you and motivate you to get going. The three most popular are:

1. Runmeter GPS- Runmeter GPS is said to have the most usable features. Workouts are rated by how well you do in comparison to previous runs (that way you can really keep track of your progress). You can customize voice alerts so you only hear the information you want, and it links with Twitter and Facebook!
2. RunKeeper Pro– This app was for sure the most talked about on the different websites, but it is also the most expensive. The app seems user-friendly and all of your info is available in an easy-to-read form. The app includes several customizable running workouts, and it can also shuffle songs from your iPod playlist (a MUST)!
3. Nike+- This app seems to be very popular since it is so easy and accurate. It includes a calibration option so you can tweak your runs if the GPS signal happens to go out. Nike+ GPS is easy to see during a run and you can control your music from the display, plus it links to Facebook and Twitter.

I settled on the Nike+ iPod Sports Kit. I already love the Nike and Apple brands, so it seemed like the one for me. It consists of a small transmitter device embedded in my shoe, which communicates with my iPod Nano. The computer tells me how far I have gone and how much further I have to run. I love when the voice says, “Congratulations! You have completed your run!” 

So far, so good. I have been training for about 6 weeks and feeling really good about it. I do owe a lot to the Nike+. It keeps me going and I feel more accountable for each of my runs.

I am running the Publix Georgia Half-Marathon on Marc h 18^th.

Are you running it too?