I’ve been playing with a new app lately, runBSX is an app that can track your runs via GPS and keep a log of those activities. Nothing exceptionally new with that, right? But there are some aspects of this app that are pretty cool and the potential for the future seems REALLY cool. (Plus, you’ll want to read on for a really cool giveaway… getting your next race entry fee covered!)

When you start up the app, you have 4 main options: Coach, Quick, Stats and Prefs.

The coach option is for if you’ve setup one of the coaching programs available through the app. Visiting this screen will show you the training schedule for your program. I set it up to do the half marathon program for testing.

The really cool thing about this app is the pace zones that the app helps you establish for training purposes. You can set up these zones by either taking your resting heart rate or by running a 6-minute assessment run with the app. These are the zones it setup for me.

When you do a coaching program, it works through the different zones. So you’ll start out in zone 1 as a warm-up and then move up to zone 2 for the majority of the workout. Some workouts have tempo segments where you may be running in your zone 3 for a while and some have speed intervals where you’ll push into your higher zones. While running with the app, it alerts you with tones if you are running slower or faster than your prescribed zone and will tell you when you are supposed to speed up to different zones.

I found this approach was really efficient because I didn’t have to sit there staring at my watch to make sure I was hitting a pace or checking to see when my next interval was coming up. The app just took care of that for me, plus it helps me run by feel in an attempt to avoid the tones telling me I was running too slow or too fast.

For those who don’t want to use one of the training programs, you can use the runQuick option. It can either be free, just start it and let it track your run or you can set it up with a certain goal. Run a certain distance, a set amount of time, stay in a specific zone or for fun… you can use it to burn off a caloric indulgence. (Which is kind of funny… but a practice I don’t really advocate because I don’t approve of “punishing” yourself for eating something.)

Future plans from BSX Athletics are for a sensor you can wear that communicates with your iPhone to make certain you are really in your zones. I’m intrigued to see how that works once it is ready for release. But in the meantime, the zone training the way it works on the app is really cool and really effective!

Now for the giveaway part… BSX Athletics wants to get their app in the hands of as many people as possible and really spread the word. So for helping in this quest, you can earn entries in a giveaway for a RACE ENTRY up to $100 in value. Yep… BSX will cover the winner’s next race entry fee, up to $100. Pretty sweet deal, right?

There are several ways to enter, each with different point values. Ultimately though, you will be entering through the Rafflecopter widget.

• Tweet about the app: “Download runBSX Intelligent Pacing app by @BSXathletics http://bit.ly/13kb5xP via @jillwillrun http://bit.ly/12hDTEF” (3 points)
• Like BSX Athletics on Facebook (1 point)
• Follow BSX Athletics on Twitter (1 point)
• Like Jill Will Run on Facebook (1 point)
• Follow me on Twitter (1 point)
• Tweet about the giveaway: “Want your next race entry fee covered? Enter now! http://bit.ly/12hDTEF via @jillwillrun & @bsxathletics” (2 points)
• Leave a comment on this post answering this question: Tell me (and BSX) what features would be in your dream GPS app (2 points)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Winner will be notified via email. If they do not respond to me within 5 days, a new winner will be selected.