Runna Review + Half Marathon #3 Race Recap

For my third half-marathon, I did a 4-month training plan using Runna and I wanted to share my experience in case anyone’s wondering if they should use it. I started my first week with Runna the first week in January, and it trained me up to my race the first week of May, so it put together a 17-week training plan.

To give you some context, I am a very average runner. I average a 10-minute mile pace and I have dealt with knee pain since I was running cross country in high school. I ran my first half marathon in 2022.

I used the Nike Run Club half-marathon training plan for my first 2 races in Bellevue, WA in 2022 and Las Vegas, NV in 2024. For my third half-marathon, I wanted to go faster and I didn’t know how to train up to it. I considered a few apps, such as the UK-based Coopah and Eliud Kipchoge’s Kotcha. Coopah was a little cheaper than Runna since I found a promo code and started the free trial period, but it wasn’t as customizable as I wanted it to be. I didn’t look too much into Kotcha, but maybe that’s a good option if you’re on the faster side.

WHAT IS RUNNA?

Runna is an AI-powered running training plan app that was acquired by Strava in April 2025. This means it can tailor training plans to your schedule and preferences, something that isn’t really available unless you have a coach. Runna has training plans for any race distance, whether that’s a 5k or an ultra-marathon.

As of writing, Runna is still a separate app from Strava, but you can sign in through your Strava account and link it so all your workouts automatically get uploaded to Strava.

Runna currently (May 2026) costs $20/month, or $120 per year and offers a 7-day free trial. However, you can ask your friends for a referral code for a 14-day free trial or use an influencer’s code. I think I used MAYAANDHUNTER (follow them on social media for some wholesome running, reading, and lifestyle content).

MY RUNNA REVIEW

My Runna review is really going to only touch on the main differences between Nike Run Club and Runna, but here are a few features you can expect from both apps:

Variety of training plans: 5k, 10k, half marathon, marathon
Workout variety: easy runs, long runs, tempo workouts, speed intervals
PR tracking: you can see your fastest 1 mile, 1k, 5k, 10 mile, etc.
Shoe mileage: you can add your shoes to keep track of how many miles you’ve run in them

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT RUNNA

Runna is super customizable. When I first set up my plan, it asked what was your most recent race time, how many days a week you want to run, what day of the week you want your log run to be, if your race will be hilly or not, etc. just a ton of things that the generic NRC half marathon training plan didn’t do. Once I started my plan, I was able to manage my plan and move workouts around to best fit my schedule. I had a vacation planned and the plan adjusted. You can also add pilates or strength workouts within the app.

Runna has longer warm-ups before speed intervals. The warm up was usually based on distance, around 0.75 miles to 1.25 miles. Most of the NRC guided runs had time-based warm up jogging, which was never more than 10 minutes, which wasn’t enough for me when I was running at 6am before work. It also has recommended guided warm-up stretches you can choose to do before starting the workout. I never did these if I’m being honest, but I like that it has this option.

Runna has treadmill and outdoor options for each workout. I also actually found that it was way easier to hit my pace targets when I was running outside vs. on the treadmill for some reason. I’d always run faster outside when I’d be struggling indoors.

Runna’s training plan increased my base pace. When I started my plan in January, Runna set my conversational pace was at 11:05/mile and then it gradually increased to 10:05/mile and by that time, it did in fact feel easy. The speed workouts were way more challenging than Nike’s and I definitely could tell I was improving my endurance from them.

You can easily share workout summaries to social media. Similar to Strava, Runna has cool templates to share on social vs. NRC I’d have to screenshot the workout.

Runna offers live pace monitoring. In the settings, you have the option for the app to give you audio cues and tell you to speed up. It was a little annoying so I didn’t always enable this feature, but I used it sometimes when I was worried I wouldn’t run fast enough.

Runna gives you actual paces. Because NRC is a one-size fits all training plan, it tells you to run at “easy pace” and “75% speed.” Runna will give you actual pace targets, whether you’re running outdoors or treadmill runs, even for easy runs.

WHAT I DISLIKED ABOUT RUNNA

You have to press “Start Workout” twice to start the run. This may be my biggest gripe with this app. There were several times where I pressed “start run” and then started running, forgetting that you have to choose Outdoor or Treadmill and then again press “start” so sometimes it wouldn’t log the first 1-10 mins of my run. I also didn’t like the narrow shape of the Pause/End Run buttons and how close together they were vs. NRC where the pause and stop buttons are big and circular.

Runna’s race time prediction was not accurate. Runna is AI-based and I thought it would update my race day pace estimate based on my long runs, but it still said I was on pace to run a 1:58-2:04 race. I had never averaged faster than a 9:59/mile pace during any of my long runs, so I’m not sure how it thought I was going to average a 9:15/mile pace. All on adrenaline? I did end up taking a 2-week break from running because I had a trip and then injured my foot, but I still don’t think running those 2 weeks would have gotten me to that pace.

Runna drained my battery. Maybe it’s because I have an old iPhone, but on long runs, I’d start with 90%-100% battery and by then end, I’d be at 20%-30%. I was so scared of it completely draining on race day that I actually used NRC and my battery was at 60% afterwards.

Runna doesn’t have any guided narrated runs. All of the audio sounds like a female (or male) robot. One of the best parts of Nike Run Club was the inspirational guided runs by Coach Bennett and the other Nike running coaches. I liked how there were some runs like “Gratitude Run” that were kind of like a podcast. Also the words of affirmation after you pressed finish on each run were cute.

OVERALL CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

I liked using Runna, and I thought it was worth the money. If you’re a brand-new runner and just trying to complete a half-marathon without a time goal, I’d definitely say to start with Nike Run Club for the free general training plan and fun guided runs. If you’re a more serious runner, then use Runna, but be wary that you may not get to the time it says.

RACE RECAP: MY THIRD HALF MARATHON

On May 3, 2026, I ran my third and final half-marathon ever in Kirkland, WA. I know some of you may say that “you never know,” but after three of these, I know. My knees know. I am just not meant to run 13 miles. I don’t really experience a runner’s high, and I’m not really enjoying myself after 7 miles.

After running two Rock’N’Roll races with tens of thousands of other people, the Kirkland Half Marathon felt tiny with only about 1,000 runners.

I woke up at 5 am and drank electrolytes (Nuun) and ate a pack of Quaker Oatmeal and a banana. Then we left the house at 6:45 am, and I got dropped off around 7 am, with 30 minutes to warm up and go to the bathroom, which was the perfect amount of time. My cheering squad consisted of my parents, my boyfriend, and my friend, and I saw them around miles 4.5, 6.5, 10, and at the finish line.

The route was gorgeous, starting next to Lake Washington, and then there was a good portion of it that was on a woody shaded gravel trail. The Seattle area is very hilly, and I had not been training on any hills in LA, so those were tough, and we gained 623 feet of elevation over the whole run, when I had been doing 80 feet in Santa Monica. There were some pretty big hills at mile 1, 5, and 12 (brutal).

I was checking the weather in the weeks leading up to the race and it looked like it was generally in the high 40s to low 50s at 7am, but there was a little heat wave that weekend. It ended up being around 58 degrees, which is the same temperature as a lot of my mornings in Los Angeles, which I guess worked out for me, but was probably tough for people who trained in the 40s and 50s.

This race was so small that you had to bring your own water bottle and could fill it from the jugs at the stations every few miles. I had given my boyfriend a 12oz disposable water bottle with Nuun in it and grabbed it at mile 6.5 and proceeded to take a sip every half a mile from there until mile 12.5 and I do think this was a game-changer. I never ran with any water during my long runs (it’s just a hassle) and was always gassed at the end, and I didn’t feel too awful until the very last mile of the race.

I had originally wanted to break 2 hours on my third half-marathon, but I finished at 2:11, which is 7 minutes faster than my previous half-marathon, and I’m happy with that. It’s been a good 6 years of training off an on, and I’m glad that I never really have to dread another run.

Thank you to all my friends for the support and encouragement throughout the years! Special shout out to my dad encouraged me to do cross country in high school and to my mom for coming to all three of my half marathons. I am so excited to be a forever spectator and can’t wait to make a poster, and mosey around Manhattan and watch my sister run the freaking NYC MARATHON this fall!

Runna Review + Half Marathon #3 Race Recap

WHAT IS RUNNA?