Fitness Class
Hi.
I signed up for Jeff Galloways fitness class this past week. After paying $10 all I received was the same page as per the page I was on to decide to sign up. I am not sure if I was supposed to receive more material, guidance, information etc for this class because at the moment I feel like I have wasted $10???
Thanks
Support Staff 2 Posted by Jake Cacciapaglia on 09 Oct, 2010 02:50 AM
Hey @meloochi, if you have installed the latest version of the iPhone app, you will be able to access FitnessClasses through the app. Also, when the class begins you will start to see activities from other users appear under the FitnessClass schedule. We expect FitnessClasses to be interactive as you compare the progress you and others are making along the way. Keep us posted if you have additional questions.
3 Posted by meloochi on 09 Oct, 2010 10:50 PM
Thanks! I do not see how I am getting any value for the $10 I have just spent by watching other users activities when I can see their activities by connecting with them online anyway. I have basically paid $10 to watch what other users are doing. I was under the impression that I would be getting knowledge, support and live-time guidance from Jeff. If this is not the case I wish to request a refund as I would never have signed up.
Look forward to hearing from you at your earliest.
4 Posted by Louise B on 26 Oct, 2010 08:26 PM
Hi, I'd have to agree with these comments. I think runkeeper is a fantastic app and in theory the fitness classes are a great idea. However the few things they provide - specific workouts, uploading activities to runkeeper.com, and the support / social aspect are all free anyway (ie one can view the workouts without signing up for the class, & get motivation via street team). Yet I'm struggling with keeping track of the intervals, e.g. Run .4km, walk til .8km etc etc. Too much maths for me! Would be great if future updates included the distance intervals in km too.
Also does runkeeper elite provide audio cues for the classes? If so that'd make it much easier & more worthwhile & I would consider upgrading to elite.
Support Staff 5 Posted by Jake Cacciapaglia on 27 Oct, 2010 03:23 AM
To give you a bit more clarity on FitnessClasses and our thinking around them, please see the blog post below...
http://runkeeper.com/blog/new-feature/training-goes-social-with-vir...
Hope this helps. We appreciate your candid feedback and plan to continue making enhancements as we grow.
6 Posted by Jeff Bristow on 28 Oct, 2010 02:01 PM
I think the Fitness Classes are a great idea and help give a runner structure for a training program. Having other participants involved helps encourage and keep you on track. I am not sure why anyone thought they would be getting live advice from Jeff Galloway, but that would certainly be a really amazing offering.
7 Posted by Louise B on 02 Nov, 2010 08:47 PM
Thanks, I should have watched the video before signing up to have a better idea of what it was about. I've since upgraded to RK pro and it makes ALL the difference having the audio cues!
8 Posted by mfitz on 23 Nov, 2010 02:47 PM
I sought out this discussion because I have a similar opinion to what meloochi expressed above. I was never under the impression that I'd get coaching from Jeff Galloway for $10 (ha!). But I did anticipate there would be some virtual coaching involved. After all, the word "class" suggests I might learn something from someone who knows more about running than me. That clearly isn't what's on offer in FitnessClasses as they're structured now. Where the value lies is in not having to input all those intervals by hand for a long-term training program. That's worth $10 easily and I don't regret spending it. What I do regret is that FitnessClasses don't offer something more engaging. Watching (frequently uncommented) activity of other runners show up on my screen is a bore. My suggestions for improving FitnessClasses? Either change the name to better reflect what they offer (FitnessRoutines? RunPlanner? TrainingMate?) or create some incentive system to inspire mentorship by more experienced runners (through comments) to provide some class-like value in FitnessClasses. There isn't any now.
9 Posted by Aidil Idris on 12 Dec, 2010 05:16 AM
Hi, I agree that the the fitness class is a great app and have signed up and am currently only into my first week. I have a suggestion though. I am currently trying the 5k run/walk in under 30 mins. While the audio cues and all have been good, i thought what might help me achieve my goal would be either live feedback / post run evaluation. What i mean is, it would be good if while I am running, there is an audio cue to tell me to speed up or slow down. Or after the run, there could be an audio cue that tells me for the pace i ran, i would not hit my target, so I would need to go faster next time.
I felt, this could take advantage of the gps on iphone, its something like the adidas micoach app. Thanks.
10 Posted by duncanshannon on 16 Dec, 2010 08:56 PM
@mfitz nailed it. I'm happy to spend the $10 to avoid the data entry. I'd love to be able to ask a few questions of the 'coach' or even of the others training in the same program or the same instance of that class.
I 'spose we could create a discussion and get all those in our class to join it... and be able to talk there....
Support Staff 11 Posted by Jake Cacciapaglia on 18 Dec, 2010 05:36 PM
@duncanshannon we hear you and you can certainly expect improvements to come for the FitnessClass experience as we collect your feedback. Stay tuned. We are listening closely to everyone's suggestions.
12 Posted by Mike on 18 Dec, 2010 07:53 PM
Hi Everyone.
I want to address a few comments made here.
1) the content for the FitnessClasses is free. You can browse through the class and see what you would get if you joined the FitnessClass. We did this to make sure you would know what you are getting yourself into before purchasing it. RunKeeper gives this content away for free while other sites will charge you an arm and a leg just for this content cough cough http://home.trainingpeaks.com/training-and-nutrition-plans/featured... cough cough
2) Once you sign up for a FitnessClass we integrate the FitnessClass into your profile so that you can easily keep track of where you are within the FitnessClass. You can associate workouts from the FitnessClass with activities that you track.
3) Signing up for a FitnessClass also allows you to easily share with others what FitnessClass you are training for and how you are progressing though the FitnessClass
4) because FitnessClasses are a "Class" you also get paired up with other RunKeeper users who are training for the same goal as you at the same time. Our #1 piece of feedback from RunKeeper users is that we provide the best form of social motivation for their training and users wanted more of this. This is why we formed FitnessClasses around this class like structure. To automate the process of finding and joining othera who can help motivate you to achieve your fitness goal.
5) The coaching part of the class is the content that is provided by the top running coaches. As a bonus, we also provided those users who have an iPhone or Android phone an additional form of coaching. The RunKeeper Pro app integrates with these FitnessClasses to provide you with coaching audio cues while you are doing the workouts from the FitnessClass. The audio cues tell you what intervals to do, what pace to run at, and when you have completed the workout.
Like Jake said, we are listening close to feedback and will be improving the FitnessClasses a lot. However, as they are today, we feel they are a huge value over any competing solution out there and at a fraction of the price.
-Mike
13 Posted by gurohy on 27 Dec, 2010 09:57 PM
hello
i've subscribed to fitnesst elite, and purchased the R4FL. i want to ask a question about the program the trainer and found no way...
i wanna know more or less what's the pace suggested in week 2 day 9 in the inervals. (is it highest pace or 80% etc.)
furthermore, honestly i see no use in the fitnessclasess if all i get is the program itself, which i can find similar in the web.
i'd expect to get something more personally during this period of program.
i've been using Runkeeper pro for more than a year now and i'm very satisfied. don't want to "complain" but the fitnessclasees seems to me a little unecessary as they are....
hope to get a response...
thanks a lot
sincerally
roy
14 Posted by tinvelez on 21 Jan, 2011 05:44 AM
Hi,
I'm thinking about purchasing a class but I still have some questions. What happens if I miss a day in the schedule included?
Say I run on Day 1 which is the starting day I chose, then Day 2 will be a rest day and Day 3 would be a running day again. What happens if I'm not able to run on Day 3?
Support Staff 15 Posted by Jake Cacciapaglia on 21 Jan, 2011 05:56 AM
@tinvelez if you miss a day in the scheduled training that is perfectly ok, you can always make it up at a later date, that's the beauty of these classes. All FitnessClasses have a fixed start and end date, but there is also a 20-day grace period at the end to accomodate for any days missed, so not to worry!
16 Posted by Aidil Idris on 21 Jan, 2011 07:45 AM
But it didn't work for me. My last two runs were not uploaded. I'm assuming it's because of my missing the scheduled date.
Sent from my iPhone
17 Posted by Filip on 21 Jan, 2011 08:10 AM
Is there any way to get the pace info in km? Most of it is according to my preferences (i.e. km) but the pace always shows up according to miles, which makes it a bit complicated when I will run. Or will that change in the iPhone app?
Cheers!
/Filip
18 Posted by Mike on 21 Jan, 2011 04:24 PM
@Bileam, the pace info in the FitnessClasses are currently slow, steady, fast. What pace info are you referring to? If you are referring to the pace info on the app, those can be changed in the settings under 'Units Preference'
19 Posted by Filip on 21 Jan, 2011 05:02 PM
Hm. You're right, I suppose. I was referring to the info about the fitness class: "All slow runs should be completed at 11:15 to 11:50 pace or slower" but since that is the only place it's written I suppose I can convert that single pace info myself :-).
(Here, for instance: http://www.bx3.com/phil/tri/tricalc.asp :-)
20 Posted by Filip on 21 Jan, 2011 05:12 PM
But in the app there are both km and miles. And if I choose FitnessClasses as coaching, I can't have Target pace, which would help me keep the right pace and not run to fast... If you understand what I'm trying to say, despite my bad English.
21 Posted by Jeff Bristow on 21 Jan, 2011 05:19 PM
Pacing is defined by each class. For example the Jeff Galloway classes
define 'slow' as a walk while 'steady' is defined as two minutes slower than
your race pace. So 'steady' will be unique for everyone in the Galloway
classes. The Jeff Gaudette Marathon sub 3:45 class defines 'slow easy runs'
as a 9:15-9:40 pace. So, each Fitness class defines any specific pacing
guidelines in the class description.
22 Posted by XxstellaxX on 21 Jan, 2011 05:47 PM
This comment was split into a new private discussion: Fitness Class
Hello,
I sign up for R4FL yesterday 01/20/11 and it dint give me an option for classes, when i logged in to the page the classes started on the 01/16/11, I paid 19.00 dollars and then I was debating to get the elite after and I ended up paying another 19.00 dollars, I don't think for whatever i paid for was worth it, i cant find another class what can I do or how do i change the dates?
23 Posted by Jeff Bristow on 21 Jan, 2011 05:50 PM
I would recommend contacting ***@runkeeper.com and see if they can help
you out.
24 Posted by Aidil Idris on 22 Jan, 2011 01:17 AM
@j3ff. Btw, is the pace in the sub 3 HR marathon plan in minutes/mile or min/km?thanks.
Sent from my iPad
On Jan 22, 2011, at 1:20 AM, J3ff <***@tenderapp.com> wrote:
> your
25 Posted by Marius Friedrich on 06 Sep, 2011 08:27 PM
Hi there,
i really like the FitnessClass i booked and i am using it every 2nd day :)
One thing would be really helpful: Please make the FitnessClass more accessible for Europeans. The automatic conversions in the RunKeeper App do work fine, so there is no problem with miles and Km. But in the texts the pace suggestions are always given in min per mile - and while being in the woods running (this is when i read the text) i find it hard to convert this to the pace i am supposed to run. I think this would be only a change in the text. The other thing is the calendar - it always starts with Sunday and so this is day one and tuesday is day three and so on. This is really confusing for Europeans, since we start the week with monday.
Thanks a lot - it would be nice to hear from someone here.
Marius
26 Posted by Guy Rintoul on 18 Sep, 2011 12:20 AM
Second the comment about starting the week on Monday. You gotta realise that outside of North America, a lot of countries count MOnday as day 1! Also in some countries like the UK it varies according to personal preference (though Monday is still most common) so you need to give the option.
27 Posted by Berto Gomez on 22 Sep, 2011 10:06 PM
I just started the R4FL Fitness Class and a few days ago i was thinking on buying any of the other fitness classes... but as soon as i noticed you dont gem em premanently it was pretty clear to me... i wont be buying any other fitness class...
10 bucks is quite expensive for just some cheap limited audio cues... even wii-fit gives better fitness classes
In my opinion paying 10 bucks should grant unlimited acces to that fitness class... as i see it you are losing money this way... as others like me wont be buying a second, third, etc... fitness class...