Top 12 Runner Skills to Put on Your Resume

Crafting an impressive resume is essential for runners seeking to stand out in a competitive field, where showcasing a unique set of skills can significantly enhance their marketability. This article delves into the top 12 skills every runner should highlight on their resume, emphasizing attributes that demonstrate both physical prowess and mental fortitude, setting the stage for a successful career in running.

Runner Skills

1. Strava
2. Garmin Connect
3. Zwift Running
4. Polar Flow
5. MapMyRun
6. Nike Run Club
7. TrainingPeaks
8. Runkeeper
9. Suunto App
10. Adidas Running
11. MyFitnessPal (for nutrition tracking)
12. Endomondo

1. Strava

Strava is a mobile app and website designed for runners and cyclists to track their activities, analyze performance, compete with others, and connect with a global athletic community.

Why It's Important

Strava is important for runners as it provides a comprehensive platform for tracking runs, analyzing performance, setting goals, and connecting with a global community of athletes for motivation and competition.

How to Improve Strava Skills

To enhance your Strava experience as a runner, consider the following concise tips:

1. Customize Your Privacy Settings: Adjust your privacy settings to control who sees your activities and personal data. Strava Privacy

2. Join Challenges and Clubs: Increase motivation by participating in challenges and joining clubs that align with your running goals. Strava Clubs

3. Use the Beacon Feature for Safety: Share your real-time location with trusted contacts for safety during runs. Strava Beacon

4. Analyze Your Performance: Delve into your performance analytics to identify areas for improvement and track your progress over time. Strava Summit

5. Integrate with Other Apps: Connect Strava with other fitness apps and devices for a comprehensive view of your fitness activity. Strava Apps

6. Customize Your Gear: Record the shoes you run in to track mileage on each pair, helping you know when it's time for new ones. Strava Gear Tracking

By implementing these tips, you can make your Strava experience more tailored, enjoyable, and beneficial to your running journey.

How to Display Strava Skills on Your Resume

2. Garmin Connect

Garmin Connect is a mobile app and online platform that allows runners to track, analyze, and share their running activities and performance data gathered from their Garmin devices.

Why It's Important

Garmin Connect is important for a runner because it tracks performance data (distance, pace, time), analyzes progress, sets training goals, and offers insights for improvement, enhancing training efficiency and motivation.

How to Improve Garmin Connect Skills

To enhance your Garmin Connect experience as a runner, follow these concise tips:

1. Customize Your Dashboard: Tailor your Garmin Connect dashboard to display metrics crucial for running, such as pace, distance, and elevation. This allows quick access to the most relevant data. Customize Dashboard

2. Utilize Training Plans: Incorporate Garmin's training plans into your routine. These plans, designed for various skill levels and distances, can help improve your running performance. Training Plans

3. Analyze Your Performance: Regularly review your running performance data in Garmin Connect. Look for trends and areas of improvement in your pace, cadence, and heart rate. Analyze Performance

4. Set Goals: Use the goal-setting feature to keep motivated. Whether it's distance, time, or frequency, setting goals can push you to improve. Set Goals

5. Join Challenges: Participate in Garmin Connect challenges to compete with others. This can provide extra motivation and a sense of community. Join Challenges

6. Sync with Strava: For additional analysis and community features, sync your Garmin Connect data with Strava. This external platform offers unique insights and the ability to connect with other runners. Sync with Strava

By implementing these strategies, you can make the most out of your Garmin Connect experience, helping you to train smarter and achieve your running goals.

How to Display Garmin Connect Skills on Your Resume

3. Zwift Running

Zwift Running is a virtual training platform that allows runners to train and compete in a virtual world using a treadmill and a device (such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer) to connect to the app, providing an interactive and immersive running experience.

Why It's Important

Zwift Running is important for runners because it provides a motivating, interactive, and weather-independent platform for training, allowing for structured workouts and virtual races with a global community, regardless of external conditions or location.

How to Improve Zwift Running Skills

To enhance your Zwift Running experience, consider the following concise tips:

1. Upgrade Your Equipment: Invest in a reliable treadmill and a footpod or smart shoes for accurate speed tracking. For example, check out Zwift’s recommended footpods.

2. Stable Internet Connection: Ensure a strong and stable Wi-Fi connection to prevent disruptions during your run.

3. Use Heart Rate Monitors: Incorporate a heart rate monitor for more precise training and to track your fitness level. Popular options include Polar and Garmin bands.

4. Explore Different Routes and Workouts: Regularly change your running routes and participate in structured workouts or group runs to keep your training engaging. Explore available routes on Zwift Insider.

5. Set Clear Goals: Use Zwift’s training plans or set personal goals to keep motivated and track progress.

6. Adjust Visual and Audio Settings: Customize your Zwift setup for a more immersive experience by adjusting the visual and audio settings to your preference.

7. Join a Running Community: Engage with Zwift’s online community through forums or join running clubs for motivation and tips. Start by visiting the Zwift Runners Facebook group.

8. Monitor Your Progress: Regularly review your training data within Zwift or sync with external platforms like Strava for deeper analysis and to celebrate achievements.

By following these steps and actively seeking ways to enhance your setup, you can significantly improve your Zwift Running experience.

How to Display Zwift Running Skills on Your Resume

4. Polar Flow

Polar Flow is a comprehensive training and activity analysis platform for runners and athletes, providing detailed insights into their workouts, progress, and performance, helping them optimize their training and achieve their fitness goals.

Why It's Important

Polar Flow is important for a runner because it provides detailed training analysis, tracks progress, and offers personalized guidance to optimize performance and recovery.

How to Improve Polar Flow Skills

Improving your experience with Polar Flow as a runner involves optimizing the use of its features for tracking, analyzing, and enhancing your running performance. Here's a concise guide:

1. Set Clear Running Goals: Use Polar Flow to set specific running goals based on distance, time, or calorie burn. This helps in creating a focused training plan. Setting Goals on Polar Flow.

2. Customize Sport Profiles: Tailor your running sport profile to display the metrics most relevant to you, such as pace, distance, and heart rate. This customization allows for more relevant data collection and analysis. Customizing Sport Profiles.

3. Utilize Training Plans: Polar Flow offers adaptive running programs for events like 5K, 10K, half marathons, and marathons. These plans adjust based on your progress and feedback. Polar Running Program.

4. Analyze Training Load and Recovery: Regularly review your Training Load and Recovery status to understand the impact of your workouts and avoid overtraining. Adjust your training intensity and volume based on this feedback. Training Load and Recovery Pro.

5. Incorporate Varied Workouts: Use Polar Flow to plan different types of running workouts, such as intervals, long slow runs, and tempo runs. Variety in training stimulates improvement and prevents boredom. Benefits of Varied Workouts.

6. Sync with External Apps: Connect Polar Flow with other fitness apps like Strava or TrainingPeaks for additional analysis and to share your achievements with a broader community. Connecting to Other Services.

7. Review Running Index: Monitor your Running Index in Polar Flow to gauge improvements in your running efficiency and VO2max over time. This metric helps in tracking progress and setting future performance goals. Understanding Running Index.

8. Stay Updated with Firmware: Regularly check for and install firmware updates on your Polar device to ensure you have the latest features and improvements. Polar Firmware Updates.

By strategically using Polar Flow's features, you can significantly enhance your running training, performance, and overall experience.

How to Display Polar Flow Skills on Your Resume

5. MapMyRun

MapMyRun is a mobile fitness tracking application that enables runners to record and analyze their running routes, distances, pace, and overall performance.

Why It's Important

MapMyRun is important for runners as it provides accurate tracking of routes, distance, pace, and progress, helping them to set goals, improve performance, and stay motivated.

How to Improve MapMyRun Skills

To enhance your MapMyRun experience as a runner, follow these concise tips:

1. Utilize Customizable Training Plans: Opt for plans tailored to your goals and fitness level for a more focused approach. MapMyRun Training Plans can help.

2. Incorporate Music for Motivation: Use integrated features with Spotify or Apple Music to create motivational playlists that sync with your running pace.

3. Take Advantage of Heart Rate Zones: Pair with a compatible heart rate monitor to train in your optimal heart rate zones. This Heart Rate Zones Guide can offer insight.

4. Engage with the Community: Join challenges and share your progress with the MapMyRun community or through social media for additional motivation and support.

5. Analyze and Adjust Your Running Form: Use the feedback on your pace, stride, and cadence to make informed adjustments to your form. This article on Running Form can provide further guidance.

6. Regularly Update Your Goals: Keep your training dynamic and progressive by regularly updating your running goals within the app settings.

By integrating these strategies, you can significantly improve your running experience and performance with MapMyRun.

How to Display MapMyRun Skills on Your Resume

6. Nike Run Club

Nike Run Club is a mobile app designed for runners, offering features like GPS tracking, customized coaching plans, and community challenges to enhance running performance and engagement.

Why It's Important

Nike Run Club is important for runners because it offers tracking of runs, personalized coaching plans, motivational support, and a community of fellow runners, enhancing performance and engagement in the sport.

How to Improve Nike Run Club Skills

To improve the Nike Run Club experience for a runner, consider implementing the following strategies:

1. Personalized Training Plans: Enhance the app by offering more customizable training plans that adapt to the runner's progress, preferences, and feedback. Nike

2. Advanced Metrics Analysis: Integrate advanced running metrics such as stride length, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation for a more detailed performance analysis. Garmin Connect

3. Community Features: Expand community features by enabling runners to create and join local running groups, participate in virtual races, and share routes or challenges. Strava

4. Nutrition and Hydration Tips: Provide nutrition and hydration advice tailored to the runner's training schedule and goals. MyFitnessPal

5. Wearable Integration: Improve integration with a wider range of wearables and health apps for seamless data syncing and tracking. Apple Health

By focusing on these areas, Nike Run Club can offer a more comprehensive and engaging experience for runners.

How to Display Nike Run Club Skills on Your Resume

7. TrainingPeaks

TrainingPeaks is a web-based platform designed for athletes and coaches, providing comprehensive training plans, workout tracking, and analysis tools to help runners optimize their training and performance.

Why It's Important

TrainingPeaks is important for a runner because it provides a comprehensive platform for tracking workouts, analyzing performance data, and planning training schedules, enabling runners to optimize their training, achieve their goals, and monitor progress effectively.

How to Improve TrainingPeaks Skills

To improve your TrainingPeaks experience as a runner, focus on the following strategies:

1. Personalize Your Training Plan: Customize your plan according to your running goals, whether it’s improving your 5k time or running a marathon. Utilize TrainingPeaks’ plan library to find a plan that suits your level and goals.

2. Analyze Performance Trends: Regularly review your Performance Management Chart to track your fitness, fatigue, and form over time. This helps in understanding your body’s response to training loads and in preventing overtraining.

3. Incorporate Structured Workouts: Utilize TrainingPeaks’ workout builder to create detailed workouts based on pace, heart rate, or perceived effort. Sync these with your compatible device for real-time guidance during your runs.

4. Leverage Device Integration: Connect your GPS watch or fitness tracker with TrainingPeaks for automatic syncing of your workouts. This seamless integration allows for efficient tracking and analysis of your running data. Check compatible devices.

5. Engage with a Coach: For a more personalized approach, consider hiring a coach through TrainingPeaks. A coach can provide tailored feedback, adjust your plan based on your progress, and offer motivation. Explore the coach directory to find the right match.

6. Utilize Metrics and Feedback: Pay attention to key metrics such as heart rate, pace, and running power (if available), and use the TrainingPeaks mobile app for on-the-go tracking and feedback. Reflect on subjective feedback like perceived effort and wellness to inform adjustments to your training.

By systematically applying these strategies within TrainingPeaks, you can enhance your running performance through structured, data-driven training adjustments.

How to Display TrainingPeaks Skills on Your Resume

8. Runkeeper

Runkeeper is a mobile app designed for runners that tracks and records running sessions, providing data on pace, distance, and route while offering personalized routines and progress insights.

Why It's Important

Runkeeper is important for runners because it tracks and analyzes their running performance, provides tailored training plans, and offers motivational support, helping them to achieve their fitness goals efficiently.

How to Improve Runkeeper Skills

To enhance Runkeeper for runners, consider these concise improvements:

1. Personalized Training Plans: Integrate adaptive training plans that adjust based on the runner's progress, preferences, and goals. Runner's World offers insights that could be incorporated into more personalized training suggestions.

2. Advanced Performance Analytics: Implement more in-depth analytics, such as VO2 max estimates and recovery advice, drawing on research from sources like the American College of Sports Medicine.

3. Social Features Expansion: Enhance social interaction by allowing users to create challenges, share routes, and join virtual races. Inspiration can be taken from platforms like Strava.

4. Augmented Reality (AR) Routes: Introduce AR to overlay navigation and interesting facts about running paths or landmarks, similar to what Wikitude offers.

5. Nutritional Guidance: Provide nutritional advice and meal planning tailored to training schedules, in partnership with nutrition experts or platforms like MyFitnessPal.

6. Wearable Integration: Expand compatibility with a broader range of wearables for more accurate tracking and data analysis. Investigate partnerships with leading brands like Garmin.

7. Mindfulness and Mental Training: Incorporate mindfulness exercises and mental strength training, guided by resources like Headspace.

Implementing these features could significantly enhance the Runkeeper experience for runners, making it a more comprehensive tool for tracking, training, and improving overall running performance.

How to Display Runkeeper Skills on Your Resume

9. Suunto App

The Suunto App is a mobile application designed for athletes, including runners, providing features for activity tracking, route planning, performance analysis, and syncing with Suunto sports watches to monitor workouts, progress, and recovery.

Why It's Important

The Suunto App is important for runners because it accurately tracks and analyzes running performance, distance, pace, and routes, offering insights for training improvements and goal setting.

How to Improve Suunto App Skills

To enhance the Suunto App for runners, focus on the following improvements:

1. Customizable Dashboards: Allow users to personalize their dashboards with metrics most relevant to their training needs, such as pace, distance, heart rate, and elevation gain.
2. Advanced Training Plans: Integrate adaptive training plans that adjust based on the runner's performance, goals, and feedback.
3. Social Features: Enhance community features by enabling runners to share routes, achievements, and participate in challenges directly within the app.
4. Detailed Analytics: Provide in-depth analysis of running form, including cadence, stride length, and ground contact time, to help improve efficiency and reduce injury risk.
5. Seamless Integration with Third-Party Apps: Ensure easy syncing with popular platforms like Strava, TrainingPeaks, and MyFitnessPal for a comprehensive view of training and nutrition.
6. Offline Maps and Navigation: Offer downloadable maps and turn-by-turn navigation for trail runners and those exploring new routes.
7. Voice Feedback: Implement real-time audio cues for pace, distance, and heart rate during runs to help runners stay focused on their training without constantly checking their device.

These improvements should significantly enhance the usability and functionality of the Suunto App for runners, making it a more comprehensive tool for training and performance analysis.

How to Display Suunto App Skills on Your Resume

10. Adidas Running

Adidas Running, formerly known as Runtastic, is a mobile fitness app designed for runners, offering tracking, analysis, and planning tools to enhance performance and monitor progress.

Why It's Important

Adidas Running is important for a runner because it offers specialized footwear and apparel designed to enhance performance, provide comfort and support, and reduce the risk of injury, catering specifically to the needs and demands of running activities.

How to Improve Adidas Running Skills

To improve your experience with Adidas Running, consider the following concise strategies:

1. Customize Your Training Plan: Tailor your training plan in the Adidas Running app to match your fitness level and goals. Adidas Runtastic offers personalized plans for various objectives.

2. Use Heart Rate Zones: Monitor your heart rate zones during runs to train more effectively. Polar provides a good explanation of heart rate zones and their benefits.

3. Incorporate Interval Training: Add interval training to your routine for improved speed and endurance. Runner's World offers guidelines and benefits of interval training.

4. Analyze Your Running Data: Regularly review your running data in the app to identify areas for improvement. Garmin Connect is an example of a platform for in-depth analysis.

5. Join Challenges and Communities: Engage with the Adidas Running community by participating in challenges for motivation. Strava Clubs is another platform where runners can find community and motivation.

6. Invest in Good Running Gear: Ensure you have supportive running shoes and comfortable gear. Runner's World Gear provides reviews and recommendations for running equipment.

7. Stay Hydrated and Nutritionally Balanced: Proper hydration and nutrition significantly impact your running performance. Precision Nutrition offers insights into optimal nutrition for runners.

8. Rest and Recover: Prioritize rest days and incorporate recovery strategies such as foam rolling or yoga. Yoga With Adriene offers free yoga sessions that can aid in recovery.

By focusing on these areas, you can enhance your running experience and performance with Adidas Running.

How to Display Adidas Running Skills on Your Resume

11. MyFitnessPal (for nutrition tracking)

MyFitnessPal is a digital tool designed for nutrition tracking, helping runners monitor their diet, caloric intake, and nutrient balance to optimize performance and recovery.

Why It's Important

MyFitnessPal is crucial for runners as it enables precise tracking of nutritional intake, ensuring an optimal balance of calories, macronutrients, and vitamins for enhanced performance, recovery, and overall health.

How to Improve MyFitnessPal (for nutrition tracking) Skills

To enhance MyFitnessPal for runners focusing on nutrition tracking, consider these concise improvements:

1. Customizable Nutrient Goals: Enable users to set precise macronutrient and micronutrient goals tailored to their running and training intensity (source).

2. Integration with Running Apps: Seamlessly sync data from popular running apps (e.g., Strava, Garmin Connect) for accurate activity tracking and calorie expenditure adjustments (Strava, Garmin Connect).

3. Hydration Tracker: Incorporate a feature to track daily water intake, crucial for runners to prevent dehydration (source).

4. Meal Timing Alerts: Offer customizable reminders for pre- and post-run meals to optimize performance and recovery (source).

5. Enhanced Reporting: Provide detailed reports on nutrient intake over time, allowing runners to adjust their diet based on performance and goals.

By focusing on these areas, MyFitnessPal can become a more powerful tool for runners dedicated to optimizing their nutrition and overall performance.

How to Display MyFitnessPal (for nutrition tracking) Skills on Your Resume

12. Endomondo

Endomondo is a fitness tracking app designed for runners and other athletes to record and analyze their workouts, monitor progress, and share achievements with a community.

Why It's Important

Endomondo is important for runners as it acts as a comprehensive tracking tool, offering detailed insights into their runs, including distance, pace, and calories burned, thereby helping in setting and achieving fitness goals effectively.

How to Improve Endomondo Skills

Improving Endomondo for runners can focus on customization, integration, and motivation. Here's a concise guide:

1. Customization: Enable more personalized training plans and goals. Incorporate features allowing runners to tailor their workouts based on their specific objectives, whether it's improving speed, endurance, or preparing for a race. Runner's World offers insights that could be integrated into customization options.

2. Integration with Wearables: Ensure seamless integration with a wider range of wearables and health apps for real-time tracking and detailed analytics. This can include heart rate monitors and GPS watches. Garmin Connect and Strava are platforms to look into for inspiration on successful integration.

3. Motivational Features: Introduce more social and motivational features such as challenges, badges, or running clubs. Incorporating elements from Zwift where runners can join virtual races or group runs could significantly enhance motivation.

4. Advanced Analytics: Offer advanced post-run analytics and insights. This could include detailed analysis on pace variation, elevation impact, and recommended recovery time. Platforms like TrainingPeaks provide examples of in-depth performance analytics.

5. Nutrition and Recovery: Provide guides or integration with apps focusing on nutrition and recovery, crucial aspects of a runner's performance and improvement. MyFitnessPal for diet tracking and YogaGlo for yoga and stretching routines could serve as references for creating or integrating similar content.

By enhancing these areas, Endomondo could offer a more rounded and engaging experience for runners, encouraging not only performance improvement but also a healthier lifestyle and community engagement.

How to Display Endomondo Skills on Your Resume