Specialist run coaching app Runna has announced a suite of new updates developed to support year-round training.
The subscription-based app company (a division of Strava following its acquisition in 2025) noted that the updates reflect a continued investment in developing product features and plans that help athletes achieve training goals beyond race day.
The Adapt for Heat feature is available in the app from July 29, 2026, with Upcoming Plans and revamped Post-Race Recovery Plans following in August 2026.
The release of climate-adaptive coaching follows a media briefing hosted by the company on May 20, 2026, at Spring, Somerset House, in London. At the event, Runna outlined its strategic vision and product roadmap for the remainder of the 2026 season and into 2027.
Recent research undertaken found that 80% of the international Runna community adapt or skip runs because of hot weather.
In the UK, record temperatures in June 2026 led to significant shifts in athlete behaviour. Data showed that the share of Strava activities starting before 07:00 shot up by 32% during the June heatwave, while indoor activities increased by 12%.
Running activities dropped by 16% during the same period, with many athletes pivoting to cycling, leading to a 14% increase in recorded rides.
The Adapt for Heat feature automatically adjusts pace targets during hot and humid conditions to ensure athletes can train effectively and safely.
Key elements of the Adapt for Heat feature include:
- A colour-coded hourly forecast based on local weather conditions, showing when the day is at its hottest and coolest so runners can select an optimal training window.
- Smart pace adjustments that match effort to weather conditions. By reducing pace during hotter conditions, athletes experience the same training benefit as running at a quicker pace on a cooler day.
- Personalised calculations based on feels-like temperature, workout duration, and specific sessions from an individual’s training plan.
Also launching this summer is Upcoming Plans, allowing runners to create and schedule multiple training plans in advance, in order to map out an entire year of training.
The Upcoming Plans feature includes:
- The ability to stack races, stepping-stone goals, and training blocks in a single view.
- Automated transitions between plans carrying over preferred training schedules, estimated race times, and current performance ability without rebuilding schedules.
- Full flexibility to edit, swap, or remove plans at any time.
- A sustainable progression structure designed by expert coaches using established training principles.
Runna is also relaunching its Post-Race Recovery Plan. This structured and personalised plan is automatically created when an athlete begins any 5km–50km race plan, ensuring a recovery protocol is ready after crossing the finish line.
Features of the Post-Race Recovery Plan include:
- Built-in recovery protocols to help athletes ease back into training after finishing a race.
- Personalised return-to-running schedules built around individual distance, pace, and real-world performance.
- Injury prevention pacing to avoid common post-race mistakes, such as ‘doing too much too soon’, or ‘stopping being active altogether’.
- Integration with Upcoming Plans to link race day, recovery, and future training goals.
At the May media briefing, Josh Oppenheim, Managing Director at Runna, outlined the company’s growth trajectory and transition from a start-up to a significant player in the international fitness market.
During a panel discussion moderated by Brian Bell, Executive at Strava, Runna co-founder and Head Coach Ben Parker was joined by Hazel Wallace, Runna Ambassador and women’s health expert, to detail the app’s coaching philosophy and position within the digital coaching landscape.
The leadership team addressed the broader integration of artificial intelligence in fitness, stating that a personalised coaching approach requires nuance that automated AI coaches cannot replicate. The company highlighted that purely data-driven AI often lacks the emotional intelligence needed to account for factors ‘such as mental health, sleep quality, and daily stress levels’.
Alex Ainsworth, Director of Product at Runna, provided a technical walkthrough demonstrating how user interface updates aim to create a digital coach that adapts to non-physical lifestyle pressures to keep training sustainable. Following the presentation, the product team hosted a 5km group run along the River Thames footpath to showcase the feature updates in practice.
Steph Kessell, Head Coach at Runna and Former Olympian, said “Running isn’t only about getting race-ready – it’s one of the most effective ways to stay active throughout the year. Recovery is also a key part of everyone’s running journey to prevent plateau’s in training and reduce burnout or injury risk, which is why we build it into every plan from day one.
“These updates help people throughout the full running journey; smart training when temperatures rise, seamless progression from one goal to the next, and a clear way to continue running with recovery a central part of their plan.”
Founded in 2021 and officially launched in March 2022, London-based Runna provides personalised running training plans from 5km distances to ultramarathons across more than 180 countries. The app was selected as an Apple App of the Year finalist in 2024 and was acquired by fitness platform Strava in April 2025.
