It’s a bold statement to trumpet, but 5K Runner developer, Fitness22, claims that a whopping 4.2 million people have gone from 0 to 5K athlete whilst using this app. Over the course of eight weeks, 5K Runner promises to whip you into shape and turn you into an endurance athlete.

The magic formula is devilishly simple, but highly effective –  all you need is three days per week of 30-minute exercise. 5K Runner takes you through a ‘walk, run, walk’ training program that comes with an audio coach giving encouragement and instructions through your headphones. You can even seamlessly play your music alongside the app as you pound the pavement.

5K Runner’s built-in social media tools allow you to unlock and share badges of your progress with friends, which is perfect for a little bit of light competition to provide you and your mates with added motivation. What we really love though is that it’s not just about becoming the next Mo Farah or Almaz Ayana, it’s about making weight-loss fun and enjoyable instead of a daunting and nightmarish routine.

As you may have guessed, 5K Runner is aimed squarely at beginners and novices – pro runners needn’t waste their precious phone storage on this one. But with a focus that hones in on first time runners, it’s great at delivering the results that it sets out to accomplish.

It’s about making weight-loss fun and enjoyable instead of a daunting and nightmarish routine.

Having access to such personalised training programs and professional coaches doesn’t come cheap, mind. There aren’t any free workouts here and prices range from $9.99 per month to an eye-watering $49.99 per year. However, you are buying into professionally led activities that are guaranteed to get the results you desire.