One of the great ways to explore a new neighborhood or a new city you’re visiting is by going for a walk or a run. But unless you have an escort, it can be vexing to figure out where to go, either for scenery, for safety, or to achieve a specific distance. A couple of local guys, British expat Adam Howitt and Chicago native Jeff Kenny, teamed up to create the WalkJogRun Web site and, 200 hours of labor or so later, the iPhone app. The app uses GPS to show running routes that you, or others like you, have uploaded to a customized Google Maps interface. You can choose nearby routes based on a distance—am I in the mood for a 5K or a half-marathon?—and read notes about the route, calculate the calories you will burn, or estimate the time your choice will require. And if you’re planning a trip somewhere and want to see what’s available, enter the address and voila!
