Runna Training App Review with Brand Ambassador Andy Hood: Hill Repeats, AI Coaching & Is It Worth It?
- 11 hours ago
- 6 min read
Looking at the traffic to my website recently, it’s clear a lot of you have been typing the same thing into Google: Runna training app.
So, rather than let the search bar do all the talking, I thought I’d turn pen to paper (well… fingers to keyboard) and answer the most common questions in a proper Q&A session.
For context, my blog charts my running journey and everything that surrounds it. A quick glance at the traffic logs over the last 48 hours shows readers from New Zealand, Australia, France, Norway, the UK and the USA. Which either means Runna is global… or insomnia is.
So let's do a Runna app review based on the FAQ's.
If you've got a question get it in the comments, I'll reply to you.
Before we get into it, full disclosure:
I am a Runna Ambassador.
I’ve used the app for around three years. I came to it after cancer diagnosis, surgery, chemotherapy and a long, frustrating stretch out of my running shoes. I needed structure. I needed guidance. I needed something that would get me back safely.
Since returning to running, I’ve shared my story, met incredible people, raised over £25,000 for cancer charities, and recommended Runna to countless runners, from first-time 5K hopefuls to seasoned athletes chasing PBs.
When Runna asked me in early 2026 to become an Ambassador, it was an easy yes. I love the app. I love the company. I love what it’s helped me achieve.
That said, and this is important, I’m always honest in my blogs. If something needs improving, I’ll say so.
If you are here looking for a free trial use the link below or my exclusive code ANDY2 for 2 weeks full access to the app and all it's plans and features
App link - https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=ANDY2
Right then. Let’s get into your most frequently asked questions.
Runna app review FAQ's
Why is Runna so expensive?
Ah yes. Straight in with the spicy one.
Cost vs Value.
Runna currently offers:
Yearly subscription: under £100
Monthly: around £16
I started monthly for about six months before switching to yearly.
At £100 a year? I see it as an investment in my running, not a cost. The same way I don’t view decent shoes as “expensive socks”.
What has it given me?
Improved form
Smarter training
Fewer injuries
Better efficiency
More enjoyment
It’s structured coaching in your pocket. And it keeps evolving. So I view this definitely as value as what I get from it is far more than the cost of it. In comparison to running shoes often being well over £150 a pair, and lasting only 400 - 500 miles then Runna seems a bit of a bargain.
Not sure? Use the two-week free trial with my code ANDY2 and see for yourself.
Worst case scenario: you run a bit more. And that has to be good.
App download link
What are Runna hill repeats?
Search logs tell me this appears in every possible form:
“Runna hill repeats”
“Alternating hill reps Runna”
“Runna hill repeats treadmill”
A slightly longer answer on this one as it gets a lot of search results, a lot.
Q: Right then… what actually are Runna hill repeats?
Simple.
You find a hill. You run up it. You jog back down. You question your life choices. You repeat.
That’s it. That’s the magic.
Q: How long are the reps in a Runna session?
Typically you’re looking at 30, 60 or 90 seconds of uphill effort.
At the top, you’ll usually get a short recovery before a gentle jog back down to reset for the next rep. Then we go again.
And again.
And possibly again, depending how cheerful your plan is feeling that week.
Q: How hard are we talking here?
Runna hill reps are not a polite jog uphill.
They are a full send.
Think:
9 or 10 out of 10 effort
Heart pounding
Lungs negotiating with you
Sweat discovering entirely new routes down your back\
This is strength-building, power-developing, character-forging stuff.
The good news? It’s short. The bad news? It doesn’t feel short.
Q: Does it matter what kind of hill I use?
Yes — and no.
The golden rule:
👉 It must be runnable.
If it’s so steep you’re power-hiking like you’re halfway up Snowdon, it’s too steep for this session.
The gradient depends on:
Your current fitness
Your training plan
Your preference
First time doing them? Start gentle. Build confidence. Let your legs adapt.
Over the weeks, you can increase the steepness as your strength improves.
There’s no prize for picking the nastiest hill in your postcode on day one.
Q: Why do we do them?
Because hills make you stronger.
They improve:
Running economy
Leg power
Form under fatigue
Mental toughness
And here’s the sneaky bonus, when you return to flat running, it feels suspiciously easy.
Almost suspicious enough to make you look for the next hill.
Almost.
Hill repeats aren’t punishment. They’re progress disguised as discomfort.
And yes, you’ll probably still mutter under your breath halfway through rep four.
That’s part of the process. 🏃♂️⛰️
Is there a Runna free trial?
Another of those questions the logs tells me gets asked in various ways
"Runna Trial"
"Runna app free trial"
"Runna discount code"
Gosh it seems you like freebies!
Answer, Yes — officially one week.
But as an Ambassador, I can double that.
Download the app, use code ANDY2, and you’ll get two full weeks with complete access.
Set up a personalised plan. Lace up. Go run.
Then come back and tell me how you got on, I genuinely love hearing the success stories.
(And if you’re on Instagram, you’ll find me at @runningwestwardho.)
Is Runna AI?
Short answer: yes… and no.
Does Runna use AI? Yes.
It monitors your sessions, checks pace against targets, suggests adjustments, and provides a post-run AI summary. Mine has even congratulated me for running in “very wet and windy conditions” — which, in the UK, is essentially Monday thru Sunday.
You can accept or ignore its recommendations. It’s guidance, not dictatorship.
But the training plans themselves aren’t just AI-generated scripts thrown together by a robot that’s never tied a shoelace. Yes I thinking ChatGPT generated training plans here, personally I'd stay clear of them.
There’s significant human expertise behind Runna's plans. Coaches design the structure. Community feedback shapes updates. AI enhances delivery.
It’s the blend that works.
What’s a hilly long run in Runna?
If you’ve trained with Runna, you’ll know the phrase well.
A hilly long run simply means incorporating elevation into your longer mileage. There’s no set “metres per mile” rule, it’s about effort and terrain relevance.
Training for a trail race? Try to mirror the course profile. Better still, if you can, go and run some sections of the actual course. General training? Just find some hilly paths or roads locally, all the small elevation changes add up over time, building strength and endurance.
Live somewhere flat? You might need to:
Drive somewhere hillier
Use a treadmill
Or get creative with bridges and ramps
The goal isn’t Everest. It’s variation. It’s strength. It’s preparing your legs for something other than track monotony or that long flat road you always find yourself on.
Is Runna worth it?
This circles back to value.
For me? Absolutely.
I’ve stood on the start line of multiple ultras. I’ve crossed every finish line. Without structured guidance, I genuinely doubt that would have happened.
At my gym, I see runners I’ve recommended the app to hitting their first 5K and 10K with confidence. The post-run smiles tell their own story.
Is it worth it for you?
Only one way to find out. Use the two-week code. Test it properly. Then decide.
Is Runna bad?
I had to include this one because it made me laugh.
Yes, absolutely terrible.
They’ve forced me out in all weather. They’ve made me run incredibly muddy ultras like the UTMB Arc of Attrition. They’ve indirectly enabled my self-designed London Ultra where I visited over 20 Krispy Kreme stores and consumed my body weight in doughnuts. Twice.
In fact, Krispy Kreme enjoyed it so much they’ve asked me to do it again this year.
More doughnuts. Tragic.
In all seriousness, the Runna team are runners. They get it. If you message them, you’ll get a friendly response (often with a waving hand emoji).
So no.
Runna is not bad.
It might, however, make you fitter than you expected and slightly addicted to structured suffering.
Final Word
If you’re curious, download the app and enter code ANDY2 for two weeks free.
Set up a personalised plan. Lace up. Enjoy the miles.
App download link https://web.runna.com/redeem?code=ANDY2
And when the coaching prompts tell you to speed up or slow down — feel free to talk back to them.
I do.
Thankfully, they can’t hear me. Yet.
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