Running Pace Tracker

A simple iOS application built with SwiftUI and Core Location to track your running pace, distance, and provide real-time voice feedback. This project serves as an introductory dive into iOS app development.

📸 Screenshots

Main Screen

A simple MVP interface displaying current pace and distance.

✨ Features

• Real-time Pace Tracking: Displays your current pace in minutes per mile.
• Distance Calculation: Shows your total distance covered.
• Speed Display: Shows your current speed in miles per hour.
• Voice Announcements: Provides spoken updates on your pace and total distance every 0.1 miles.
  • Audio Ducking: Temporarily lowers the volume of other background audio (like music) during voice announcements.
  • Silent Mode Compatibility: Voice feedback plays even when the iPhone's silent switch is on.
• Location Authorization Handling: Handles user permissions for location services.
• Background Tracking: Continues tracking and providing voice feedback even when the app is in the background or the screen is off (requires explicit user permission).

🛠️ Technologies Used

• Swift: The primary programming language for iOS development.
• SwiftUI: Apple's declarative UI framework for building app interfaces.
• Core Location: Framework for managing location services, including GPS.
• AVFoundation: Used specifically for AVSpeechSynthesizer to provide voice feedback.

🚀 Getting Started

Follow these steps to set up and run the project on your local machine.

Prerequisites

• Xcode (version 13.0 or later recommended)
• A Mac running macOS
• An iPhone or iPad for physical device testing (optional, but recommended for location apps)

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/PaulGLujan/RunningPaceTracker.git
   cd RunningPaceTracker
   

2. Open in Xcode: Double-click RunningPaceTracker.xcodeproj to open the project in Xcode.

3. Configure Signing & Capabilities:

   • In the Xcode Project Navigator, select your project.
   • Select the RunningPaceTracker target.
   • Go to the "Signing & Capabilities" tab.
   • Under "Signing," ensure "Automatically manage signing" is checked.
   • Select your Personal Team under the "Team" dropdown. (If you haven't added an Apple ID to Xcode, go to Xcode > Settings... > Accounts to add it.)
   • Verify that "Background Modes" is added and both "Location updates" and "Audio, AirPlay, and Picture in Picture" are checked.

4. Add Location Privacy Description:

   • In the "Info" tab of your target settings, ensure you have the key Privacy - Location When In Use Usage Description with a string value explaining why your app needs location access (e.g., "This app needs your location to track your run distance and pace.").

Running the App

1. Select a Simulator or Device:

   • From the scheme dropdown in Xcode's toolbar, choose an iOS Simulator (e.g., iPhone 15 Pro) or your connected physical iPhone.
   • If using a physical device with iOS 16+, ensure Developer Mode is enabled (Settings > Privacy & Security > Developer Mode). You might also need to "Trust" your developer app in Settings > General > VPN & Device Management the first time you run it.

2. Run the App:

   • Click the "Run" button (the play icon) in Xcode's toolbar.

3. Grant Permissions:

   • When the app launches, you'll be prompted to allow location access. Choose "Allow While Using App".

4. Simulate Movement (Simulator Only):

   • If using a simulator, once the app is running, go to your Mac's menu bar: Debug > Location and select "City Run" or "Freeway Drive" to simulate movement.
   • To test audio with silent mode on the simulator, ensure device bezels are visible (Window > Show Device Bezels), then click the physical Ring/Silent switch on the simulated device's bezel.

5. Start Tracking:

   • Tap the "Start Run" button in the app to begin tracking.
   • You should see your pace and distance update, and hear voice announcements, even with background music playing.

🗺️ Future Enhancements (Ideas)

• Run History: Save and review past runs, including total distance, time, and average pace.
• Pause/Resume Functionality: Allow users to pause and resume a run.
• Customizable Voice Intervals: Let users set their preferred distance interval for voice updates (e.g., every 0.25 miles, every mile).
• Map Integration: Display the run route on a map using MapKit.
• Workout Goals: Set targets for distance or time.
• Unit Preferences: Allow users to switch between miles and kilometers.

🤝 Contributing

Feel free to fork this repository, make improvements, and submit pull requests. Any contributions are welcome!