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Posted on Originally published at horizonsoftwarenz.blogspot.com

To The Moon: A Beginner Run Trainer Where Every Kilometre Counts

A quick look at one of the small Android apps I'm building solo, with .NET MAUI, under Horizon Software.

Most couch-to-5K apps have the same problem: you finish the programme, and then what? The scaffolding disappears exactly when the habit is still fragile. To The Moon is a free Android run trainer built around that gap — it gets you off the couch with honest walk/run intervals, and then keeps you running long afterwards, because every kilometre you cover adds up towards real-world distance milestones.

Put your phone in your pocket and just move

A full-screen player counts you through every interval with spoken voice cues, a transition tone and a gentle haptic buzz, so you never need to look at the screen to know where you are. Your music or podcast is briefly lowered for each cue and brought straight back — not paused, not talked over.

Three programmes, at your own pace

  • Beginner 5K — an easy walk/run progression to get you moving. Free.
  • 5K to 10K — build from your first 5K towards 10K.
  • 10K to Half Marathon — step up to the half-marathon distance.

The second and third programmes unlock permanently with a single rewarded video — once, not every time.

The Journey: the bit that keeps you going

This is what makes To The Moon different from every other interval timer. Every kilometre you run counts towards the next milestone on a themed journey. Start with the free Space pack and set off for the Moon — then open more: World Landmarks, Legendary Routes, Animal Migrations and Historical Distances. Reach a milestone and the app celebrates properly with a fireworks finale; finish a pack and it loops as a fresh trip, so there is always a next goal in front of you.

It reframes the question from “did I run today?” to “how far have I got?” — and a bad week costs you progress rather than a streak, which is a much kinder way to keep a habit alive.

GPS tracking, entirely optional

Turn tracking on and To The Moon measures your distance, pace and route for that run, with an ongoing notification while you are out. Location is used only on your device to measure and draw that session — never shared, never used for ads, and there is no background location. Prefer to keep it simple? Leave it off and just follow the intervals.

Runs you did elsewhere still count

Connect Health Connect and To The Moon can import running and walking workouts recorded in other apps or on a watch, so the runs you did not track here still push your journey forward. It reads your workout sessions and nothing else, and it is entirely opt-in.

What you get

  • Honest walk/run intervals with spoken cues, a tone and a haptic buzz
  • Your music ducked briefly for each cue, not paused
  • Three programmes: Beginner 5K free, then 5K–10K and 10K–half marathon
  • A themed journey where every kilometre counts towards real-world milestones
  • Five journey packs, starting with Space and the Moon
  • Optional GPS distance, pace and route — measured on your device only
  • Optional Health Connect import so outside runs still count
  • Free to download

Get it on Google Play
Want the quick tour first? See the To The Moon app page.

To The Moon is a training aid, not medical advice — if you are new to exercise or have any health concerns, check with your doctor before starting a running programme.

Frequently asked questions

Is To The Moon free?

Yes — free to download, with the Beginner 5K programme and the Space journey pack included. The other two programmes unlock permanently with one rewarded video.

Do I need GPS turned on?

No. Tracking is entirely optional — the intervals work perfectly well without it. When it is on, location is used only on your device and there is no background tracking.

What happens when I finish the programme?

That is rather the point: your journey carries on. Every kilometre keeps counting towards the next milestone, and a finished pack loops as a fresh trip.

Do runs from my watch count?

They can. Connect Health Connect and To The Moon imports running and walking workouts recorded elsewhere, so they add to your journey too.

Is it suitable for a complete beginner?

Yes — the Beginner 5K programme is an easy walk/run progression designed for exactly that, taken at your own pace.

Get it on Google Play


Built with .NET MAUI by Horizon Software. A small indie studio making simple, focused Android apps.

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