I got the little Nike+ pedometer for my iPod last year to track my running progress. Yeah, that’s right its was purely for exercise sake…yeah. Yes, its a gadget. I like gadgets. And this one is very cool. If you don’t know the Nike+ doodad. There is a wireless receiver that attached to your iPod and a transmitter that you put in your shoe. Although Nike advertises particular shoes with a magic compartment for it, reality is, its easy to simply insert it into the tongue of the shoe or use a variety of means to attach it else where to the show and it works great.
Once calibrated…and this is very important to do – my experience running the United Way 5K and relying on the device is covered in this entry – the Nike+ tracks your pace, and a variety of other metrics as you run. It gives you a very informative read out on your iPod and actually tailors the music to your pace. The software it installs is very impressive and I found that it did incent you to run. The more important piece of the puzzle is that it stores this information in th iPod and then syncs it with Nike’s site when you sync your iPod. It happens automatically if you set it up to do so and it works like a charm. This allows you to monitor your progress and get graphic feedback on your performance during individuals runs as well as over time. The site is well designed and promises even greater feedback int eh future. I am a satisfied and pleased user.
rather than wait for Nike or Apple, runometer.com has created a website that allows you to take the information that Nike stores on your iPod even further. By accessing the XML files that the Nike+ device creates, and uploading them to the site, you get quick little sparklines showing your pace/duration with a high degree of granularity.
. You can store your complete list of runs here and the site allows you to see much of what Nike masks from the the user. You can even upload GPX files obtained with your handy little GPS device and combine the run with routes and add to a Google Maps mashup. Way too cool. I know there was a reason I was carrying that GPS receiver in my knapsack.
So why is all of this beyond simple gadget lust? My argument would simply be that anything that incents me to work out is a good thing. For me, being able to monitor the metrics associated with the workout amuse me and keep me working out. The Nike+ is a really good tie in for the iPod and gives you a very personalised experience when running. Ultimately, it provides me with a more user-sculpted environment.
The GPS aspect of this site and its visualization is 50% of the draw. James Chartrand was looking over my shoulder the other day when I was entering a route manually and gave me more credit for being technically ept and assumed the data was coming from a logging device. I do actually carry a GPS receiver in my knapsack, but there are all the issues of turning it on and letting it warm up and acquire satellites. Its also an older slower model and lacks most importantly the data cable to let me capture the GPS tracks on my laptop. I had one of the those silly (silly because the stupid piece of plastic only lasted 6 months) Microsoft Routes and Trips receivers which made a lot of technical sense, but only really with their own software. If Nike comes out with some GPS receiver that can be worn easily and has an instant on like the pedometer, that will be very cool…but until then, comes this project from an adventurous soul.