Recently my Nike+ wristband which helps me track the distance I’ve covered in my runs and time taken has been rendered totally useless since I’ve lost the sensor that is placed in my shoes. This got me thinking again on what is the ideal gadget to carry around during runs. Since I haven’t made a decision yet on what to get, I’d might as well think out loud here on what my options are.
What do I need a gadget for?
There are multiple reasons as to why people carry gadgets around during runs. Primary reasons being to track distance, time, heart rate (yawn!), listen to music, take photos and the list goes on and on. (*I wonder if people have started using Twitter when they run?). Personally I need something that would allow me to track my distance, listen to music and maybe to stay in touch with people to get them to reserve some beers when I cross the finish line.
My options
1. Nike+ connected to an iPod Nano
This seems like a good option considering it’s small, looks pretty hip (I usually carry an iPod Classic in my hand when I run, which can be pretty irritating) and helps me solve 2 of the 3 things I need. Plus you get to hear Paula Radcliffe telling you the distance and time you’ve covered at different intervals! On the other hand, the shoe sensor that comes along with it is my biggest peeve about it. It’s so bloody uncomfortable to run with and accuracy in tracking distance is questionable. I once took part in a 21km run and at the end of the run, my Nike+ Wristband only tracked 10km of it! So that’s out of my list.
2. GPS watch
A wrist watch with a whole lotta bells and whistles. In the nutshell it not only tracks the distance you’ve covered but also the exact route you’ve taken in your run which is totally awesome. Being GPS-based, it does this pretty accurately. Now I’m trying to imagine myself running with this. I’ve got a watch that tracks my run, I’ll need to carry an iPod to listen to music and a phone in case of emergency. That’s a lot of stuff to be carrying while you’re running. So that’s a big no-no. Plus, these watches don’t come cheap (that’s a topic for another blog entry).
3. My trusted Nokia E71
I’ve grown to love my Nokia E71 as a great phone for work but I haven’t really tested its features for my running. On paper, it’s got all the features I need. My 2GB memory card allows me to load up some music, it has an application called Sports Tracker which can track runs via GPS, I can snap photos along the way if anything interesting pops up and I can also make calls. Has anyone used the E71 for this yet? I’d appreciate some feedback because, cost-wise, this seems to be my best option.
4. Buy an iPhone 
Yup, I have this itch of jumping into the iPhone bandwagon as well. Aside from being able to do everything my E71 can do, the phone looks great! The new Maxis iPhone 3G package also seems pretty tempting.
The verdict
Hmm……I’ll think about option 3 & 4 while I run later today. To be continued in a different post.
