Any runners?

[Neil Young]

A friend of mine has taken up running (mainly just around the park) and she wants a pedometer. I think a built-in HRM might be a good idea too.

Budget up to about £70. Any recommendations or suggestions on what features to look for/avoid?

[little dave hedgehog]

quit dancing around the issue.

have you shagged her or what?

[Neil Young]

I don't know how you do things in Chicago but since she's a close blood relative, no, I haven't.

[little dave hedgehog]

ok.

close thread.

[Rowan]

I think for what you pay the Nike+ IPod stuff is great. If she has an iPod Nano I'd be inclined to just pay £20 for the foot pod sensor and a fiver for a lace holder (if she doesn't have Neekay + trainers). If a heart rate monitor is a must then you need to spend some cash. Maybe the Garmin FR60 if you can get a bundle with a footpad but that's about 40 quid over your budget.

See what kind of phone she has. iPhones have a decent Nike+ GPS app. Only £1.20 but I'd still get a foot pod to go with it.

[ChesterDave]

My gut is too rounded by booze to do runnig anymore (used to but too much hassle now).

If she is just starting out I would think any kind of smart phone app should suffice.

I've checked a few out on my droid for the walk to work and the distance is pretty accurate compared to the pinpointer in Google Earth. As wit hthe iphone/pod you also havbe the added benefit of the music library while you are out and about.

[TheElephantMan]

I've done a fair bit of running, WTF does she need a pedometer for?! I've always found that 30 minutes running is about right, when your times get better add an extra bit to the route. Technology just makes things more complicated than they need to be!

[Red_Polo]

Garmin forerunner ftw

[Rowan]

Aye Polo and when kitted up the FR60 is a decent bit of kit. I just don't see the point in buying a Ped watch that doesn't have GPS in this day and age. Of course, being madly in love with my Nike GPS Sportswatch I would say that.

But the Garmin 405cx is also a ****ing belting bit of kittage.

[PTP]

i use adidas micoach for all my runs and it's great - uses GPS, seems prety accurate, monitors pace, calories, distance time and maps the route and also has different runs/plans that you schedule.

[Neil Young]

Thanks for all the replies.

So this Garmin Forerunner thing: is it flashy (i.e. would it make her a mugging target) and does it come all packaged up or are there different packages?

i use adidas micoach for all my runs and it's great - uses GPS, seems prety accurate, monitors pace, calories, distance time and maps the route and also has different runs/plans that you schedule.

So what's that then?

The revelation you do any non-horizontal exercise is fairly hard to absorb tbh.

[Rowan]

Thanks for all the replies.

So this Garmin Forerunner thing: is it flashy (i.e. would it make her a mugging target) and does it come all packaged up or are there different packages?


So what's that then?

The revelation you do any non-horizontal exercise is fairly hard to absorb tbh.

It's fine. Looks like a regular digital. You can get the full bundle with the footpod and HRM here for just over £100

http://wittons.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=578&c=01&i=B001S2RCXM

And MiCoach is an App like the Nike Plus one. Free from the App store and uses GPS to track. No HRM though. PTP, does it talk to you like the Nike+ App?

[Neil Young]

Thanks Rowan.

How about if I just got her the HRM? I think she's got an iPhone so she can get the pedometer app herself.

[PTP]

It's fine. Looks like a regular digital. You can get the full bundle with the footpod and HRM here for just over £100

http://wittons.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=578&c=01&i=B001S2RCXM

And MiCoach is an App like the Nike Plus one. Free from the App store and uses GPS to track. No HRM though. PTP, does it talk to you like the Nike+ App?

yeah it does all kinds - my 'coach' is jessica ennis

you can map out different runs/training schedules as well.

What you do first is called an assessment run...were it tells you to walk for 2 mins, then jog lightly 20% for 2 mins, then 40% two mins, then 60%, 80% then flat out sprint.

it records all this data and creates 4 zones.

blue - decent jog
green - good run
yellow - fast paced pushing sprint
red - full on flat out


you can then select different programs for different sports or levels of fitness or what you want to achieve.

for example - i completed the 10k schedule on a medium level.

it sets out the days to run, and types of run required so that over a period of time you monitor and assess and then ultimatley get results.

An example - being

monday 30 min run, 5 mins in blue zone, 3 mins green, 1 minute yellow, 5 minutes blue etc

tuesday 20 min all in blue zone.



now because of the data previously stored, this is the good bit - this is where the app talks to you, and i found it helped me pace myself and get more out of your runs.

if you start off too quick, it will say "slow down to blue zone" and then when you do, "blue zone achieved" - so you know then to stay at the pace until you hear..."speed up to green zone for 5 minutes" etc etc

also, you can set different updates - i have mine to set to

every 1km - i get an update on time, speed, distance, what zone i should be in, what zone i am in and calories burned.


I also get 'motivational' updates at the quarter, half way and 3/4 points during the run.




the major benefit i found is - before using it you have no idea how far you are running and how fast etc and i found when i first started using micoach that i shot off at the start of run and basically tailed off towards the end as i was ****ed - where this keeps a balance of it so you find you run further - it also adds a bit of interest to the run - rather than just jogging along, you get bits were you push yourself, and then look forward to the bluezone which allows you to recover before stepping it up again


it allows scores your run and gives you a percentage of often you stayed within the alloted zones

[Rowan]

It's £90 here for the Watch/ HRM and wireless dongle

http://www.outdoorworld.co.uk/garmin-forerunner-fr60-ladies-lilac-hrm-ant

I've been having a bit of an email exchange with Nike about HRMs as they've told me that the Polar Wearlink will work with my GPS watch. However, it won't work with my 2nd gen Ipod Nano or (amazingly) the Nike+ App for the Iphone. So in short, if she wants a combined Ped/ HRM she'll need to pay. I didn't previously use my watch at the gym but it looks like I'll need to now as otherwise I'd be using two different systems.

Long way of saying it's better to have one device doing the work than two