 Nike iPod Sport Kit
One of the most frustrating things for runners is keeping track of how far they run. While it's easy to gauge your distance on a running track, most people prefer to run in more natural environment than within the confines of a 400 meter black rubber oval. That's why Nike and Apple partnered together to create the iPod Sport Kit, which tracks the distance, time, and pace of your runs.
The kit includes a small sensor that fits inside the sole of the left shoe. Of course, only Nike makes shoes with a special compartment for the sensor, so you will need a pair of Nike shoes too. Be sure to get a pair of Nike+ shoes (look for the plus sign), because only Nike+ shoes have a compartment for the sensor. One model that I especially like is the Nike Air Max 180+.
The kit also includes a receiver, which connects to the bottom of the iPod nano. Yes, that also means you need to buy an Apple iPod nano if you don't already have one. Be sure to get the nano and not the shuffle or regular iPod, because these other models will not work with the Nike Sport kit. Once the receiver is connected to the iPod nano, it receives data transmitted from the sensor in the left shoe as you run. This data is constantly monitored and recorded by the iPod nano.
Before beginning your run, you can choose a specific distance or time for your run or you can choose the Basic option, which allows you to run as long or as far as you feel like. When the iPod Sport Kit is active, the iPod displays your time, distance, and pace information. However, it is much easier (and safer) to get this information through the headphones. If you choose the time or distance option, the iPod tells you your time, distance, and pace every mile or so during your run. You can also press the middle button at any time to hear your time, distance, and pace.
The voice that talks to you during your run is incredibly clear, and I have never had any trouble hearing the information accurately. The music fades out smoothly as the voice comes in and it fades back up as the voice finishes. You can also choose between a male and female voice, which is a nice feature. From what I've heard, most men choose the female voice and most women choose the male voice. I guess the opposite sex can be a little more motivating.
While the implementation of the Nike Sport Kit is pretty smooth, it isn't perfect. One example is that the iPod always tells you to press Menu to end your workout. Well, when you press Menu, nothing happens. It does bring up a new menu, which gives you a choice to end your workout, but you still have to scroll through a few options to officially end your workout. This can be a nuisance, especially when you are worn out after a long run. I found that pausing the workout by pressing Play/Pause and then choosing End Workout is the most efficient way to finish the run and stop the iPod from collecting data. I also wish the iPod would give you automatic audible updates every mile when you choose the Basic option rather than having to push the center button every time.
So how accurate is the Nike Sport Kit? When I first tested it in a two mile run, the iPod had me run about 7% longer than the two mile mark. Then I calibrated it using a 400 meter running track. During my next run, the iPod had me run about 2% shorter than the actual distance. I suppose that is accurate enough to be useful. However, when I ran a fast two miles (with a faster pace than my long-distance running speed), the iPod once again had me run about 6.5% farther than I should have. This is probably because my strides were longer, which made the iPod think I wasn't running as far.
So, the Nike Sport Kit can be pretty accurate, but only if you calibrate it and maintain roughly the same running pace for your runs. It is certainly better than guessing your distance and the vocal feedback is a helpful feature for any runner. After finishing one or more runs, you can connect the iPod to your computer and it will automatically upload your information to nike.com, where you can keep track of your runs. You can also compare your runs with other Nike+ users around the world. This is a creative feature that can add a little extra motivation to your running schedule.
If you want to use the Nike Sport Kit, the biggest investments are the Nike shoes and iPod nano. If you have those, the Nike Sport Kit, which sells for under $30.00, is well worth the cost. |
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