I decided that it’s time to get into shape. Being the geek that I am, I find my motivation in gadgets. I already have an iPod Nano so when I discovered the Nike Sport Kit I had to have it! I went out today and got the Sport Kit along with a pair of Nike Air Max 180 running shoes.
The shoes are part of the Nike+ line that has a built in compartment for the Sport Kit sensor. The setup was amazingly simple. I simply took the insole out of the shoe and slipped the sensor into the built-in compartment. The only hiccup happened when I plugged the receiver into my Nano. A message popped up stating the attachment doesn’t work my version of the iPod. I docked the Nano and found that there was a software update. A few minutes later and the Nano worked seamlessly with the receiver.
I went on my first run today and let’s just say I’ve fallen off my high school 1-mile time. I loaded my Nano up with some inspirational music, stretched, and I was off and running! The Sport Kit gives you verbal updates over the music when you push the center button. The music and verbal status updates are great, but the most amazing part of the Sport Kit is Nike’s online site. When you dock the Nano after a workout it automatically sends the information to the Nike site. Here is a snapshot of my last run:
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No laughing at my time, I’m easing back into exercise! On the site you can set goals, see previous runs, look at personal bests and compete against others. Hopefully all of this gadgetry keeps me motivated to hit the pavement consistently.
I’m not a hardcore runner so I can’t claim to know what to look for in a running shoe. I can say that the Air Max 180 is very comfortable and didn’t have any “hot spots.” In my opinion, for $110 they’d better be the best shoes!
