By now, most people have let their New Year’s resolution slip. They started off strong for about a week or two, but then life caught up, the day job weighed them down, and the raging river of enthusiasm they had for exercising more on January 1st is down to a dammed up stream right about now.
However, this year, technology can come to the rescue and resuscitate the dying New Year’s resolutions. Running technology is constantly evolving to keep up with runners’ needs; and this is ideal for those who vowed to run more in 2015.
The following is a guide through the newest advancements in running technology.
First and foremost, a watch to use during training is key. Unless the run is taking place on a treadmill that can track the mileage, a GPS watch is the way to go. With a GPS watch, runners can plug into their favorite music or podcast (hello Serial) and head out the door.
Maybe as a runner you have a set number of minutes in mind, or maybe the focus is more about the mileage logged, but regardless, a GPS watch can track both; and what you choose to do with the information that is produced is your call.
There are a variety of running watches available from brands, including Garmin, Nike, TomTom, Polar, Timex, and more. These watches track a variety of information, and as the sophistication of the watch increases – the price increases – the options for types of information produced also expands. At the high end, any one of these brands offer watches that track everything from running dynamics to VO2 max estimates, heart rate to step counting, ascent and descent, to calories burned. A new model of GPS watch, the Garmin Forerunner 620, also includes smart notifications to improve a workout in progress, as well as a highly responsive touchscreen. The watch then records each run’s information online, where it can be viewed and annotated.
To give an example of ways in which these smartwatches can best be utilized, imagine that the goal on Monday was to run two miles at 9:00/mile pace, followed by a three mile run at the same pace on Tuesday. A GPS watch can track the pace of each mile for you, so that you know exactly how much to speed up or decrease the tempo as the miles pass, and with a watch like the previously mentioned Garmin Forerunner 620, the watch will even vibrate against your wrist if the pace needs to be adjusted mid-workout.
In addition to obtaining a smartwatch for the sake of improving a new runner’s training, finding a good pair of running shoes and the technical clothes to match are also helpful for hitting those 2015 running resolutions. Any local fitness store can help in both departments, but seeking out a specialist running store, if possible, will help to ensure that the shoe functions appropriately for each runner as an individual.
For example, do you need a neutral shoe? Do you over pronate, which can make you more susceptible to running injuries?
Stability shoes tend to be best for longer distances because as runners fatigue, their form gets compromised, which the stability shoe will help to correct, whereas a more neutral shoe works for shorter distances or shorter lengths of time. Runner’s World created a Fall 2014 shoe guide that could be worth taking a look at in this regard.
Finally, when it comes to running clothes, the key is to find clothes that will help you stay dry, while either releasing heat or helping to hold it in, depending on the type of weather. A material like merino wool is great for cooler weather, as it wicks sweat away, while helping your body maintain the heat it generates through activity. Other helpful materials are synthetic fabrics such as CoolMax or Dri-Fit which, like the merino wool, help wick moisture away from your body to keep you comfortable on your runs.
New to the world of wearable smart clothes comes a product from Sensoria Inc., a lead developer of wearable fitness items. Sensoria recently released Fitness Smart Socks, an item that utilizes sensors in the socks to identify the type of activity the wearer is pursuing, while also measuring the impact the activity has on a person’s feet and ankles. The data that the Smart Socks collects is transmitted via Bluetooth through a detachable anklet. The information is then relayed to both a runner’s smartphone and the Sensoria fitness mobile app.
As the data gets compiled, it analyzes the collected information and then provides audio and visual feedback for individuals to use while out on their runs; in other words, the Sensoria Smart Socks provide real-time feedback to runners on how to adjust and potentially improve running form, which impacts performance. In case this wasn’t enough of a reason to look into this new piece of wearable running technology, consider also how the Sensoria Socks can help a runner to understand their individual cadence and foot strike patterns – information that subsequently helps reduce the likelihood of injury.
There is a wide variety of smart running gadgets being produced every day, and a plethora of information to go along with it, but when it can be distilled down to the basics, the decisions become less overwhelming: a smartwatch, the right pair of shoes, and clothing items, like the ones being produced by Sensoria, are an excellent place to start for getting a runner on track and conquering any New Year’s resolution.