i mentioned a couple weeks ago that i’ve finally got the summer running bug (thanks in large part to signing up for a color run at the end of june!). one thing i didn’t mention, was my new, low-maintenance, running accessories list.
instead of weighing myself down with tons of equipment (phone/ipod/heart rate monitor/etc.), i realized that everything i need (and want, really) is on my phone. for entertainment i listen to podcasts (using the free ipp podcase app) or pandora (free app). i use the runkeeper app (free!) to track time/pace/distance. runkeeper syncs with gympact (free app) to track my workouts. i use my phone camera to photograph anything i deem worthy of photographing on my run. and my fitbit app (free!) allows my fitbit to sync wirelessly as i’m running/walking so i can keep track of my progress to meet my 10,000 daily steps goal. the fitbit also tracks intensity of my workout to calculate an approximate calorie burn with the run. (next experiment = test the fitbit against my heart rate monitor to see how accurate the calorie calculation is…)
i am definitely not a hardcore runner, and if you are, you might laugh at this list and say that xyz gadget is better than the apps i listed above, but for my purposes, they work perfectly!
on my most recent run yesterday morning, i did a quick .10 mile walk to warm up and then i ran 2 minutes, walked 1 minute, ran 1 minute, walked 1 minute, repeat. i had 30 minutes to squeeze in this run before i had to get ready to go to my mom’s house, so i was able to cover almost 2.5 miles with that method. not a bad way to get the blood pumping before my day started!
what are your must-have running gadgets? favorite running apps?
disclosure: i am participating in the verizon health and fitness voices program and have been provided with a wireless device and six months of service in exchange for my honest opinions about the product. as always, all opinions expressed on this blog are my own. for more information on the verizon voices program, see this post.
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