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If you are wondering what all the hype is about, then this page is for you!
A revolution is upon us!
Thousands of beginner, intermediate and professional runners around the world have
increased their performance and motivation to run through technology. If you haven't heard about
it, you are missing out on a revolution!
What is it?
Introduced in May 2006,
Apple, Inc. and Nike, Inc.
teamed up to bring two worlds together through technology: sports and music. The result is an amazing $30 (US) system called the
"Nike+ iPod Sport Kit" from Nike, Inc.
The kit consists of a sensor that goes in (or on) your left shoe and a receiver that plugs into the bottom of an Apple iPod Nano.
With each step, data is sent form your shoe to your iPod (wirelessly) and recorded for analysis at the Nike+ website (and here too!)
As of May 2007 the Nike+ website
shows over 15 million miles have been logged by runners all around the globe at an average rate of 1,311 runs per hour!
New Device Support Coming Soon!
RUNNER+ will soon be supporting the Garmin Forerunner 205, Forerunner 305, and Garmin Edge Series, a system similar to the technology behind the Nike+ system. Look for support by August 2007!
How does it help me?
In a word: motivation. That motivation comes in a variety of forms:
1. Personal improvement. The sport kit on its own is very motivational
because once you start recording your runs and synchronizing them with the Nike+ website you are able to visibly see how
you are performing by a number of ways: by distance or time, grouped by day, week, or month! By being able to chart
your own behaviors you can see when you are slacking off! Who wants to see a declining performance chart?
2. Goals. You set your own goals (run more often, run faster, run a certain distance, burn more calories)
and monitor them through the Nike+ website.
3. Challenges. Challenge a friend or a group of friends! Race to a set distance, race to run the most miles,
or run the fastest. Whoever wins gets major bragging rights!
4. Community. This is where RUNNER+ comes into play. We have developed a large community
surrounding this new running revolution. Now you have global motivation from your fellow runners in the U.S., China, Australia,
the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and more! More on this later.
What do I need?
The bare essentials include the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit and an Apple iPod Nano. The sport kit will not
work with any other iPod, however it will work with both first generation and second generation iPod Nanos.
Of course you also need a computer (Mac or PC) but you probably already have that.
Finally, shoes. One of the biggest misconceptions about the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit is that you need to also purchase a pair of special
Nike+ running shoes. This is simply not true! You can use any pair of shoes from any brand. The benefit
of the Nike+ shoes is they have a place in the sole of the left shoe to hold the sensor. However, if you want to
use your own shoes, you just need to purchase a pouch which holds the sensor and attaches to your shoelaces. Please visit our
gear page for various products you can buy. There you will find other products that may help,
such as an armband to hold your Nano.
Note: The Nike+ sensor and receiver do not come with the special Nike+ shoes, so purchase the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit separately.
How does it work?
A small plastic sensor is placed in (or on) your left shoe. With every step you take, an
accelerometer inside the sensor
transmits (wirelessly) a signal to the receiver which plugs into the bottom of your iPod Nano, in the same
place where you connect your USB cable. Your iPod, in turn, records your steps until your run is
completed. Then, the next time you sync your iPod with your computer, iTunes sends your latest run data
to the Nike+ website where you can view your run data in a variety of charts.
What is RUNNER+?
RUNNER+ is a large online community of runners just like you. The worldwide membership
consists of beginner, intermediate, and professional runners. They have realized the benefits of
the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit and wish to be further motivated by their peers, whether they be their
friends in the same town or new friends they've made online from across the globe. Motivation is the key
factor here at our "online running club", so we have made it easy to communicate, whether that is through
our forums, live chat, or commenting on runs.
We've also taken your run data to the next level, beyond what you can find anywhere else. You can track
your weight loss, calories burned, run pace, time and distance, by day, week, month and year! Need to
change your data to fix a problem? Have to download your data so you can analyze it on your own in your
favorite spreadsheet software? No worries... we do all of that and so much more. Plus, we are adding
new features on a daily basis!
For more information about RUNNER+ please be sure to also read the About page.
What do I do now?
- Buy an Apple iPod Nano
- Buy the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit
- Go run!
- Create a FREE account at RUNNER+
- Upload your run data
- Motivate and communicate with other RUNNER+ members!
Anything else I should know?
We're sure you have a ton of questions, as this page only skims the surface in hopes to get you up to speed
as quickly as possible on this great revolution in running. We've assembled a complete list of
Nike+ iPod related videos that you should watch, and don't hesitate for a second about
posting your questions in our forums. We're all here to help each other... and that
includes you, no matter what your skill level.
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