Running Gear

In your repertoire of running gear, what is the one thing that you can't live without? Is it a certain brand or model of shoes? Is it that pair of sunglasses that hugs your face just right?

For me, it is my Timex BodyLink System.



Without this little jewel, I would be completely lost. Being the geek that I am, this is one of the things that motivates me the most to keep running. On those days where I feel like slacking, I think, "Oh no, my stats are going to suffer". You see, not only does this baby keep track of everything under the sun while you are running, it even saves the information to a little data recorder so you can upload it to your computer for further analysis. Believe me, I spend plenty of time comparing the statistics from one run to the next.

If you are serious about running and really want to gain some insight into the variables that make up each of your runs, you definitely need to invest in something like this. The one that I have will set you back about $350. It is worth it though - if you are a stats person.

Below is a partial feature list:

• Speed (min/max/ave)
• Distance
• Heart Rate (min/max/ave/time in each zone)
• Pace (min/max/ave)
  
• Altitude
• Elevation (ascent/descent)
  
• Duration
• GPS
• Lap/Split
• Predictive Finish Time
• Hands Free Operation

Other makers of similar products are Polar, Nike, and Garmin to name a few.