Is Nike+ Right For You?

Nike+

If you go running a lot, then there’s a good chance that you like to keep some sort of metric to measure your progress – whether you’re tracking how much farther you have to go or working on something longer-term, like training for a race. If you’re a serious runner, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of the Nike+, a brand that works to integrate with your workout routine so that you can measure what’s happening as you go. Do these products really help you, or are they just another way to sell you more shoes?

The first question you probably have is, how exactly does Nike+ work? It works by tracking your stats, such as the distance you’ve traveled. You wear a Nike+ shoe and it measures what’s going on as you run. This service can also be linked up to your iPod in order to give you audio updates about your sun, such as when you pass a mile. Once your workout is finished, you can check different statistics, such as the amount of time you spent running, how many calories you’ve burned, and your mile pace. If you’re training for a 5k or a 10k, knowing your training pace can be crucial to making sure you train right.

If you’re a serious runner, you’re probably going to want Nike+, but we’ve also got to define what makes a “serious” runner. In the past few months, how many times have you been running? Once a week? Twice a week? The more you run, the more you’ll get out of products like Nike+, because you’ll be using them more often. If running has been an ambition for you, but you’ve never really gotten off the couch to pursue it, then try going running consistently for a few weeks before you make purchases like the Nike+. This will help you understand whether or not these products will really be worth it for you.

There is another reason to buy Nike+: inspiration. If having these shoes beckoning you from across the room is enough to get you outdoors and more active, then it might be worth it for that reason alone. Still, you’ll want to use the features; they’re pretty nifty!

If you’ve wanted to get more out of your workout and monitor your progress, then this is a good way to handle it, especially if you’ve already been inseparable from your iPod while running.

Photo credits: tukanuk

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