Heart-rate zones. Calories burned. Elevation. Training has become an exacting science. Recognizing this, a slew of new online tools aim to help your inner geek coach your inner jock. Many work with gadgets you may already own, from GPS devices to cell phones, and basic service is usually free. Now you just have to peel your butt off the couch.
Pair Your Gadget With an Online Trainer
IF YOU HAVE A HANDHELD GPS USE MOTIONBASED
This online app takes the data tracked by GPS units - time, distance, speed, route, elevation, and (sometimes) heart rate - and converts it into charts and Google maps of a run, row, or bike ride. Users can browse the site for new routes and, if they happen to own a Garmin GPS device, download others’ results to create virtual races.
IF YOU HAVE AN IPOD NANO, USE NIKE+
You’ll have to buy a Nike+ pedometer, but if you don’t mind strapping it to your sneaks (or getting a pair of Nike+ kicks), the system transmits speed, distance, and other data to your nano. Whenever the iPod is synced, the info is uploaded to Nike’s site, where you can create personalized goals or compete against others in invitation-only challenges.
IF YOU HAVE A GPS PHONE, USE BIM ACTIVE
Designed for a Verizon, Sprint, or Nextel GPS-enabled phone, BiM Active records speed, distance, route, and elevation, and calculates calories burned on your run. The software also provides audible distance and pace feedback over the phone and auto-uploads the results so users can chart their progress online.
IF YOU ONLY HAVE INTERNET ACCESS, USE MAPMYRUN
No GPS or fancy shoes? No problem. MapMyRun hacks Google Maps to let runners point and click their way to a better workout. Input your route on a virtual map, then enter your height, weight, and time, and the application calculates distance, calories burned, and pace. You can even share routes over the Web or via RSS.
- Mathew Honan
credit: 500GLS
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