Runner Motivation Report: August 30, 2009

I left the house at noon today to go running, leaving a screaming kid behind for my wife. I’m so glad she supports my efforts! It was important for me to get out there, as I am falling behind already in my goal that I set for myself on Nike+.

With the run today, I have only been out 2 times, with 8 more to go before 9/19. This means I am behind on my target:

 

I should have gone out for a run several days ago to stay on schedule, on August 28th. But I did not.

Aug 28 Obstacles

• My right knee was sore from my Aug 24 run. The ligament on the inside of my knee (MCL?) was tender to the touch. This lead me to decide to give it some time.
• Work was very busy.
• I was committed to visit a sick friend in the evening.

These obstacles were enough to keep me from running. But I did make it out today:

Aug 30 Obstacles

• Right knee was still tender.
• Stella was acting up when I wanted to leave the house.

Aug 30 Solutions and and Motivators

• I knew I was behind on my goal, though I had not logged into the website to check to see how far behind I was.
• I knew it had been almost a week since my last run – not a good start to getting back out there.
• Decided to see how the knee would do, and hoped for the best
• The weather was perfect for a run. Overcast, and cool.

I did run significantly faster than my previous run. This is good.

But I should have stayed home. From the start, both knees were an issue. They both felt sore as I made my first lap. Uh oh. After about 4 laps, it got worse - I felt a warm gushy feeling in my left knee. What could that be?

For the rest of the day, my left knee hasn’t swollen up, but I can definitely feel that it is hot. I don’t know if I tore something, or just irritated it. I have a feeling I will be on the sidelines for a few weeks. I can’t ignore this problem.

This blog is about how I stay consistent in running. It is sad that I have barely gotten started, and I am already failing in that. Injury is always a possibility, but to be hampered so early is really disappointing.

I have a feeling this was caused by my tight ham strings. I was hoping that running would loosen them up, but clearly mistaken. I have learned that I have to fix this problem first before I can go running.

Nike+ Graphing: Something is Wrong Here

I am excited to use the Nike+ website as a means for staying motivated to run. I love the concept of building a virtual community of runners to keep us all motivated and in the game.

The first features I am using are:

• Uploading my runs onto the website using my Nike+ SportBand. This allows me to view stats and see how I did graphically.
• I have set a goal of running 10 times in the next 30 days. The website is tracking that for me.

However, I was surprised to find tonight that there are actually two Nike+ websites. The first being the original, and the second being a new beta site. Fine, that works. I like the beta site better, so this is a good development.

However, I saw something a bit disturbing. Based on the same data for the same run, the two websites show quite different graphs of my performance. Yikes, what is going on here guys? I like the idea of seeing how I did throughout the run, but can I rely on the results? I now have some doubts.

See for yourself. Here is my run on the original website:

Now, here is that same run on the new beta website:

Does that look like the same run to you? Something is amiss.

And, no remarks from the peanut gallery on how slow I am. I know. I am working on it. Leave it be. Talk to the shoe.

Runner Motivation Report: August 24, 2009

The goal of this blog is to track how I stay motivated to run. Historically, this has been a big problem for me in the long run. To counter this, I plan to use whatever good ideas or dirty tricks that I can find to make sure my motivation exceeds my laziness, week after week.

A key part of this is tracking the numerous obstacles that life throws my way (work schedule, family commitments, illness and injury, disinterest, bad weather, lack of energy, etc). I will try to pair these with the various solutions and motivators (guilt, website community, upcoming race, determination, etc) that allowed me to overcome those obstacles.

Aug 24 Obstacles

• Planned visit by my sister prevented me from thinking that I could sneak in a run tonight
• Right shin was feeling just a tad bit sore
• I knew I needed to run during daylight to get a good calibration of my Nike+ device, but at 7:30 kid #2 was crying and kid #1 was getting her last snack before bedtime.

Aug 24 Solutions and Motivators

• I am excited to get my Nike+ gear up and running, so motivated to get out there to run.
• My sister’s flight was cancelled, so this obstacle fell away.
• I decided to ignore my shin. I have switched to running at the track, which is super soft. Also, I know have my new Nike+ Air Moto shoes, which are well padded. I think my shin will be ok.
• My wife agreed to handle both kids. I found out later that kid #2 kept on crying. So maybe I am a bad father, or perhaps he’ll just get over it.

Calibrating your Nike+ Device to 99.8% Accuracy: Tips for Success

Two nights ago, I went for my first run with Nike+ SportBand. Because I had read that these devices need calibration, I made my first run a calibration run. I detailed my experiences in a previous blog entry.

In summary, I found the device to be off by 10%, much like other bloggers I have seen on the internet. I was worried about this – could calibration make it more accurate? I am hoping for less than 1% deviation.

It was so far off, I actually started to doubt my lap count at the track – perhaps I miscounted my laps? I was so paranoid that I brought a lap counter out to the track tonight:

Calibration, Done Right

I went back out to the track to test my device now that it has been calibrated. Great news – the calibration was a success! I ran what I think was exactly 5.0 km, as indicated by 12.5 laps of 400m. The device reported 5.01 km, a difference of 10m over a distance of 5000m.

My calibration of my Nike+ SportBand resulted in an accuracy percentage of 99.8%.

In the software world, we would call that two 9’s, which is better than almost all websites out there. I assume my little SportBand is a competitive animal, so I am sure its glad to know that.

Also, my assumption that my run was exactly 5000m cannot be held as truth – as I ran around the track it is possible I did not follow the lane exactly. Perhaps I did run 5010m, and Nike+ is 100% accurate!Well, we can never know. But suffice it to say its as accurate as it needs to be.

Calibration Tips and Tricks

Here are some tips and best practices that I would recommend for you when calibrating (or verifying the calibration of) your Nike+ device:

Control your Route

When there is a discrepancy between how far you think you ran and what Nike+ reports, you have to make a judgment call. Who was wrong? If you don’t run in a controlled environment, its impossible to say. I think a good running track is the only way to go here. Tracks are carefully measured, and so you can be confident in your distance. Also, while not strictly necessary I imagine, the track is perfectly flat and so probably provides the best reading.

Run Down the Middle

When you run at your track, run down the middle of Lane 1. As much as I can determine using the internet, the measured distance is based on running down the midpoint of the first lane (inner most).

Calibrate in Meters

I think most tracks (outdoor, at least) are measured in meters. 400m is the norm. It is therefore best to change the units of measurement on the Nike+ computer utility to Km, not Miles. I covered how to do this in a previous blog entry.

Calibrate During the Day

As I reported in my product review of the SportBand, I list as a negative the lack of a backlight. This makes reading the device in dim light impossible. I went for my first calibration run at dusk, and was unable to read the device from the start. This prevented me from keeping tabs on the accuracy as I zoomed around the track. On tonight’s run, I started earlier and so I was able to read the device for nearly the entire run. See the next tip on why this is important.

Check the Accuracy Every 100 Meters

Throughout my run tonight, I looked down at the SportBand every time I crossed a 100m mark (there are 4 on a 400m lap). This lead to a better understanding of when the device is accurate, and when it is not. While I think I have some more learning to do on this topic, it made me understand that not all of my strides are created equal when it comes to accuracy.

Relax your Stride

By calibrating every 100m, I found that different strides measured at different accuracies.

• Out of the gate, I was running more on the balls of my feet. I suppose I wasn’t relaxed. After the first lap, the device was short by about 8 meters (I was 8 meters past the 400m mark when it indicated 400m).
• When I realized I was running uptight, I relaxed and started running with a more natural heel-toe movement. To my surprise, my 100m readings suddenly became spot on. The device was ticking off 100m at nearly the exact spot relative to each marker.
• Towards the end, I sped up a little to finish strong. The device became less accurate again, this time absorbing more distance than I was actually running.

In the end, across the different strides, I ended up with a .2% discrepancy. By closely monitoring your device, you can gain insight into how your different strides are affecting the accuracy.

Finish 3 Seconds Ahead

The way you terminate a run on the SportBand, you hold the button down for 3 seconds. One wishes it would then remove the last 3 seconds of data, allowing you to depress the button just as you cross your finish line. Unfortunately, the end of the run is marked by the end of the 3 second depress of the button, not the start of it.

This means that you should depress the button 3 seconds before you expect to cross your distance marker.

Keep Calibrating

Given that stride seems to have bearing on accuracy, I speculate it is important to check accuracy on a regular basis. As Nike+ helps you to become a stronger runner, your stride will change. Recalibration seems like an important thing to do. I will post back on my recalibration experience some time down the road.

Product Review: My First Impression of the Nike+ SportBand

I went out for my first run with my Nike+ SportBand. My expectations were sky high – it is my hope that this device is going to keep me running on a regular basis year after year. Nothing short of a miracle, given my spotty history with the sport.

In this blog entry I will cover my initial thoughts on the system.

1. It Works        

Overall, the device worked. It captured the information as it should. The only drawback appears to be the calibration issue, as covered in my previous blog entry.

2. It Works Too Well  

When you are doing well with your running, this is all great. But when rebuilding from scratch like I am, its a tough pill to see how poorly you are doing. Without the device, I wasn’t keeping time and could only guess at the distance. Blissful ignorance, I suppose it was.

3. No Backlight  

Reading the reviews, I saw reference to the fact that there is no backlight on the device. When running in the dark, well, that leaves you in a spot doesn’t it. Tonight I was running at the high school track, which has no lights. It was a big bummer not to be able to see how I was doing. And I couldn’t even tell if I correctly terminated the run on the device.

4. Upload Problem 

When I got home and plugged the device into my computer, it didn’t upload correctly the first time. It got stuck somewhere in that process. In the end, unplugging the device from the computer and plugging it back in fixed it.

 

5. The Website is Amazing        

The website is the main draw here. It provides details about how you did out there. And it does an amazing job at that. Even if the results are, well, depressing. Look at that tail of mine. What am I, 80 years old?

6. There is no Linux Client 

My primary operating system is Ubuntu Linux, not Mac or Windows. This means I need to reboot into Windows, or spawn a Windows VM to upload my running data.

7. Your Calibration Runs must be Discarded 

For my first run with my Nike+ gear, I decided to make it a calibration run. I wanted to make sure the device is accurate. Given the results as reported in my previous blog entry, it was off by 10%, so I am glad I did this. However, you have to delete your calibration run from the website. Why? The calibration does not take affect as the run was already uploaded to the website. Therefore, the run results are inaccurate.

Calibrating your Nike+ SportBand or IPod Devices

There is a fair bit of information out there on Nike+ calibration. The official documentation doubts it is necessary for most people. But I have seen some people post on the internet that the default settings can be off by 10%. 10% is a huge number.

I decided to calibrate from the get go. I had the chance to go for my first run tonight with my Nike+ gear. To make it a calibration test, I drove over to the high school track so I could carefully measure the distance.

Note: I have followed up this blog entry with a post on calibration best practices gleaned from my experience.

• Calibrating your Nike+ Device to 99.8% Accuracy: Tips for Success

My First Calibration Run

I carefully read the instructions on how to do a calibration. After a couple of false starts, I got under way. I decided to do a 4800m run (not quite 3 miles) to give it plenty of time to get to know me.

I huffed and puffed (more on this in a later post) my way around the track. It got dark in the middle of it, but I had enough visibility to stay in lane 1. To get as accurate a read as possible, stay down the middle of lane 1 because that is what is measured at 400m. At the end of the run, I held the button for 3+ seconds to stop the read. So far so good.

I was excited to get home and see what my stats were. I uploaded my results by inserting the USB device into my computer. I also made sure to change units to kilometers in the utility (see my blog post on how to do that) since I had measured my run in kilometers/meters and not miles.

Unfortunately, after I uploaded my run, I am now left with a bit of a puzzle. Its not hard to keep track of 12 laps. 12 laps x 400m is 4800m. I expected the Nike+ device to be somewhere near that. Instead, it thinks I ran just 4410m. Wow, off by 390m, which is about 10%, just like other posters on the internet said.

But wait. A single lap is 400m. Is the device off by 10% or did I miscount my laps? Perhaps I ran only 4400m, and therefore the device is only 10m off (.25%). Grrrrr. Self doubt. Second guessing. Etc Etc.

My Calibration Conclusion

I believe the device was off by 10%. The reason is this: I was incredibly slow for a 4800m run. I was impossibly slow if I ran only 4400m. Or at least that is the story I am sticking to for now. I recalibrated the device based on the assumption that I ran 4800m.

To put this doubt to rest, I will return to the track a few more times to make sure the device is calibrated properly.

Update: see my follow up blog entry that reveals the answer to this puzzle.

Linking your Shoes to your Nike+ SportBand with a Sensor

My previous post explains how you get your Nike+ SportBand setup. This post explains how to get your feet talking to your gadget.

First things first, you have to buy a Nike+ device. There are at least two options currently:

• Nike+ Sport Kit - a device that plugs into your iPod. It does not work with an iPhone currently.
• Nike+ SportsBand - A wristband that holds the device

With the purchase of a device, you get a sensor. The sensor is an oval the size of a quarter. That sensor must be placed inside your shoe. If you buy a pair of Nike+ shoes, there is a a prebuilt slot for the sensor underneath the insert. If you don’t have a pair of Nike+ shoes, you can apparently still make this work (see here and here).

Its simple to install, and then you are ready to go.

At the start of every run, you must hold the main button for 3 seconds as you walk around. This will cause the shoe sensor to connect to your SportBand. See this article for more information on this process.

Configuring my New Nike+ SportBand: Easy Setup Instructions

OK, the SportBand box has arrived, and the packaging has been removed. Now what?

The instruction booklet is sparse, but this was expected. I read the reviews on the Nike online store, and the biggest complaint is about the lack of directions in the box. Instead, you are directed to an online URL. That URL has the utility you need to install on your computer, and the user’s guide.

The people who complained about having only an online user’s guide are a bunch of whiners. Its 32 pages and looks to be comprehensive and well written. If you really have to have a hard copy, you can print it yourself.

• Nike+ SportBand manual

Step by Step Instructions

I followed the instructions from the manual, which are:

• Download the utility to my computer (Windows)
• Install the utility
• Plug the USB nub from the wristband into the computer so it can charge.
• Wait a few hours. Go mow the lawn or something.
• Unplug the nub, and plug it back in. The Nike app should launch on your computer. It will probably ask you to download firmware; do it.
• Click on the ”i” icon on the Nike app on your computer. It will ask you to login. Do that, logging in with the Nike+ site login (or create a new account if you don’t have one).
• It will tell you haven’t synced any runs yet. Which is just a subtle way of saying “get off your butt and get running”.

Picture of the SportBand USB nub plugged into my computer.

Miles or Kilometers?

One last thing to consider. After clicking the “i” icon on the utility, it has several configuration screens to choose from. On the user screen, it allows you to specify whether to track in miles or kilometers.

During calibration (see my blog post on that), you are probably going to be measuring your precise distances in meters/kilometers because you will be running on a track. Therefore, in the beginning at least, you probably want to set your distance unit to kilometers:

My Nike+ SportBand Arrived

As reported in my previous blog entries, I am gearing up (excuse yet another pun) to use the Nike+ Running website to help motivate me to run on a regular basis. The site is free, but requires an investment in Nike+ gear that is used to track the time and distance of your runs.

I purchased my shoes at the local Sports Authority. I ordered the monitoring device from the Nike online store. Its a Nike+ SportBand, and it just arrived.

Together with my Nike+ shoes, I will be able to begin tracking my runs and using the motivational features of the website. I am super excited about all this. While I am a software engineer, I am not a gadget guy. I have an iPhone, but am otherwise relatively gadget free. A gadget has to be super compelling for me to buy into it, and the SportBand fit that criteria. Lets hope it lives up to my expectations!

My new Nike Air Max Moto+ 6 shoes with Nike+ SportBand. I’m ready for war.

Buying my Nike+ Gear

As I said on my previous entry, I wasted no time spending cash on cool Nike+ technology. Using the Nike online store, I found a wristband monitor that fit my needs.

You wear the Nike+ SportBand ($60) when you run, and then plug it into your computer after and it uploads your time and distance to the Nike+ website. Sweet.

More info here: Nike+ SportBand

The day after ordering, I started thinking about how this device actually worked. I then started to realize that it probably wasn’t GPS, it likely had something to do with the sensor in the Nike+ shoes. I went back to the website, and by reading very closely discovered this was in fact how it worked.

Unfortunately, the SportBand product description clearly states you need to have a Mac or a PC, but fails to clearly mention you need Nike+ shoes. Ouch, I don’t own Nike+ shoes. Now what?

I decided to plunge further into this Nike+ world. I went to Sports Authority, and found a pair of “Air Max Moto+ 6” shoes. They felt much better than the “Air Pegasus” Nike+ shoes, and only cost a few bucks more at $80. I paid the man, and walked out with a new pair of tech savvy kicks.

HOWEVER, I discovered after buying my shoes that you don’t actually need Nike+ shoes. All you need to do is stuff the sensor (which comes with the iPod gizmo or the SportBand) into any running shoe. I have seen it said here and here that you can just stick it in between your laces and tongue, or buy a cheap shoe pouch, and you are good to go.

I am invested

I am now $160 into Nike+, including shipping and taxes. I am starting to get worried, and have already got the comment from the wife, about whether this is all a big waste of money.

Time will tell.

Motivating with Nike+

At work, we are starting to think about how a website can engage a person to help motivate energy conservation. The key is to keep a person engaged so that they return to the site on a regular basis to keep the goal from being forgotten.

I heard that we were looking at Nike+ for some ideas on how to do this. Nike+ was discussed as a site that has helped people stay on track with their running. While I missed the analysis of the site, its purpose caught my attention. Cool technology targeted at people who need help with motivation to run? Oh man, am I the target audience or what. Sign me up.

And then I did sign up. It is free to register. You need to configure a simple profile, and then you’re up and running (ugh, sorry for the pun).

• Nike+ Running

I haven’t explored the site yet, but it looks promising. I did configure my avatar, no idea what he will be doing for me but he sure looks good:

The site looks to have at least 4 major features:

• Tracking my runs
• Setting goals
• Provides challenges
• Offers coaching

I will cover the features as I use them. I did set my first goal – run 10 times in the next month.

Which lead me to my first roadblock (geez, is that another pun, it wasn’t intentional). When you click on the “Track your Runs” feature, you get this:

In order to use the site, you need to have Nike+ technology to track your runs. Very cool stuff, but I don’t own any gear.

After a mere 5 second pause, I decided to dive in. If this technology will help me stay motivated and running, its worth far more than it costs. Compare it to a personal trainer, for example. A no brainer.

I placed my order, and wait eagerly.

Getting on the Road Again

Here I go again.

I probably ventured out for a run no more than 5 times in the past year. A sad record; unacceptable really. This past year was extremely busy, and so I can give you any number of excuses as to why that happened. But this blog isn’t going to be about failing to run regularly in the past.

This blog is going to be about getting back out there. It will be about how I stay motivated to keep running, even when life gets ridiculously busy or when the weather turns cold. The title of this blog “Motivated Runner” captures what it will be about – things that motivate me to keep running.

And I don’t mean motivation in the larger sense – the health motivation. Those have always been there, but haven’t been strong enough to keep me interested. Specifically, I am concerned about my health in these areas:

• Cardiovascular – I have high cholesterol, and a family history of heart disease. If I want to stay around on this planet for many years, I have to take care of this.
• Back pain – I have very tight hamstrings, and sit in a chair for most of my days at work. I also bend over to pick up my kids on a daily basis. This has lead to back pain. Not chronic, and not severe, yet. But I am worried about it. I want to be able to play golf in the future, so I need to take care of my back. Running will keep my hamstrings loose, and the muscles I build will hopefully help the rest.

Instead, the focus is going to be on the things that encourage me to go for a run. It will be about the things that are keeping me interested in the sport. Some days it will be a nag from the wife, other days it will be about sticking to a program. I think I’m going to need all the encouragement I can find, so hopefully the reasons will be plentiful.

Ready, Set, Go

The game is already in play – I have been out 3 times in the last 10 days. My body  has already reminded me that it isn’t in great condition. My leg muscles have been sore, and I felt the early onset of shin splints which prompted me to cut a run short. I am not timing myself yet – that would be too depressing.

• Two runs around the big loop (4.5 miles)
• One run around the loop to the Coalton Road and Rock Creek Circle (3 miles). Stopped there when I felt a case of the shins coming on.

It felt good to be back out there.