I love technology. I love all gizmos and widgets and “what is that thing for” gadgets.
I get completely immersed in stats and results and the information provided after any kind of activity with the apps and gadgets I have. I simply love it and I think it is helping my journey in a big way.
For starters I have a Garmin tracker which tracks steps, activities, heart rate and some other cool stuff and also tells me the time which is pretty useful. I have my tracker linked to the Garmin Connect app, and so as soon as I record any kind of activity be it a walk or a run or a fitness session of any description, I sync it all and then go looking at how I did.
Before I run, I turn the activity monitoring on my Garmin, and make sure that it is doing it’s thing. I also use ‘Mapmyrun’ app which records my run and provides me with a cool map at the end so that gets turned on next. I have been using 5K Pro app I mentioned some posts ago and is helping me to run from small beginning to 5km, so that gets turned on. Last of all my music gets turned on, a playlist with a beat and off I go.
The funny thing which does make me smile during all of this, is that these apps talk to you. My 5K Pro app gives me inspirational messages about how well I am doing, and tells me when to walk and when to run. ‘Mapmyrun’ app tells me whenever I have travelled for 1km and gives me some data on that last distance, my playlist is doing it’s thing, so all in all, there is a lot going on.
When I finish, I sync, and then pour over all the stats. Heart rate is a biggie for me, I really want to know whether I worked hard or whether it was all in my head, love all the data as to how long, how high, what effort, speed etc. etc. I have read other runners say they have thrown out all technology as it was doing their head in. I think they must be competing against previous times and distance etc. I am seriously not at that stage. Just happy to get it done and all these kind of things help, so will continue to use them and have fun with them.
Enjoy your run.