Buy Walking VideosTune Your Run With Nike and iPod
If it really works the way the commercial says it works, then Nike and iPod are freakin’ geniuses. Seeing this commercial actually made me want to go on a run.
Here’s how it works: A $29 sensor is placed in the sensor pocket in the sole of your $100 Nike shoes. The sensor communicates with a receiver that attaches to your iPod. During your run, you are able to check your pace, distance and time of workout using your iPod. They call it the Nike+iPod Sport Kit.
After your run, you can sync your iPod up with your computer, tracking the distance, pace and time of your run.
Those are the basics. Their flash website is a little sketchy on the details. Here’s what I want to know:
Can I put that sensor in my RYKA shoes? They fit me better, don’t give me blisters and don’t announce to the world that I spent too much money on my shoes.
Will there be a version of this that I can just tie to the shoe laces of my own running shoes or are you going to force me to buy your shoes to use this?
When I check my time, pace or distance, does it give me the information in audio form like the commercial shows, or is it on the screen of my iPod? Can I turn off the audio if I want to?
When I sync to the computer, will it be with a software program on my computer or is it going to be some stupid web-based thing where I have to be hooked up to Nike’s website in order to track my progress? Can I choose?
What is the software like? Is it like that dorky screen animation that the commercial showed or was that just for show? Can I print up my workouts and progress charts?
The Nike website is a little broken. It provides a link where you can pre-order the Air Zoom shoes and iPod Sport Kit, but when I clicked over to pre-order it, the website just said it was currently out of stock and wouldn’t allow me to do my pre-order. They dropped the ball on the whole “pre-order” idea.
I really like this idea, but I want more information. For thirty bucks, I was willing to order it basically site unseen, but their website foiled that sale. I guess I’ll see it when it actually becomes available.
Via: Reader submission – Matthew Strebe at SlashNOT!
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May 25th, 2006 at 5:42 pm
That sounds kind a cool 🙂
May 26th, 2006 at 11:16 pm
iPod/shuffle. Finally decided to buy one yesterday for $69.99 which holds 120 songs, who needs more than 120 songs while jogging…..right ? I took my son with me and walked out with the following:
iPod-Nano/Black $149.99 Charger $30.99 Action Jacket/Clip on-Arm Band $32.99 2yr Replacement plan $19.99 Rap CD(my son said I needed this new rap CD for my new iPod but it is playing in his CD player at this time) $19.99 with sales tax $273.00
May 29th, 2006 at 9:45 pm
Oh how this will make me sound like such a corporate stooge, but here goes: Nike is by far my favorite running shoe maker. OK, first the cheesy credentials- I run @65-80 miles a week and will up that as the NY Marathon approaches, I have a 15:22 5k to my name, a 25:54 5 miler, a 54:44 10 miler and a 2:46 marathon (which hopefully will be more like 2:34 this time around.) I’ve run in every brand you can name (OK, maybe not Loco) and yes, I realize that for years, Nike was all flash, overpriced to support their insanely out-of-balance ad-heavy budgets, and image minded. I ceratinly won’t argue that they are not still all of these things, with the exception of all flash. largely due to a commitment to make themselves genuinely attractive to the kinds of athletes that won’t wear crap no matter how much you pay them, they have made a small but important number of products that are, quite simply, better than most things on the market. With Asics, I get @200 miles out of a pair of trainers. New Balance- 250-300. Brooks- 300, Saucony- 300. I can wear Nike Zoom Milers past 600 and the soles are still good, they just lose the heel cup after that point. Their racing flats are the same way. I’ve got XC’s that I’ve used for a whole season of road racing, while my beloved Brooks T4’s are good for maybe 40 miles. Not to mention that Nike (except for their awful Shox line) cost the same as any other decent shoe by Asics or anyone else (i.e. $90-$110) Why am I saying all this? Because time and time again, I have fellow runners (mostly the +6 minute guys) making what I consider ill-informed assumptions about my knowledge of footwear. The 5 minute guys and the sub 5’s say nothing, because at least 1/2 of them are wearing Nike’s. I don’t mean to seem like and ass, and it would be naive to think that image was not a major if not the leading factor in Apple forming this partnership with Nike, but there’s a reason besides that that they didn’t go with Reebok or Adidas, both of whom have left me blistered, poor and worn. Anyway, I like your stuff and hope this rebuttal finds you well. Run hard and run over those who don’t– Joe
May 29th, 2006 at 10:07 pm
Joe,
It took me a long time to find a pair of running shoes that didn’t hurt my feet (RYKA V3), but I have to admit that I only get about 200-350 miles out of them before the sole is crushed. The tread doesn’t wear out, but the shock absorption is gone after 350 miles. I’ve NEVER gotten 600 miles out of a pair of RYKAs. If NIKE can really give you that much mileage, then maybe they are worth the price tag.
Laura
May 30th, 2006 at 2:16 pm
Or you could buy a Garmin wrist device that does a similar thing, but also includes a GPS and doesn’t need to talk to your shoes . . . and I bet it costs less, too.
May 30th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
Oops, nope, it doesn’t cost less. But it’s cooler. It can also estimate how many calories you’ve burned because it understands elevation. I love mine.
June 7th, 2006 at 12:48 pm
Whot’s the Song on that commercial.. actually is pretty danm cool.. thanks
July 16th, 2006 at 3:49 am
Is this little dohikey just for nano’s? because my video ipod is almost the same thing
July 16th, 2006 at 10:37 am
Jacob,
The only problem is that running with a Video iPod could damage the hard drive. The Nano has flash memory, not a hard drive, so you can run with it without risking it. I wouldn’t recommend running with your Video iPod.
Laura Moncur
July 17th, 2006 at 8:36 pm
I bought the Nike Sport Kit. Since I was too timid to try and cut a hole for it in the soles of my Ryka KM7, I instead taped it to the shoe laces. It works! Love the product, won’t give up my Rykas and I’m sure somebody will come out with a product that allows us non-Nike shoe wearers to attach this device to our running shoes. What a great opportunity for some entreprenurial soul 🙂
July 26th, 2006 at 2:26 am
For those of you wanting to use this system, but aren’t willing to give up your tried-and-true brand, check out this guy’s solution — much like Vivian’s, but a bit more permanent. 😛
http://podophile.com/2006/07/14/shoe-hacker-nikeipod-sport-kit-shoe-mod/
December 6th, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Well – here they are, just as I predicted. Two very nice solutions for attaching the Nike Sport Kit to a non-Nike shoe – the Shoe Pouch and the Sportsuit Sensor+
http://www.shoepouch.com/
http://www.podsplus.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=294
December 17th, 2006 at 5:28 am
I was wondering who sings that song in the commercial too? Anyone know? “Here we go again”
December 17th, 2006 at 11:13 pm
The band is Ok Go. Song is Here It Goes Again.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
does the sensor work with video ipod or iphone
April 6th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Stephen,
I’m sorry, but right now the Nike+ doesn’t work with the iPhone or Video iPod.
Laura
May 30th, 2008 at 3:16 am
Heey!
someone mentioned it but why shuldnt i run with a iPod Classsic???? could i damage it? thnaks
May 30th, 2008 at 8:48 am
Sofia,
They say that the vibration could damage the hard drive in your iPod. LOTS of people run with their iPods, but only a few people have encountered that problem.
Laura