The Perfect Technology to Enhance Any Run
The days of running with nothing but a pair of shoes and your deepest thoughts are gone.
For the last time, don’t let anyone tell you running is a low-tech sport. Sure, “a pair of shoes and one foot in front of the other” and all that, but these are the days of data tracking and connected fitness—and running is very much a part of that movement. Newbies and diehards alike are always looking for ways to go farther and faster on every run. These are a few of the high-tech tools you can offer them to help boost their performance.
The fēnix 6S is the running nerd’s best friend. It tracks every performance stat imaginable—VO2 max, lactate threshold, cadence, power, and so much more. It’ll stay charged for 34 days as just a watch (in battery-save mode), and an equally impressive nine days when used as a full-fledged smartwatch. It also syncs to your streaming music library and connects to emergency services at the push of a button if needed.
Other Garmins are simpler but equally useful for tracking data. The Venu can monitor things like stress, hydration, and the wearer’s menstrual cycle to improve overall wellness, while the Forerunner provides adaptive training plans to help runners meet their goals.
The latest from NordicTrack comes equipped with thousands of personalized video workouts, as well as live training sessions where virtual trainers can digitally adjust your speed, increase your incline, and cheer you on. It’s enough to make someone want to run inside even if it’s not raining.
Aftershokz AfterShokz Aeropex Open-Ear Wireless Bone Conduction Headphones
It’s not easy to find a pair of headphones that are waterproof, comfortable, cordless, and non-slipping all in one. Aftershokz provides all of the above, with buds that rest just over the ears for maximum comfort. These also come with a battery life of up to eight hours, so you can literally run a marathon before needing to recharge.
No bigger than the size of a quarter, the Garmin Foot Pod is one of the smallest and most useful tech tools a runner can have in their arsenal. After quickly snapping this to their shoelaces, runners can get specialized information about the quality of their runs—on the road, trail, track, or treadmill—including distance, heart rate, and cadence.
Nobody wants to be mid-groove into a seemingly perfect shuffled-song streak, only to be thrown off by an unexpected slow song. Rather than fumbling with a smartphone to search for a better jam (all while trying not to break stride), this gadget lets you switch tracks, pause, and adjust your volume with a simple touch of a button. No screens, no menus—just a tiny device that syncs your playlists and can store more than 1,000 songs for those off-the-beaten-path, out-off-cell-range runs.
Safety in low light is always a big concern, particularly for those who love to hit the pavement in the dawn or after twilight. Headlights can help make runners as unmissable as possible to oncoming cars and bikes, and this one offers advanced settings for high visibility, including full strength and strobe lighting. Bonus: It’s waterproof and can burn at max brightness for up to four hours at a time.
Sarah Watts is a health and science journalist based in Chicago. Follow her on Twitter here.https://twitter.com/swattswrites
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