Nike+ keeps me in shape

Our story is not over yet, but I thought I'd share with you my love: Nike+.

I should clarify that no one asked or paid me to write this - I am THAT obsessed.  I've been recommending this to any friend or stranger within earshot.

I "discovered" Nike+ a couple of years ago and finally bought the shoes last summer.  For my birthday, which is also in the summer, I asked my wonderful husband for a new iPod and the Nike+ sensor.  By the end of July I was ready to go!


These are my shoes:

 

Well, this is a picture of my shoes from Nike's website.  My shoes are actually worn in and kind of dirty, but you get the point.

Here is a picture of my iPod:

And this is what you need for the sensor:

So let's review.

Here is how it basically works: you put the shoe sensor in the shoe (the shoe needs to be a Nike plus shoe, but there are so many choices, you won't feel limited), you put the shoes on your feet, you put the iPod sensor in the iPod, you put the iPod in the arm band that your wonderful husband also bought for you, you put the armband with the iPod with the Nike+ sensor on your arm, and off you go!

I love running outside in the summer, but this setup also works great on the treadmill.  The only annoying part about the whole thing is calibrating your sensor.  We all run a little different and the Nike+ stuff lets you calibrate the distance with your pace, allowing for more accurate readings.  I tend to calibrate mine every time I switch terrains because I run differently, but if you don't mind being a little off, then no need.

And now, for what I think is the best part of the whole Nike+ thing - their website!

After your run, you simply plug your iPod or whatever you are using to your computer and it will sync.  Then you log in to their website and voila!

Here are my runs last month:

 

Here is my goal:

(there are so many different options for goals!)

Here is a challenge I am in:

(ok, so my friend Laura is kicking my butt, but I am trying so hard! I'll tell you some more about Laura and our challenge in a minute). 

Here is a coach-thingy that I don't use yet:

And this is just the tip of the ice-berg.  There are so many things you can do like view every single run and all its gruesome details:

(don't pretend you're not impressed! I told you I was trying hard).

And there's much much much more.

Personally, this Nike+ is just the thing I need to get out there and get going.  Cue Laura.  My friend Laura recently got Nike+ too (I have been raving about it for so long, she really didn't have much choice).  Laura was not a runner and refused to believe that she could ever do more than a mile.  And then she got Nike+.  And then we created our challenge.  Now Laura is kicking my butt.

It works great for both of us, really, because on the nights when I would rather plop my butt on the couch, turn on the Big Bang Theory and eat potato chips, I quickly log on to Nike+ just to make sure that I am the ultimate winner and I notice that Laura tagged a 5 mile run.  I grumble and moan and groan, but I put on my sneakers and I turn on my treadmill that's trying to kill me.