I had previously blogged about the ipod+nike kit which comprises of a sensor for your running shoes and a little unit that “docks” onto the iPod nano.
As I mentioned in that other blog entry, you need to purchase Nike’s running shoes that have a cut-out for the sensor. Most runners have chosen shoes that work for them and won’t want to part with them which is where Podophile stepped in and came up with the sensor hack to fix the sensor to the shoe’s tongue.
Today I took delivery of the iPod nano, ipod+Nike sensor and iPod unit and a new wrist strap and I was itching for a go on the treadmill.
The Podophile website makes it very clear that laces alone will not keep the sensor inplace for very long and I found this to be true. I didn’t have any velcro handy so I couldn’t ‘hack’ my trainers as per the Podophile instructions. I gave it a go anyway.
I walked the first quarter of a mile to see how accurate the sensor was. The treadmill completed a lap (0.25 miles) and my iPod reported 0.25 miles which is absolutely spot on. A quick run for another 0.25 miles at 7.5mph at a 2% elevation caused the sensor to slip a little inside my shoe. After 0.50 miles my iPod reported 0.49 miles – which is very good considering the sensor slipped.
A stopped to re-adjust the sensor which took a few minutes. A few miles further into my run the sensor popped out and bounced from the treadmill deck onto the tiled floor.
I rummaged through a few drawers and located some low-tack masking tape. I used that to secure the sensor in place (see the image below). Even though the low-tack tape didn’t adhere well to the shoes (especially as I was dripping sweat on them when I was trying to tape them up) it kept the sensor in place for the rest of my run (another 3 miles or so). It appeared that the laces has a greater surface area to grip which did a good job of keeping the sensor in place.
Now, I did spend the rest of my run stopping now and again for a second to make sure the sensor wasn’t going to make another journey across the room which kept breaking my concentration. I knew I had to find a more secure way to keep the sensor in my shoe. The tape did its job but it’s obvious that a few more miles and the sensor would have come unstuck again.
I had a few ideas – from taping it down with duck tape to using a large plaster strip to secure it in place and ended up using a spare heart rate monitor pad. I have a Slendertone belt that is designed to be used while out running and it has a separate heart rate belt for your chest. The pads are extremely sticky and the replacement pad set that I buy has two skin pads designed for the lady’s version of the heart rate monitor. These are the perfect size for securing the sensor to my shoe.
The pads are designed to be stuck to your skin so I was confident that it wouldn’t damage the sensor and they adhered nicely to the shoe tongue. The laces cross over snugly and have more surface area to grip. I had another quick test to make sure it would suffice and so far, it’s doing the job well.
I have also ordered a Nike running wallet as a more permanent solution but I’m hoping that my makeshift ‘hack’ will keep me going until it arrives.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
nicely done, my friend dug a whole in one of his choose and put it in, your idea is much easier
I thought about doing that for about 5 seconds. Most running shoes have specially designed soles and padding that you don’t want to remove for fear of ruining the dynamic and balance of the shoe.
The spelling errors in nitr021 post made me laugh.
Well, I used mine for the first time today and the heart rate monitor gel pad worked wonders. It was more or less right on the mark with my distance etc so I was impressed.
i did 4.01 miles and it marked me at 4.16.
I love it and can’t wait to go walking tonight to see if it remains accurate on a trip to the shops
my bad hole*
im really bad at englsih…oops english
Hmm, if I had a Nano, this could be pretty useful for me, as I’m a runner/sprinter…
Actually, now that I think about it, how much are Nike and Apple paying you, Matt?
Just did my first run with new iPod, new Nike kit, new Nike armband… and old faithful Asic shoes – by using the foot of an old and laddered stocking. Ok, this is not as useful for a man, but hey, ankle-length sheer stockings can’t be that expensive. I slipped the sensor inside, wedged it under the laces, and tied the two ends of the stockings together over the laces. The sheer nylon is very stretchable, and once tied it stays tied. Voila’.