Runners love their gadgets and gizmos.
The dictionary definitions are inadequate - gadget is described as a tool and gizmo a technical tool.
As an example of a gadget I offer the Swiss Army Knife - which includes a number of clever gizmos among the blades. A technically advanced gadget is the touch-screen phone for which many gizmos - or applications (Apps) - can be obtained.
Gadgets rarely live up to the hype.
The five kinds of gadget - with examples - are:-
- Those that work and are useful - the Waiters’ Friend
- Work badly - the WC hippo and water-saving flush systems - neither of which can cope with big jobs on a single flush so end up wasting both water and time
- Pointless gadgets - altimeters for bicycles
- Failures - the magnetic window wiper or the portable vice - both of which fall off
- Worse that useless - the paper log maker. Even if you had sufficient time and old newspapers to make enough fuel you could not stand the smell or sight of burning compressed paper.
Incidentally No 2 is evidence of the Great British Plumbing Conspiracy.
Runners’ Gadgets
Runners need gadgets to measure performance. Gadgets provide data on:
- Time elapsed
- Distance covered
- Height climbed
- Energy consumed
- Health - heart rate, breathing
The first two are primary data required by all runners. The other data is more in the “nice to have” category or for serious athletes.
Stopwatch
The only essential gadget. The old clockwork sweep hand stopwatches are no longer available. Cheaper and more accurate are the modern digital ones. Unfortunately these come with masses of needless gizmos that have to be set up - date, time, alarm - and extra buttons to press.
Pedometer
Usually sold under some fancy brand name these attach to your running shoe and count your steps. A modern spin on old technology. Need to be set-up for average stride length. Not accurate - can vary by 10%. A ruler on the map can do better.
GPS
Runners use GPS to tell them where and how far they have been - not how to get there.
Two main variants - one takes into account gradients and the other assumes a flat world. There is said to be a measurable difference in the resulting calculation of distance covered.
Not just boys toys - there are ladies, gents and unisex styles.
GPS can be equipped with a host of gizmos to provide all the above five data sets for any part or the whole of a run, plus calculate speeds; and record all this data in a way that can be downloaded onto a computer, analysed and published.
As you would expect - it does not come cheap.
Phones and iPods
On Run Entertainment (ORE) is so popular with runners that running tops come equipped with a pocket for the iPod and cut-outs in the collar through which to loop the headphone cords.
The Bath Half Marathon rules ban iPods and similar devices.
Some phones accept Apps that provide GPS.
Popular Apps for iPods are those that provide a running programme - such as C25K - short for couch potato to 5Km runner. This App talks the runner through a training programme of walking/running building up to the 5Km time and distance. The training programme is complex and the App is needed to follow it.
A symbiotic relationship - and astute marketing.
Heart Rate Monitors
Provides valuable information, I have read, for those seeking to maximise their sporting performance and can be used by everyone who wishes to measure their improvement in fitness. Can also record the results.
May not be any more accurate than counting pulse rate against a stopwatch but monitors during exercise as well as before and after.
ID tags
Can include any info you want - from basic NOK contact details to lists of your blood group, medication, allergies, and organ donation authorisation.
As far as I know these have not yet been combined with GPS to provide a Mayday alert system. Might be handy for fell runners.
Gadget or Gizmo? French brake tool.
