The ideal course for many long distance runners might be a long stretch of uninterrupted road, but in reality, many runners (particularly urban runners) face challenges when trying to track their run. While even the largest of cities have a good area for running, the major challenge is getting there.
Take Central Park for example, it’s a hotspot for NYC urban runners, but a runner that wanted to get a warmed up while heading to Central Park has many obstacles such as pedestrians, red lights, and overall congestion. According to Mike Sawaya, personal injury attorney in Denver, CO, of The Sawaya Law Firm, even poorly maintained sidewalks can be a challenge and a cause for a serious personal injury.
For serious runners, where every minute counts, here are some helpful gadgets that makes measuring the distance a little bit easier on the less-than-ideal courses:
The Runbell:
When running in a busy city, you could easily wear out your voice by alerting fellow pedestrians that you’re approaching from behind. What about blind corners, dog walkers, bicyclists, and even people who just suddenly stop in the middle of your path? These can all be dangerous obstacles, putting you at risk for injury and breaking your stride. The Runbell is far from “techy”, but this device (which you wear on your fingers) looks a lot like a little bicycle bell and is designed to alert people around you. How well will it work for you in heavily populated areas? Hard to say, but this highly-rated device is priced at $25 and may be worth trying out.
The Fitbit Surge:
The ever popular Fitbit has returned with the Fitbit Surge. As it still tracks your daily activity from your steps taken to calories burned and even your heart rate, it also has a GPS antenna for speed, distance, split times, and elevation climbs. You can also see texts, alerts, and control songs on your playlist. This sleek designed wrist band beats trying to comfortable stow away a smartphone or run with an armband. Test runners found that for accurate heart rate numbers, they had to run at least two miles, but for many distance runners, this gadget should be easy enough to use and get the information they need.
Suunto Ambit 3 Sport:
Like other wristband tracking devices, the Suunto Ambit 3 Sport tracks daily activity, recovery time between workouts, as well as a runner’s heart rate. Supplied with Bluetooth capability, runners can access their iPhones without the hassle of tangled cords and you can connect online to see your run tracked on Google Maps. Other helpful safety features include a storm alarm and sunrise/sunset information, so you’re not stuck in the wrong place and the wrong time.
Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless:
Sometimes the sounds of the city interferes with getting motivated and setting the pace, that’s where a customized playlist comes in handy for many urban runners. Why not track your heart rate, distance, and pace while listening to your favorite tunes? The Jabra Sport Pulse Wireless earphones are the perfect accessory for serious distance runners. A note about headphones: For your safety while running, be aware of your surroundings. Keep music low so that you can hear the sounds around you, such as sirens or even alerts from fellow runners or bicyclists.
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