Nike+

Yes, I have a totally awesome Garmin. But I also have Nike+ enabled shoes (suggested to me by the wonderful people at Pacers Running Store in Alexandria)

and the Nike+ for my iPod. I didn't get the shoes so that I could use Nike+; they just happened to be the best shoes for me and I'm glad that they are! I bought the Nike+ kit as a way to keep me motivated when I first started running, and it has definitely done just that.

Like the Garmin, the Nike+ has a lot of functionality online to help you track your progress. Every time I plug in my iPod after a run on the treadmill, I can log on to the Nike+ site and see how I did on my last run,

my monthly totals for 2009 (just discovered that one option! Can you tell when I was training for the September half-marathon?),

recent runs,

my average pace, calories burned, and a whole lot more. It's a really awesome tool and as long as I don't have the foot pod for the Garmin, I think I'll be using the Nike+. If you calibrate it, it's actually pretty accurate (I actually calibrated it on the treadmill rather than outside). Yesterday I ran 6.45 miles according to the treadmill and my Nike+ said it was 6.40 miles. I'd say that's pretty accurate! It also feels so good to see how far I've come. I'd definitely recommend it to any new runners who are looking to keep track of their runs and stay motivated.

My Garmin

New York Road Runners gives everyone who volunteers at the NYC Marathon a 25% discount in their online store. There weren't that many things that looked good to me - there were a lot of shirts and other gear that had the NYC Marathon logo on it, and since I haven't (yet) run the marathon, I felt a little funny ordering something with that on it. I looked in all of the areas in the store and finally landed on an item I thought would be perfect: a Garmin Forerunner 405. I mean, when else can you get that item for 25% off?! Luckily, I have some wonderful parents who kindly purchased it for me for Christmas. I'm still learning all the cool things you can do with it, but so far I've been really happy with it!

You can see a summary of your run,

your splits,

and a map of your run.

I mean, how cool is that??

I'm not a wearer of watches in my everyday life, and even though this watch is bigger than any watch I would usually watch, it actually doesn't bother me at all. I'm still getting to know what all it can do, but so far so good! I'd highly recommend it to any outdoor runner. I still use the Nike+ when I go on the treadmill (though I recently lost the part that plugs into the iPod...hmm, I should look for that...), but I might get the foot pod for the Forerunner and replace the Nike+ with that.

They've been great motivators for me during my running journey over the past year. For me, it's extremely satisfying and motivating to see how far I've gone, how my speed has improved over time, and I just love racking up those miles on my shoes! 

Do you use a Garmin or a Nike+? What keeps you motivated in your running and fitness endeavors?