A few days ago, I ran the Jerusalem Marathon. As I lined up at the start line, I looked around and noticed the wide variety of runners around me; some were kitted out in compression socks and CamelBaks, and an interpid few wore nothing more than racing singlets and 2-inch split shorts in 52-degree weather. … Continue reading Assorted Thoughts on AirPods
The other day, I left the house and went on an invigorating ten-mile run. I log my runs pretty religiously – usually on MapMyRun, though that day I happened to use Strava – and have kept a close watch on my mileage since I started seriously running in 2013. And so I know with certainty that … Continue reading 4,000 Miles
The Next Web reports that running app Runkeeper was purchased by sneaker firm Asics. Runkeeper CEO Jason Jacobs wrote: When we look ahead, it seems clear that the fitness brands of the future will not just make physical products, but will be embedded in the consumer journey in ways that will help keep people motivated and … Continue reading Of Sneakers and Software
Under Armour recently premiered a new fitness package called HealthBox, as part of a new chapter in the company’s Connected Health initiative. The package – whose gadgets are manufactured by smartphone maker HTC – includes a wi-if connected scale, sneakers (one shoe contains a little tracking pod), a heart rate chest strap, and a wristband activity … Continue reading Connected Health
There’s an article in this week’s Economist about the cult of the hard-charging, emailing-from-the-treadmill-at-4am CEO. The article also describes the investments that companies have made in on-site fitness centers and coaches: This cult of hyper-performance is nurtured by a growing army of personal trainers and yoga coaches who make their living by fine-tuning and de-stressing business … Continue reading The High End of Fitness
The other day, Spotify sent me my annual year-end recap, where it tallied up the time I spent listening to music (17,000 minutes), and the number of individual tracks I’d listened to: 1,307. Spotify tells me that I’m a big fan of the Rolling Stones (1,038 plays) and Punch Brothers (458). I compared notes with … Continue reading Metrics
The Atlantic has a neat story about the increasing number of marathoners, and the corresponding increase in users of running apps. The apps can help runners find camaraderie with one another, but can also remove running’s stripped-down, essential nature. As a longtime MapMyRun user, I found that the article particularly resonant. Especially the following: “It has a … Continue reading Running with Tech
I’m an active runner, and I’m pretty committed to tracking my excursions. I’ve used MapMyRun for about two years, but just downloaded Strava in order to kick the tires a bit. There are dedicated running watches from Suunto, Garmin, and others, but, as I’ve written before, I’m hesitant about investing in one-use devices, especially when … Continue reading Running with the Apple Watch
Black Friday has become an opportunity for consumers to end their Thanksgiving meal early and mass at the entrance of their nearest big box store, in anticipation of a morning light that will bring with it discounted TVs and marked-down skinny jeans. In the race to be the place for customers, stores are opening earlier, as well … Continue reading Camp in the Outdoors, Not Outside Stores
AdWeek reported yesterday that GoPro will award cash prizes on a weekly basis to users who generate some of the best content. The piece notes: “This is not a contest or gimmick—it’s an ongoing campaign,” said Zander Lurie, svp of entertainment at GoPro. “We envision that a key component of our strategy will be to share revenue … Continue reading GoPro Goes Long
Silicon Spatula 