I challenged myself to go back to running and see if I can make any progress in a month’s time with the Samsung Gear Fit2. If you haven’t read my previous blog post on this hot fitness wearable, you’ll find it here.
One month of injecting running into my routine and I’ve already seen progress in my personal record. I ran 5k at least once a week outdoors and 3k on a treadmill every now and then (these are on days when running outside just can’t be done). I’ve never monitored my performance closely when I run and this was because I really enjoyed zoning out and not caring about time or speed. I’d slow down when my legs are tired and it meant dragging my time to a maximum of 35 to 38 minutes for a 5-kilometer run. Once, I jacked up the speed and got 5KM in at 32 minutes and I was ecstatic! But that’s that. I’d say I’m not too shabby, but am not a very good marathon runner either.
So now, with the help of the Samsung Gear Fit2, I started the month-long challenge at a few seconds off of 30 minutes for 5KM. This in itself is already a major milestone in my history of running because I’ve never hit it below 32 minutes in the past. Before I ran, I told myself I wanted to see good numbers in my screen by the end of it and voila! They showed! I failed to take a photo of the screen because I ran without anything other than my Gear Fit2! They were really all I needed anyway, so you’re going to have to trust me on this one.
I’m going to be honest and admit that progress fluctuated and I went back to a slower pace at about 32 and 33 minutes for 5KM some days. But there are days when my endurance is up and I’m able to push it, thanks to the advanced coaching features of the Gear Fit2. The device automatically detects activity so it knows when you’re out for a walk or a run. At around 14-15 minutes, my Gear Fit2 vibrates to tell me I’m 15 minutes in and that my pace is either healthy or if I should go faster. I’m assuming these cues are based on my heart rate. It tells me to move at a certain speed until I work up a sweat, which again, could be to get me into my target heart rate zone. Ahh, I love technology.
I was lucky to snap a photo of my screen when I spent almost an hour walking around doing errands and shopping for groceries.
It’s because of these nudges that I am able to unleash myself and improve my performance. I am at a few seconds below 30 minutes per 5KM to date and still working on my speed. At this point, every second off my time matters. Have you tried monitoring your performance? How do you outdo your last and unleash yourself in your workouts?
Oh, and runners! Any running hack would be appreciated. Hit the comment section below and shoot ‘em my way.
