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Sunday, January 24, 2010

Nerdiness 101

I’ve mentioned running before, and as you might remember, I have firm views on running. It’s only good for you if you’re running away from fire or running towards a huge stack of money. The people around me, however, don’t share my views.

The other day I was talking to Casey and asked him what he was up to. His answer was “I’m setting up my nike+ ipod kit in my new shoes”. I had no idea why he would want to keep his iPod in his shoe since that wouldn’t only be really uncomfortable but also kind of impractical. Also, when did Nike start making iPods?

I asked him what he was talking about, and apparently the good people of Apple have teamed up with Nike to persuade gullible running people to give them money for a shoe with a built in pocket in which you put a sensor that will communicate via your iPod and tell you the time, distance, pace and calories burned. All things that you could calculate yourself by using a timer, a map and some fancy googling skills. Of course this thing will also give you feedback at the halfway point and in the final lead-up to your goal, and hell, I would totally pay for that. And all this while it’s playing your favorite music. Wow.

Kind as I am, I told Casey that this thing has to be the nerdiest thing ever. He retaliated by saying that if that were the case, M would have one. Which makes sense. Then I remembered that M is more of a Nokia guy than an iPod guy. So I told Casey that M doesn't listen to music while he’s punching himself in the face running. Instead he broadcasts his runs live on the internet with his phone and talks to the people that are chatting with him while Nokia Sports Tracker takes care of tracking everything he might ever want to know about the statistics of his run. Including pace, distance, speed, elevation, what phase the moon is in and how many roads a man must walk down.

Casey, of course made the perfectly understandable comment of “yeah, that was WAY nerdier.” I’m still on a fence though. One of them broadcasts his runs live, while the other one has a sensor in his shoe. It’s a close call. But seriously, when did running stop being exercise and become a question of who has the highest level of technology at his disposal? I can get behind wanting to know the pace you ran, or the distance, or hell, maybe even your pulse. But I don’t need a sensor in my shoe to tell me that. …If I ever ran, that is. As it is, I’m mostly just content in knowing that if I ever run, it will be for a very good reason. Like the apocalypse.

I have to get back to practicing playing the spoons now. Don’t ask, it was Zelma’s idea. *
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8 comments:

  1. I guess the apocalypse should be arranged more often, to inspire more runners? ;-) I'd say running for me still isn't all that much about gadgets, but my view may be biased. ;P

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  2. M - you're right, nothing like a good apocalypse to get people running. Speaking of apocalypses, I should probably start working out soon. 2012 will be here before we know it and I want to get a head start.

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  3. I've been wondering, if a huge pile of money is on fire, would people run towards it or away from it? Or does it depend on the size of the money pile and/or the size of the flames? I guess a genius like M could simulate it easily :)

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  4. Seek and you shall find. In the new bi-weekly installment of Ask Ziva, I have generously provided you with the correct, and very scientific, answer to your predicament.

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  5. Now now it's not a bad thing to take up running. I mean once the apocalypse happens, how do you know you'll be able to run fast enough?

    And besides, like milk it does your body good! :)

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  6. Casey - I wouldn't want to overdose on good stuff, seeing as how I already drink milk every day. Besides, when the apocalypse comes, I'm pretty sure M would save me.

    ...or he'd stop and broadcast the entire thing, I can't really be sure...

    ...but you'd save me, right? No? Crap.

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  7. Linda du får själv översätta de här ti dina vänner: -Jag springer ju oxå! Ja använder en x-trainer eller t-trainer eller va de heter...på den ha ja inställt min vikt, längd, min max o min puls och den räknar ut hur mycket jag bränner kcal och vilken energi W jag förbrukar eller gör...vafan..OCH jag kan plugga i min ipod och lyssna på musk via den. de finns int en knapp att ändra på motståndet. Den maskinen räknar ut de själv hur mycke ja behöver motstånd enligt hur mycke ja väger och min puls. o ja kan ställa in den att hålla 120W konstant o att den ska pipa då ja ha bränt 100 kcal eller mer eller önskat antal...den e SUPER!! HEELT HUIPPU!!!

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  8. In case someone read Muschu's comment and couldn't understand a word she said, I am happy to tell you that it is due to the fact that it was written in beautiful Swedish. The gist of it is, however, that she runs and she enjoys it. And she's nerdy about it. But I'm still holding on to my beliefs. It's not fun. When I see a jogger who's actually smiling, I might try it.

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