A Good Running Partner
miCoach is a good competitor to Nike+
by Trevor Tan
(I not owns this article)
WONDERING why you are not losing weight even though you run regularly? Maybe your heart is not working hard enough. Get the adidas miCoach Pacer system to help you!
Launched in Singapore at 28th January 2010, the system comprises three devices - a stride sensor, a heart rate monitor and the main control unit (or Pacer) that collects workout information like stride rate, pace, heart rate, distance and calories burned.
Comparison of the miCoach with the Nike+ fitness system is inevitable, since both target casual runners who like to track their runs without paying astronomical sums for high-end fitness gadgets like those from Garmin.
But unlike Nike+, the adidas miCoach Pacer works with any portable audio player with a normal 3.5mm headphone jack. It has two headphone jacks: One to connect to your audio player and another for headphones.
The Pacer also works with any running shoes as the stride sensor is clipped onto your shoelaces. While the Nike+ sensor is only a pedometer, the Pacer's stride sensor is a pedometer-cum-triaxial accelerometer. Thus, it takes into account the movement as well as impact of the shoe, providing 95 per cent accuracy out of the box.
First, you take a 12-minute assessment run to calibrate the three devices. The system also ascertains your minimum and maximum heart rate. After your workout, connect the Pacer to your Mac or PC via USB to sync the workout information to the miCoach website using the miCoach Manager software.
The website works very much like that of Nike+, showing graphs and statistics for your runs. However, it loads much more quickly on my Mac Safari browser. It's also less cluttered and more intuitive, but it lacks a forum where runners can exchange tips.
On the miCoach website, you can choose from six plans devised by adidas' pro trainers, from the beginner "Learn to run" to the popular "Lose weight". Sync the chosen plan with your miCoach Pacer. At times, it will also download new audio feedback that comes in 14 languages, including Cantonese!
There are four zones for the heart rate: Blue (lowest), green, yellow and red (highest). Depending on the fitness plan chosen, you will need to hit certain zones for a period of time during different runs.
And here lies the major difference between Nike+ and miCoach. While Nike+'s real-time feedback gives you only distance or time, miCoach will prompt you to run faster at certain intervals. It does get a bit irritating at times, especially when it prompts me to go faster even though I feel I'm already in the red zone.
Otherwise, miCoach doesn't bother you often in terms of audio feedback. You press the Pacer's centre button to get the details of your workout whenever you desire but it will never prompt you that you are halfway into your run like Nike+ does.
Out of the box, miCoach is slightly more accurate. I ran activating both the Pacer and a new uncalibrated Nike+ sensor with my iPhone 3GS. On a 3.6km road route that I run regularly, the Pacer was only 200m off the mark while the Nike+iPhone 3GS came 400m short on the first run. With Nike+ SportBand on the uncalibrated Nike+ sensor, it came about 400m short as well.
Perhaps, the only thing miCoach lacks is GPS. An adidas "miCoach GPS" watch could easily rectify that.
If you already have Nike+ (RM229.00), and I got one, it might be difficult to justify forking out extra money for miCoach. But if you are a regular runner in search of a new fitness gadget without breaking the bank, the adidas miCoach Pacer system (RM520.98) is definitely for you.
*hurm kalo nk beli miCoach nih mmg saket bhai... harganya.. Tp bila selidik tgk mcm miCoach lebih bgs... xpe time keping aku lebat aku beli la running gear nih... hehe*
Launched in Singapore at 28th January 2010, the system comprises three devices - a stride sensor, a heart rate monitor and the main control unit (or Pacer) that collects workout information like stride rate, pace, heart rate, distance and calories burned.
Comparison of the miCoach with the Nike+ fitness system is inevitable, since both target casual runners who like to track their runs without paying astronomical sums for high-end fitness gadgets like those from Garmin.
But unlike Nike+, the adidas miCoach Pacer works with any portable audio player with a normal 3.5mm headphone jack. It has two headphone jacks: One to connect to your audio player and another for headphones.
The Pacer also works with any running shoes as the stride sensor is clipped onto your shoelaces. While the Nike+ sensor is only a pedometer, the Pacer's stride sensor is a pedometer-cum-triaxial accelerometer. Thus, it takes into account the movement as well as impact of the shoe, providing 95 per cent accuracy out of the box.
First, you take a 12-minute assessment run to calibrate the three devices. The system also ascertains your minimum and maximum heart rate. After your workout, connect the Pacer to your Mac or PC via USB to sync the workout information to the miCoach website using the miCoach Manager software.
The website works very much like that of Nike+, showing graphs and statistics for your runs. However, it loads much more quickly on my Mac Safari browser. It's also less cluttered and more intuitive, but it lacks a forum where runners can exchange tips.
On the miCoach website, you can choose from six plans devised by adidas' pro trainers, from the beginner "Learn to run" to the popular "Lose weight". Sync the chosen plan with your miCoach Pacer. At times, it will also download new audio feedback that comes in 14 languages, including Cantonese!
There are four zones for the heart rate: Blue (lowest), green, yellow and red (highest). Depending on the fitness plan chosen, you will need to hit certain zones for a period of time during different runs.
And here lies the major difference between Nike+ and miCoach. While Nike+'s real-time feedback gives you only distance or time, miCoach will prompt you to run faster at certain intervals. It does get a bit irritating at times, especially when it prompts me to go faster even though I feel I'm already in the red zone.
Otherwise, miCoach doesn't bother you often in terms of audio feedback. You press the Pacer's centre button to get the details of your workout whenever you desire but it will never prompt you that you are halfway into your run like Nike+ does.
Out of the box, miCoach is slightly more accurate. I ran activating both the Pacer and a new uncalibrated Nike+ sensor with my iPhone 3GS. On a 3.6km road route that I run regularly, the Pacer was only 200m off the mark while the Nike+iPhone 3GS came 400m short on the first run. With Nike+ SportBand on the uncalibrated Nike+ sensor, it came about 400m short as well.
Perhaps, the only thing miCoach lacks is GPS. An adidas "miCoach GPS" watch could easily rectify that.
If you already have Nike+ (RM229.00), and I got one, it might be difficult to justify forking out extra money for miCoach. But if you are a regular runner in search of a new fitness gadget without breaking the bank, the adidas miCoach Pacer system (RM520.98) is definitely for you.
*hurm kalo nk beli miCoach nih mmg saket bhai... harganya.. Tp bila selidik tgk mcm miCoach lebih bgs... xpe time keping aku lebat aku beli la running gear nih... hehe*
by Azs Shah
Why miCoach.
Everyone wants to feel and look better. Many of us just don't know where to start. Knowledge is the barrier to success.
How to start.
How you're doing along the way.
What you're doing wrong or need to do more of.
And of course hearing that you are doing it right.
Keep it up.
That's where miCoach comes in.
How.
StepByStep.bmp ( 998.49K ) Number of downloads: 2
Your heart is the epicenter of a better you, physically and mentally, miCoach listens to your heart and tells you what it needs.
A personal audible real time trainer in your ear. Continuously communicating with your heart and relaying information back to you on what you need to do to be better.
Get going.
Slow down.
Accelerate.
Walk. Run. Sprint.
Not there.
Too much.
Cool down.
It knows you. Coaches you to a better you.
miCoach Pacer (S$215 or RM520.98) and miCoach Zone (S$115 or RM278.55).
Available in adidas Sport Performance Concept Stores from 28 Janurary 2010. It available at Singapore only and I not sure whether this running gear available in Malaysia outlet stores or not if you guys have extra information where this running gear is sold please feel free to let me know or pm me at my Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/azs.shah
PacerZone.bmp ( 1.2MB ) Number of downloads: 2
Read miCoach review in MyPaper
Read miCoach review in TODAY
www.micoach.com
MSU AIDS AWARENESS RUN 09 BANNER
TO ALL SUPPORTERS,
PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT US at Tasik Shah Alam from 10 DEC (4PM) - 17 DEC (4PM)...
THE MALAYSIA BOOK of RECORDS.."THE LONGEST NON-STOP RELAY RUN" ...Cover168 HOURS in 7 days 6 nigths, 24 hours perday...Total Distance 2200KM...., THANK YOU also to Adidas AdiNation of Runners for support our programs....IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING...!
 Reduced 91% 1098 x 290 (47.95K) |
Why miCoach.
Everyone wants to feel and look better. Many of us just don't know where to start. Knowledge is the barrier to success.
How to start.
How you're doing along the way.
What you're doing wrong or need to do more of.
And of course hearing that you are doing it right.
Keep it up.
That's where miCoach comes in.
How.
StepByStep.bmp ( 998.49K ) Number of downloads: 2Your heart is the epicenter of a better you, physically and mentally, miCoach listens to your heart and tells you what it needs.
A personal audible real time trainer in your ear. Continuously communicating with your heart and relaying information back to you on what you need to do to be better.
Get going.
Slow down.
Accelerate.
Walk. Run. Sprint.
Not there.
Too much.
Cool down.
It knows you. Coaches you to a better you.
miCoach Pacer (S$215 or RM520.98) and miCoach Zone (S$115 or RM278.55).
Available in adidas Sport Performance Concept Stores from 28 Janurary 2010. It available at Singapore only and I not sure whether this running gear available in Malaysia outlet stores or not if you guys have extra information where this running gear is sold please feel free to let me know or pm me at my Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/azs.shah
PacerZone.bmp ( 1.2MB ) Number of downloads: 2Read miCoach review in MyPaper
Read miCoach review in TODAY
www.micoach.com
MSU AIDS AWARENESS RUN 09 BANNER
TO ALL SUPPORTERS,
PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT US at Tasik Shah Alam from 10 DEC (4PM) - 17 DEC (4PM)...
THE MALAYSIA BOOK of RECORDS.."THE LONGEST NON-STOP RELAY RUN" ...Cover168 HOURS in 7 days 6 nigths, 24 hours perday...Total Distance 2200KM...., THANK YOU also to Adidas AdiNation of Runners for support our programs....IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING...!
