23
Aug 09
Nike+ calibration tips
By Danny
It seems my fellow runners are having a little trouble calibrating their Nike+ sensors, so, like the dedicated, helpful geek that I am, I figured I’d try to compile a list of handy calibration tips. I’ve scoured the Internet for help, and done my own experiments, so hopefully someone will find these tips useful, and they will help increase the accuracy of your data.
- First, make sure your sensor is correctly held in place. If you have those fancy Nike+ shoes, then you should be good to go. If you’re like me, and can’t afford fancy-pants show off shoes, then make sure your sensor is tightly strapped to your laces using one of the many pouches that are available. I have an orange one, it makes me look snazzy.
- Your Nike+ sensor should be face up (the logo should point upwards).
- Know your calibration distance. Obvious, right? The best place to calibrate is on a track, but you can use any run that you know the exact distance of.
- If you don’t use a track, make sure you run on a flat area. Running on a hill will affect your pace and throw off your calibration.
- Don’t make calibration the first thing you do. If you just leave the house and calibrate on a short run, your natural stride will be longer than it is after you’ve been running for a while. Do a short workout run first, then calibrate. The aim is to calibrate at as close to the pace you’re going to run at as possible. Trust me, this made a huge difference when I did it.
- Try to maintain a consistent pace while you calibrate, but…
- …don’t calibrate on a treadmill. Treadmills force you to run at their own pace, using an unnatural stride. The minute you take to the streets, your calibration will be all wrong. Also, treadmills are dangerous, especially if you are an idiot.
- You don’t need to run a long way to calibrate. 400m, or once around a track is plenty.
- Recalibrate often. Your stride may change as you become faster. Also, your sensor might shift, which could throw it off. This is especially true if you use a pouch, rather than Nike+ shoes. You should always recalibrate if you take the pouch off of your laces.
- Don’t lie about your weight, it’s used to calculate the number of calories you burn.
Remember, the Nike+ sensor isn’t smart. It can’t tell much more than how long your foot has been in contact with the ground for, so make things easy for it during calibration.
Hopefully, these tips will help out a little. If you have your own tips, let me know.
3 Comments
Q: Why is my avatar a funny-looking dog? | A: Because you don't have a Gravatar!
That boy is a runnin’ fooooool!
I wouldn’t trust Danny to calibrate a rock on the beach, he’s a cheater through and through. I have seem him early in the morning strapping his sensor to his dog and then following the dog in his car. I’ve also seen him bold a mannequin’s lower leg to the axle of his bicycle and attach his running show to that.
Here’s a tip for you, calibrate yourself as far away from this charlatan as you can, he’s nothing but trouble.
Oh, and one more thing… he’s from some other country where they don’t even speak American! I think he may be a communist.
If you want a quality runner you can believe is, follow Chrissy or Larissa.
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