Gadgets for Running

One of the things I like most about running is that it’s so low-tech, and I’m not just saying this because I still haven’t figured out how to program my VCR. I like how elemental running is—usually, it’s just you, a decent pair of shoes, and Mother Nature. That part of running is never going to change—running down a dirt road on a lovely spring day is pretty much the same today as it was 30 years ago.

In those 30 years, however, a lot of new gadgets have been introduced that are supposed to make running better. I don’t like most of them. They just get in the way of the basic act of getting out the door and moving under your own power. In fact, I suspect that one of the reasons for running’s growing popularity is that it acts as an escape from the overly digitized world. That said, there are a few gizmos that I think can be helpful to many runners. In various ways, running watches, heart rate monitors, and treadmills are gadgets that can add to the enjoyment of your running by making it more convenient and productive. If only I could say the same for my VCR. Soon after President Clinton took office, the Washington Post did a story on how horrible it was that the leader of the free world was meeting foreign dignitaries wearing a $45 hunk of black plastic instead of an elegant Rolex. Whoever wrote that story obviously isn’t a runner. If the author had been, he or she would have known that President Clinton favors his digital sports watch because it’s the single best techno device for runners ever invented.