Training goes hi-tech for the TCS World 10K Bangalore 2014 with the Nike+ app

Nike App

So you are now hanging with the cool people and have signed up for the TCS World 10K Bangalore 2014. It is going to be one extravaganza of an event and in case you have not yet signed up for it, you will be missing out on all the action. All of Bangalore is going to come to a halt come 18th May. With categories encompassing recreational runners, beginners, amateurs and right up to the elites, this event promises to live up to all the hype around it. 2013 saw over 24,000 participants and 2014 promises to be only bigger, better and even more larger than life.

Being the running partner of this event, Nike is providing the running community with a solid platform to launch from. There have been two additions this year worth a specific mention. The first is the introduction of the Race Day tee. And the second is – there’s no better way to put this – a very philanthropic effort.

In order to engage a larger number of younger runners, Nike has introduced an extremely relevant prize in the 15-24 age group category. The top male and female finishers in this category will be sent for an international race on a completely sponsored trip. This is an excellent opportunity to hone young talent and provide them with exposure to world class athletes while creating the desire in them to compete at those international levels. India has over a billion people and this effort by Nike can go a long way in spotting young talent and grooming them to bringing laurels to the country at an international level.

In fact, not only are they providing runners across all categories with an opportunity to showcase their talent, they are also giving them exposure to and training under top coaches such as Kothandapani and Reeth Abraham at the Nike Run Club. But Nike understands that it may not be possible for each person to come to a common training ground, so it has also developed an app which will bring the training to you.

Nike brings you a one-stop training solution at the touch of your screen – literally! This tool makes your training that much more fruitful, organized, interactive and a LOT more fun.

Enter the Nike+ Run app.

Gone are the days when people started a stop-watch and darted off. The cool kids today have moved on to something a lot more sophisticated. The Nike+ run app is, to put in one sentence, a performance analyzer/running coach/real-time run assessment tool/best virtual cheerleader you can find. Yup, it really does do all this stuff. And more. All from your phone/iPod.

nikeplusDownload this app on to your phone, and you enter a new world. Given how refined its features are, it’s remarkably easy to use. Want to chart out a goal you want to achieve? The goal setting feature will let you do just that, where you can set mileage, speed or customized goals, with a progress metre marking your journey.

Want to see how far you’ve come in terms of total distance over the past few months? The history chart will show out each of your runs in neat little graphs (I tell you, from personal experience, there is nothing more satisfying than filling up those graphs and making them grow taller).

Want to see the details of one of your previous runs? One click and you will have all of the session’s details available to you, from speed at specific points in the run, to the elevation gained, and even a map of your taken path.

However, all this is post-run analysis stuff. The coolest part of the app, if you ask me, is what it can do during the run. Ever wondered during a run exactly how fast you’re going, whether you’re at pace to achieve your target time, or how much further you have to go? No need for guess work any more. The Nike+ GPS capability means that you can see your real-time run data right on your phone. And what if you can’t or don’t want to glance at the screen? It will TELL you what you need to know.

This takes running to a whole new level. It makes the runner’s life so easy. Instead of thinking, “I’m going pretty quick, maybe I’ll get a PB today”, one goes to, “If I maintain a 6.15min/mile pace till the end, I’ll shave off 30 seconds off my PB easy”. As one can imagine, it’s a complete paradigm shift, taking a runner from vague notions during training and races, to concrete numbers through which he/she can gauge performance in absolute terms.

Now of course, you can play around and choose the calibrating system which is most comfortable for you. So kilometres or miles – it’s your choice. You can customize all of the settings as per your own preferences. And if that is not enough, you can even go social with this app. What does that mean? It means that you can network with your runner friends and throw challenges at each other. You can interact with them and gauge your performance if you would like to add the flavour of comparison. Not only that, you can follow your favourite runners on this app and monitor their progress. You can even sync your app with your social media profile.

This gives your network of friends an option to cheer you on as you run. Moreover, each time you achieve a personal record, you get a Nike Athlete congratulatory message with a personalized cheer.

This is a completely rad and hep app and the features don’t stop here. It also has an in-built coach who can guide you along your way and prep you for your race.

So now you have no excuse – download the app and get busy training! You know why? Because one of the biggest distance races in India is coming to town. Now is the time to slog it out, sweat out the buckets and put in the miles. For come RACE DAY, WE WILL OWN THE STREETS.

Registrations the open 10K in the TCS World 10K Bangalore 2014 are open until 26th April 2014. If you have been naughty and not yet registered for the race, visit: http://tcsworld10k.procamrunning.in/. And if you didn’t already know this, in an effort to engage a higher number of young runners to join this sport, Nike has made this race even more attractive for the winners of the 15-24 age category. Both the male and female top finishers win an all-expense paid trip to an overseas race. And the other participants need not fret either, because there are some exciting delight factors for everyone.

We runners really do have something to look forward to!

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Edited by Staff Editor