I ran a half marathon with these 15 gadgets

Against my better judgment, earlier this year I decided to try a half marathon. I’ve only ever run 10km at a time, but now that I’m probably nearing my mid-30s and need to start doing all the clichés that millennials should do at this age, it’s time to start running long distances. I felt like that. list.

Since then I have been training and running for London’s Royal Parks Half Marathon (21.1km). Fortunately the weather held out and it was a dry race and an unforgettable experience. I’ve been able to record decent times while raising money for charity, but I’ve also experimented with different gadgets during my training to see if technology can really improve my times, improve my cadence, keep me cool, and help my aging knees. It was also really fun to see if I could do it. The scars are a little less.

Although some of these gadgets do not use electricity, I classify them all as gadgets due to their technical characteristics.

I’ve tested dedicated fitness watches from the likes of Garmin and Polar, and while I’m not into sports enough to want to keep them on my wrist 24/7, I did enjoy the multi-day battery life of these wearables. That’s why I apple watch ultra 2 (£799) For training and running. Two days of battery life isn’t anything special, but doubling the lifespan of a regular Apple Watch was enough for me.

This means you only need to put it on the charger every few days and it can stretch by a third in some cases. GPS connectivity for outdoor run tracking is great and I Nike Run Club App (Free) Fully syncs with my iPhone. You can start your run on your phone, so you can listen to music using your headphones, but the Run Club app will automatically launch on your wrist and show you live stats. Rival Android smartwatches don’t have this level of seamless connectivity.

The headphones I used were two pairs made by Shokz, which is famous for its bone conduction audio. Latest Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 (£169) is a great product with a headband design and new air conduction technology that enhances bass. Bone conduction is smart because it sends the audio signal through the bones near your ear, but at the cost of audio volume and quality. Next to the noise, we couldn’t hear the music even at maximum volume. But to recognize the above vehicles with open ears, these are good and it is preferable to drive quietly through the park without the silicone tip earbuds falling out of your ears. If it’s good enough for Eliud Kipchoge, it’s good enough for me.

The half marathon itself Shokz OpenFit Air, The relatively affordable headphones (£119) sit just above your ear canal and have a secure fit thanks to the earhook. They were great and when my high tempo tunes started around 15km they were more than loud enough to pump me all the way through.

Also, when I trained, my rotation included: I haven’t opened my ears to anything. (£129), an OpenFit Air rival and excellent Beats fit pro (£219( If you want noise canceling and great sealed sound.

There is no doubt that running shoes will count as technology in 2024. asics gel nimbus 26 (180 pounds), A supportive and comfortable shoe, and while not the lightest, it was perfect for amateur running. They use Asics’ new PureGEL technology and something called FF BLAST PLUS ECO foam, and I was impressed, although they did feel a little less bouncy after 100km or more. However, the shoes cost £180 and are quite an investment.

Also, what I was wearing was Ronhill Tech Golder Hour T-Shirt (£48) is made with Polartec Delta fabric, which actively cools you in hot conditions. It’s very good. I also wore it Speed ​​cap from outdoor brand Buff (£25) is for keeping long hair out of the face and is designed for sun protection, although it primarily functioned as a lightweight rain visor when outdoors in the UK.

I will also only buy running socks from Vermont-based company Darn Tough from now on. Element Quarter Lightweight Running Socks (21 pounds per pair) were the only socks that saved me from painful blisters on my toes. For water I settled on 100 lbs. Osprey Duro 1.5a hydration vest that comes with two 500ml soft flasks for on-the-go drinking. Please be sure to measure before purchasing the correct size. However, the zippered pocket is great for holding your phone, and the key clip and other pockets are great for storing your phone. SIS energy gela staple of marathon training.

The Apple Watch did a great job of tracking all my jogs and sprint sessions, but I also wore it. hoop 4.0 band. The £27/month or £229/year subscription is a bit hard to swallow, but you get a banded tracker and access to the Whoop platform for free, which digs deep into personalized health data insights.

The small trackers clip onto a material or silicone band, and you can buy a few if you want, but they don’t have a screen. The idea is to wear it 24/7 and keep track of your health while collecting data on your heart rate, steps, stress, sleep, and body temperature. After a few weeks, you’ll start to see some interesting trends and your AI coach will help you train better. It’s also the only wearable I’ve ever tested that accurately predicted that I would get sick before I knew it.

By the time I had all this on I looked like I was about to do an Ironman instead of a half marathon, but I managed to top off the look with a pair of shoes. oakley sphaera Sunglasses (£231). The legendary shade company’s futuristic new design has been worn by athletes including Briton Josh Kerr at the recent Olympics, and is aimed primarily at runners and cyclists. Admittedly, the look is maximalist and may be a bit harsh for those with larger heads, but the UV protection is the best in the industry and the curved exterior keeps wind and rain at bay.

When I wasn’t on the road, I constantly monitored my weight, body composition, and morning heart rate. withings body smart smart scale. For a modest asking price of £89.95, you can measure your fat to muscle percentage, metabolic statistics and much more. All results are automatically recorded in the Withings app, and graphs of results are easy to follow.

After using this running technology for weeks and months, I was surprised at what my favorite items were. I love the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and its perks, but a cheaper running watch can track just as well. It’s no surprise that shoes are the most important item for a half marathon, and the Asics I used did a great job. Another thing to mention is, surprisingly, the buff cap. It kept my hair out, kept the sun and rain from falling off my face, but perhaps most importantly, when I put it on my head, I could go into running mode, keep my head down, forget about my gadgets, and… I was able to train hard. In the end, this was a credit to me, not technology.

That’s what I tell myself, anyway.