Item: iPod Nano 5th Gen, 8GB
Manufacturer: Apple
Price: $145.99
Amazon Buy Now: Apple iPod nano 8 GB Black (5th Generation) NEWEST MODEL

Let’s face it. This is the time of year when our wives, sweat hearts and tighter fitting clothes tell us it’s time for the annual “get-in-shape” resolution. You will try to find your gym bag, try to remember what gym you pay every month, and when you do make it into the gym you will try too hard the first day then be too sore to even think about going back.

The geniuses at Apple and Nike have an answer to get you on track and motivated to keep with training to meet your resolution. You may have seen the Nike+ system before, but the 5^th gen iPod Nano takes it up a level. The new Nano has an FM tuner so you can listen to the TVs at the gym without missing a play of the game. It also has a larger screen which is easier to check when running. The video camera is really cool, even without any fitness application.

Nike+ online helps you set goals and has a coach to help you reach those goals. You can set a distance goal, running frequency, speed, burned calories or even for an event like a 5K or a half marathon. Every time you sync your iPod you can see your progress.  Nike+ can even give you a report to tell you when you run most often and when you run your best times. It turns out Monday mornings were my optimal time to run. The site also keep your stats on running totals by day, week, month and year. There are also challenges you can set up with other people using the system, end it even let’s you post smack talk to keep the other guys in the game.

The hardware involved (iPod, transponder and sensor) are so super easy to set up, so you can’t use that as an excuse. Nike makes a variety of shoes that have a built in pocket for the Nike+ sensor. You can also pick up a sensor pouch to use the Nike+ sensor with any shoe.

Does it really work? I’m not a runner. Never was. By last January I had worked my way up to 5 miles. That was the longest I had ever run in my life. In October I ran the Long Beach Half Marathon. This January I am finishing training for a marathon on Super Bowl Sunday. My longest run this January is 22 miles! I have stuck pretty close to the training program that Nike+ set up for me, and I am getting real results. Anyone can do this.

One hint: you will have to be one heck of a clever cave man to get away with giving this to your cave girl. You might be better off getting one for yourself!

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Tags: fitness, iPod, man cave, Nike Plus, running