Sunday Q&A: PEAR Sports’ Kristian Rauhala Discusses the Virtual Coach

Whether you’re running casually or training for competition, it helps to have a coach keep track of stats and give you motivation to keep going. PEAR Sports’ PEAR Square ONE plus an iPod Nano, which uses ANT+ to transmit data, puts a virtual coach in your ear to keep you updated on heart rate, calories and other stats. The coach also sets the pace for each workout. PEAR Sports President and Co-Founder Kristian Rauhala talks about the personal coaching PEAR Square ONE provides as you run through the season.

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Adidas Brings miCoarch to iPhone and BlackBerry

Earlier this year Adidas unveiled its miCoach system, which put sensors on a runner’s shoes as well as a device on the arm to measure distance, pace and even stride rate. Users could get a lot of information, and could even sync the data to a website. Now the company has taken the next step by introducing a miCoach application for the iPhone and BlackBerry that is meant to work as a virtual personal and real-time trainer.

As with the miCoach devices, this app utilizes GPS capabilities, where real-time pace-based coaching and tracking is provided. The app essentially transforms a smartphone into a personal guide complete with voice coaching, personalized and sports-specific training regimes, workout calendar and workout feedback. The app also monitors, manages and analyses progress over time. Continue reading Adidas Brings miCoarch to iPhone and BlackBerry