1The product: It's a wristwatch with a detachable link that captures data from a sensor in a Nike+ shoe. It monitors time, pace, distance and calories burned. After a run, you can track your progress on www.nikeplus.com.
2How to use it: Charge the SportBand in a USB port. Place the sensor inside a special compartment in a Nike+ running shoe. It will send a signal with every step you take. Strap the SportBand around your wrist, push a button, start walking, then push the button again and start running. Hold the button for three seconds when you end your run. Place the link into a USB port to upload data to www.nikeplus.com.
3Pros: If you love numbers, you'll love this gadget. You can check your time, pace, distance and calories burned throughout your run. You'll know if you need to speed up or slow down to reach your goal. You can hit pause, take a water break, and then continue. The SportBand can be calibrated, preferably on a track, but it's relatively accurate right out of the box. I tested it on a quarter-mile loop and it displayed .25.
4Cons: When I tested the SportBand on a treadmill with the incline at 2 percent, the pace indicated I was moving more slowly than what the treadmill indicated. Perhaps the SportBand is best for outdoor and track running. I wish I could have used it during the Mercedes-Benz Miami Corporate Run, because there were no mile markers along the course. But I wasn't able to activate it on time because the race didn't start on time (according to my watch). Remember, first you push a button and start walking. That's kind of hard to do when you're amid 20,000 runners.
5Overall: At $59, the Nike+ SportBand is a worthwhile gadget that can motivate you to run faster and longer. It's available at www.nike.com, Niketown at Shops at Sunset Place in South Miami and Runner's Depot in Davie. Although Nike+ shoes have a compartment under the insole for the sensor, you might be able to carve a niche into any running shoe to accommodate it.
