When I started running regularly a decade ago I was drawn to the flashy new Nike+ iPod setup. This consisted of a small electronic 'foot pod' that attached to your running shoes and (after calibrating) sent reasonably accurate distance data to an iPod Nano while you enjoyed your favourite music or podcasts. It also provided verbal feedback on your performance at set distances so you didn't feel the need to keep stopping to look at the iPod screen.

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A year or so later the Nike+ app was launched on iPhone, which used more accurate GPS data, and added extra functionality such as awards, competitions and social media sharing. Nike also created a fully functioning  website to view run data on a large screen, and at this point I decided to retire the 'foot pod' and simply took my phone out with me instead. Everything ticked along nicely for several years, and the app gained popularity within the running community while similar apps from competitors were still playing catch-up. However, a couple of years ago, Nike made a decision to rebrand the system as Nike Run Club, and made major changes to the app and website. The theme colour changed from red to 'volt' (Nike's fluoro green colour) and much of the interactivity was dropped - much to the shock of the large community of runners who (like me) had been faithfully recording all their runs on the previous incarnation and had been perfectly happy with the system.

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I tried it for a while but then looked at the alternatives and made a switch to Strava. However, I also felt that Nike was where I should be as it was where it had all begun for me, so in 2018 I returned to the fold.

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