Nike+ versus Runkeeper showdown

Today's run was day 2, week 4 of the Couch-to-5k running program. As I'm now the proud owner of an iPhone 3GS, I've had the opportunity to compare the Nike+ tracking system with that of Runkeeper Pro. The former is a creation of Apple and Nike, two corporate powerhouses, and the latter is the creation of a small development firm in Boston.

The Equipment
Both tracking systems consist of an iPhone application and a corresponding web site where the data is uploaded. For Nike+, the required equipment is a shoe transmitter and a receiver. Receivers are built into the iPod Touch (2nd generation) and iPhone 3GS, and are available as an external add-on to the iPod Nano. The sensor is a small plastic button about the size of square of chocolate that is inserted into the sole of your left running shoe (assuming you have the corresponding Nike+ shoes), although it's possible to attach the sensor to any running shoe using third-party sensor-holders. The sensor supposedly lasts for 1000 hours of use, but as I found out with my first sensor, that isn't always the case. For Runkeeper, all that's required is an iPhone 3G or 3GS. No other sensor is required as Runkeeper uses the phone's GPS capabilities.

Cost
The cost of each system depends largely on what equipment you already have. If you have an iPhone 3G or 3GS, Runkeeper is only an extra $10 to purchase, and there is a free ad-supported version available. If you don't have an iPhone, though, then Runkeeper just isn't an option. Nike+ is available for a wider variety of hardware, but requires that you purchase a shoe sensor ($25CDN on its own) and have compatible shoes or an appropriate holder on your laces for the sensor. If you have an iPod Nano, a kit that includes the sensor and receiver costs $40CDN.

The running experience
I ran using both systems operational at the same time, so I received audio cues from both. Nike+ gives feedback periodically whenever you press the home button on the iPhone, listing pace, distance, and so on. Runkeeper does the same, and can be configured to provide periodic updates. For this run, I had the audio updates set for every 5 minutes.

At the end of the run, Nike+ reported a distance of 4.78km and a pace of 6m45s/km. Runkeeper reported a distance of 4.69km with a pace of 6m49s/km. All told, the readings from both systems are quite comparable, although I'm inclined to trust Runkeeper's measurements since they're based on GPS readings. The Nike+ system is based on a measurement of how long your foot is moving versus staying still, which provides a fairly accurate measurement of speed and pace, but can't tell where you're running. Accordingly, the Nike+ system will work even if you're running indoors on a treadmill - Runkeeper is pretty much useless indoors since it won't be able to get a GPS signal.

Website experience
Nike+ has a massive number of users, and the website is very feature-rich. That's also it's biggest drawback - it's an entirely flash-based site, it's slow, and it's difficult to navigate if you're looking for something specific. It does, however, have some great community features such as challenges between users (even those you don't know), goal setting and tracking, and an elaborate system of rankings, milestones, and "levels" that are designed to keep you motivated.

The Runkeeper website is more spartan, but has the advantage of showing not only where you've ran, but a chart showing the elevation change and speed over the course of a run.

Both systems have the opportunities to share run data publicly via social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, but one downside of Runkeeper is that any publicly shared runs show a full map of the run - I view this as a huge privacy concern, since it would advertise exactly where a runner lives (in most cases), since many people begin and end their runs at their homes. I've suggested to the developers that they make map-sharing optional, so that it's possible to share run data without sharing the exact trip taken.

Overall, I think my preference is for Runkeeper. It's nice to know that I won't need to replace sensors on an ongoing basis, and it's really neat to see exactly where I've run on a map. I'll still use the Nike+ system though, since I've already purchased a sensor and it lets me send run updates via Twitter (without a map, obviously).

Tomorrow's a rest day, which will be followed by the conclusion of week 4. Wish me luck!