MiCoach – The review…

I have always been interested in running technology, I believe I only really got motivated to keep running because of the Nike+ kit I got a few years ago. Since then I have moved onto the Garmin Forerunner a device I don’t think I could live without now. When I was given the opportunity to try out the MiCoach I jumped at it, having seen promotional merchandise in every running shop and magazine I opened.

I knew very little about the MiCoach pacer, I was aware about some technology Adidas launched with Samsung phones a little bit back but that was it. After a bit of research I was to discover the MiCoach is a Heart Rate Coaching device which logs distance traveled using a pedometer. The heart rate monitor is what brings it to a different audience to the cheaper Nike+.

When you setup an account on the Adidas site you can set a training plan to be downloaded to the device. This plan will incorporate Vo2 sessions, interval sessions as well as your standard recovery and long run sessions. Upon starting running the device will tell you to either speed up or slow down to enter the designated zone and continue adjusting throughout the run.

The device also uses a pedometer to measure distance traveled much like the Nike+ but Adidas realised that most people won’t have shoes that fit the pod into the sole so also provide a device to attach them to the laces. With the device using a pedometer for distance measuring it isn’t as accurate as a GPS based device. However, it does offer the ability to adjust and calibrate the device online.

The device has no screen on it which I instantly found odd, relying audio feedback for it’s menu navigation and ultimately requiring web access to get anything useful out of the device.

Like the Nike website, the Micoach portal is quite clean and you can tell it’s constantly being upgraded. Some core functionality is still missing but I’m sure it will come soon (in particular being able to delete runs) and also share runs in a nicer format than a jpeg via social networking platforms. I even spent a bit of time seeing if I could write a script to get even the most trivial info out of it like I managed with both the Garmin and Nike+ but sadly Adidas have gone down the flash route entirely and whilst I found an XML file of sort trying to process this was taking to long…

What’s my verdict on the device?

This is going to be tricky for me having used and owned devices from both ends of the running spectrum in regards to cost and functionality the MiCoach sits right in the middle. Heart Rate monitoring is something I always thought the Nike+ was missing out on and years later it is still something they have chosen to ignore. However, the MiCoach is significantly more expensive than the Nike+ and you could buy the later device and a Polar HRM and still have some change left over for a lucozade when you finish. What Adidas need to work on is the audio coaching facility, this is the major point of difference, perhaps they should get in touch with AudioFuel or someone similar and provide some music to accompany the coaching aid. It would be unfair to put it in a similar league to the Garmin which offers GPS based measument as well as heart rate monitoring, however even the cheapest Garmin is still £70 more than the MiCoach.

I like it – to a new runner it’s a perfect tool, is there any need for it on top of a Garmin I suspect not but I guess not many people would consider buying both anyway! They do need to spend a bit more money on the social networking side of the website but I’m sure in time that will come.