STRYD Running Power Meter

The STRYD running power based training system for runners. 
Find out how much power in watts you are creating while running. The footpod easily charges with the charging station you place the pod onto. I have been told you should only need to charge the pod once a month. This can differ though. Synch it with your smartphone and the STRYD app.

The center of the pod turns orange as is sits on top of the charging device. 

  I have the app on my smartphone, synched with BLE, and there it tracks my watts, time, average mile pace, incline, distance and steps per minute. I also have the STRYD footpad synched with my Suunto Ambit 2S. The initial set up, I had to pair the ANT+ device to the watch. In the fields also I activated the FOOTPOD and POWERPOD.  One of the screens I have it rotate through, I have the power in watts show up, so I know up the the second the power I am putting out while running. The STRYD power pod attaches and is worn on the shoe laces. 

In my training I use the STRYD Power Pod to let me know the effort being applied to my running / workouts.  

When connected to the STRYD Power Center you can analyze numerous aspects of your run and the data the pod collected. 

Statistics that appear in the Power Center after a workout wearing the STRYD Running Power Meter.

Leg Spring and Form Power, both of these I need to work on to get more efficient. 

Connects with Garmin, Suunto, Training Peaks, Strava, and 2Peak programs. 

Showing it here connecting to my Suunto account. 

To help increase my running efficiency I am looking at improving my leg spring stiffness, less energy to propel me forward.  In the case of the STRYD Power Pod meter the higher the number the better. (Yes, I need to work on this a ton.)  Also form power goes hand in hand with this. Lowering my form power number is what I aim to do also. The lower the number the better. 

Power meters are used in and have been used cycling and they are too used in running with STRYD. 

I am looking to do the Critical Power Test from the www.stryd.com/powercenter in the next week. 

MIO ALPHA, read your heart-rate without a chest-strap.

This is nothing new, as this watch and the technology have been out for a few years already, but wanted to inform others that hate wearing a chest strap, there is something you can do about it. Hate wearing a chest-strap?  Here is the perfect answer.  The MIO ALPHA reads your heart-rate off your skin. Under the watch band is a sensor, similar to those devices that read your pulse off your finger. The watch displays your heart-rate. With the Bluetooth or ANT+ connection it sends the information to paired devices. I have both Bluetooth and ANT+ models, two separate watches.  I paired my ANT+ with my Suunto Ambit 2S and then wear a watch on each wrist. The ANT+ model I own I have paired with my Samsung smartphone. 

From what I am finding out, the ANT+ model is no longer available, as it is only being produced in the BLE. 

 

From what I am finding out, the ANT+ model is no longer available, as it is only being produced in the BLE. 

The watch features an LED light, lighting up blue, green or red, letting the user know if their heart rate while working out is too low, too high or right in their zone, all without wearing a chest strap I might add again.  

The watch comes with a charger that can be plugged into a USB port and the LED then too lights up to show you it is charging as well as when it is fully charged. 

Here the MIO Alpha is paired with my Suunto Ambit 2S. 

Set your Zone in which you want to keep your heart rate in. Not only will the LED change color depending upon if you are in the zone you are wanting to be in, but a “beep” will also go off.  These are great because many times if using the watch like this, if you are wearing headphones you can still monitor where your heart rate is with the LED’s or as well as looking at the screen itself. 

There are only two buttons to operate the watch, one on either side of the face. You can use the timer in the exercise mode to track your workout time. I use my Suunto Ambit 2S for gathering exercise time. 

The watch comes with its own USB charging cradle. Simply line up the pins on the back to the charging ports and charge the watch.  

Download the free app for allowing your smartphone to track your exercises and then export the TCX file into your favorite program later on. With the app it will show basic features, unless you play to download the full version of the app.

This is if the watch is paired with BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) 

The See.Sense ICON bicycle tail light

This Bluetooth Smart bike light is very innovative and impressive. The numerous features, with more being added with firmware updates. This bike light with its theft and crash detection options is a must have for any cyclist. The dual CREE LED's are bright enough for being very visible for daytime use. The bike tail light comes in the option of 2x95 Lumen or 2x125 Lumen brightnesses. I love the option of the dimming the light on group rides, as you don’t want to blind the rider, if there is one behind you. If you are out riding by yourself, then turning it up the max brightness. The theft detection option will allow you to get about 100 feet away from your bike (light attached of course) and you being alerted as to when your bike has moved or motion has occurred to the light somehow.  When playing with the light in this option, my son and daughter had fun trying to see if they could walk away with the light in their hand from the coffee table after the alarm was set to go off. A car horn sound as well as alert message appear on the phone telling you to check on your bike. Typically on a group ride, others watch your bike for you while running in to use the bathroom or get more water at a convince store. This is great, because that means, I can take a bathroom break, if I am out riding by myself and know my bike being guarded by the ICON if the small lock I carry isn’t enough to slow down a would be thief. I am just super impressed with first of all the brightness and flash patterns the light provides.