Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on April 2010

Courtesy of Adidas

As girths expand worldwide, the technology to keep us fit is getting ever more ingenious. The Adidas miCoach must be one of the most high-tech offerings to date, helping runners of all abilities to improve their fitness and finish times. In a nutshell, it uses a dinky heart rate monitor to advise you when to speed up and slow down. The basic miCoach Zone attaches to the wrist and gives a visual readout, while the more expensive Pace provides real-time audio coaching and can be synched with an online application to track your progress and receive detailed feedback after runs.

Adidas miCoach Zone, ¥7,350; miCoach Pacer, ¥14,700. Available at Adidas stores. www.micoach.com