iPod and jogging: a few issues...

[jxyama]

here's my story. i'd appreciate any comments and/or opinions.

i have the 3rd gen. 10 GB iPod. at the time of the purchase, i had less than 10 GB of music. as of now, i have a little over 15 GB of music.

i also recently started using iPod while jogging. the problem is, the iPod's buffer is too small and tracks get skipped when it runs out. (compounding the problem is the fact i've encoded at 160 kbps and thus 32 MB RAM in the iPod fits less music than if they were encoded at 128 kbps.)

i purchased a belt clip to see if it would reduce the shock. thus far, it hasn't. i'm going to try another configuration...

now the question. i'm torn between three options:

1) keep the iPod, just deal with the shock and not having all my music in it.

2) sell the iPod, get the 20 GB iPod so i'll still have to deal with the shock but at least i'll have all my music.

3) sell the iPod, get the mini/armband so i won't have all the music (which, i think, is ok...) but i won't have to deal with the shock.

 

[Phatpat]

How are you carrying your ipod? I've also got the 3G 10 gb, and run with it pretty regularly. I hold it in my hand as I run, and haven't had any problems.

 

[jxyama]

well, i used to do that and there'd be no problems. the problem only happens when i clip my iPod to my shorts - pretty much constant shaking. (not violently, but it's still shaking.)

 

[Vlade]

I've had some similar problems while running. I have learned a few things, first off let the ipod play for at least 10-20 seconds before you run, so it can fill up the cache, and second hold the ipod. When mine was attached to my shorts or in a pocket, it just weighed to much and skipped (sometimes having the missing file icon), but when I started to hold it, it works perfectly now, hands work as a shock absorber.

My advice is to just hold the thing while you run, and let it fill up cache before you run, and try to take away any shock on it. That should get rid off all the skipping.

 

[jxyama]

i just bought a belt clip case too...

one thing i will try the next time i jog is to clip the iPod facing my body. if i let the iPod "hang" on my shorts, facing out, then it moves quite a bit. perhaps having it sandwiched between the shorts and my body will lessen the shocks. if that works, i'm pretty sure i'll be keeping it.

mini... it would be a no brainer to get if it was $200!

 

[Gymnut]

What about this? I saw this at CompUSA when I picked up my iTrip and did consider it but the iTrip was a priority. I'm not sure if it'll reduce the shock but if it's secured snugly to your person then it shouldn't skip(hopefully). I know it's cumbersome to have to wear something along the lines of a fanny pack while running.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product_info.asp?product_code=305416&pfp=SEARCH

 

[jxyama]

Originally posted by Gymnut
What about this?

well, the thing is, i've already spent "enough" on iPod accessories... any more and i will probably feel better if i got a new hardware...

thanks for the input. i'm gonna try one more running config. and see if the skipping would go away. if not, i'll seriously think about mini/arm band.

it was my new year's resolution to run this year... and so far, i've been good. so i don't want to let this detract from my efforts!

 

[Finiksa]

Armband!

Your lower body moves too much when running. You'll never find a suitable belt clip etc. Keep it on your upper body with an armband, the only better solution is to hold it.

 

[virividox]

dont run

yeah i find the only way to prevent skips is to hold it. or arm band clip

 

[alset]

The iPod isn't meant for running. It's a hard drive. You can run with it, but don't be surprised when you shorten it's life-span. You wouldn't shake an external drive while using it, would you?

Dan

 

[Grimace]

The ipod mini is better suited for this. Create a playlist (yes you can get all the songs you need on a few gigs) and get an armband which minimizes shock.

 

[jxyama]

thanks for the input, guys.

i am *this* close to selling my iPod and getting the mini/arm band.

i'll see how the new config. would work this evening when i jog.

i realize it's a HD based player, but i'm also talking about light jogging (~10 min/mile) for 30-40 min. a day with breaks. i really don't want to spend nearly $100 for a flash based player and batteries, not to mention converting my AAC to mp3... (i think there are some AAC-enabled flash players out there...)

anyway, thanks for the inputs. i'll see how it goes tonight.

 

[phrancpharmD]

My wife is an avid runner, and loves to listen to music when she runs. Because of all the feedback I've read concerning iPods skipping while running I've ordered her an iPod Mini (pink, of course) and armband just so she can use it while running. The 4GB capacity will be WAY more than she needs for her 45 minute runs five days a week, and I am very optimistic she will have very few problems with skipping (assuming the armband is small enough to fit her arm, of course!)
Frank

 

[jxyama]

well, my experiment worked...

by clipping my iPod against my body (as opposed to having it hang out), i experienced no skips this evening. i am imagining that when iPod was hanging out by the belt clip, it was basically dangling and got shaken up a lot. by sandwiching the iPod between my body and my shorts, iPod remained no more shaken up than if i were to walk with it.

it may not be the most comfortable way to hold the iPod for an avid runner, but i'm just a light jogger so no problem for me...

i guess i will be holding onto this iPod now. sorry if anyone though i'd be selling it...

 

[eoliver]

ipod while running

I had problems with the ipod while running with both the first generation and g3 models. I have to agree with the other postings. Carry the ipod and it will not skip! I have run probably 10 marathons with the ipod and carrying the thing has not been troublesome. Don't use the belt clip, the skipping also burns up battery power like crazy! It causes the disk to continually spin in an attempt to fill the small buffer.

 

[Tim Sanders]

Sports armband for 3G iPod

I just got a sports armband called the Roadie
at Teski.com and this thing is fantastic!

Professionally made molded case.
Not a cheap neoprene one.
Best out there.

The quicktime movie shows it all.

https://www.teski.com/movie/iPod_roadie_movie.html



https://www.teski.com/shopping/category_display.asp?main=1&catid=29