In a market full of Fitbits, Misfits, and Fuelbands, it’s easy to get carried away with sophisticated personal fitness tracking technology. That’s why [André] took a totally different approach with his super simple run tracking device, the C25K machine.
C25K stands for “Couch to 5k” which is a slimmed down exercise schedule designed to gradually bring people who have otherwise no exercise routine up to a level of fitness where they can run a 5k in just 9 weeks. To keep participants from wearing themselves out too early, the routine specifies a sequence of running and walking periods to be completed in series on specific days. Though simpler than most fitness plans, it’s still a lot to keep track of especially when you’re sweating so hard you can barely see your stopwatch.
André found a solution using a bare-bones circuit based on the ATTiny2313. After loading the C25k calendar into its firmware (which takes up less than half of its 2K of flash), he needs only to toggle the dipswitch to select the appropriate day of the program, and the little device (scarcely larger than a key fob) will beep to let him know to switch from running to walking or back again.
Definitely a great project for any hobbyist looking for a geeky way to get in shape.
“they can run a 5k in just 9 weeks”
That’s mighty slow :-)
As someone who has gone through C25K before, this is an awesome idea. I always thought it would be a good idea to make an app for it, and they finally did, but I love the simplicity here.
I bet he could integrate the training program for http://www.hundredpushups.com with no code changes…
I also did a C25K program at the beginning of this year. I do think the app is great, but really my wife and I just used a stopwatch and a paper calendar we printed out. It’s really not too much to keep track of.
Cool project. I lile the use of a Dipswitch :-)
But, how is C2 going to “stabilise” the voltage, being in series with the buzzer ? :-)
I think it’s more a removal of the DC part feeding the buzzer which is helping :)
In an era when many of us already have a smartphone, and the price of smartphones is pretty much plummeting, I think I would rather go with a simple app, than carry any additional gadgets with me.
At least not a single-purpose gadget like this. If the buzzer was addressable through Bluetooth, perhaps with a button or two, that could be a great “interface improvement” to use such an app on the run… and use other apps in other circumstances. Actually, that would sound interesting… hm.
But then he wouldn’t have had a reason to heat up the soldering iron. That’s half the point of projects like this one!
Personally, I like to carry as little as possible when I run. No phone, no ipod, pretty much just the keys to get back home. This device is small enough that I wouldn’t mind having it along.
There is also things like weather that get in the way. The only tech I carry is my $20 sansa with rockbox… The last thing I need when 10k from home is to get caught in a storm and have to worry about my phone.