Get set for tech-enhanced running

Wearable technology and the future of sport

For many, running technology is a gateway to a major lifestyle change. Motivational apps, including the Couch to 5k platforms, act as catalysts to get off the sofa and out onto the streets. 

As their running journey evolves, many people go on to invest in GPS-enabled wearable devices. These gadgets measure run times and pace, monitor blood oxygen levels and heart rate, and track progress towards your goals.

So, what does the future look like for running technology?

Taking fitness into the future

The prospect of next-generation wearables is exciting for sports professionals, who are always looking for more data to improve performance. Sam Bird, a Jaguar TCS Racing driver in the high-speed world of Formula E, completed the TCS London Marathon last year. In both his professional and recreational sporting endeavours, peak physical fitness is a must.  “I’m very excited about future trends in the fitness world,” he says.

Here are three more technologies that could soon be helping runners to go further, faster.

1. Digital twin performance enhancement 

Digital twins started life in the industry as virtual replicas of physical products and processes. They bring huge cost savings and much greater efficiency in sectors such as manufacturing by predicting breakdowns before they happen. 

Medical researchers are proposing the use of digital twin technology to boost athletic performance and prevent injury. Using AI and machine learning, a digital twin could monitor a wide range of biophysical data to develop bespoke training programmes for individual athletes. 

2. Real-time biometric data

Most marathon athletes know the importance of staying well-fuelled and hydrated. Some favour carb- and salt-heavy gels washed down with water to keep the legs moving. Others will pack cereal bars and energy drinks. 

What current fuelling strategies lack is real-time data to inform a runner about what to eat and drink, and when. Sports scientists are working with Imperial College London to develop wearable patches that provide real-time glucose and hydration levels. The patches work by analysing sweat on an athlete’s skin. Data from the patch can be sent to an app, allowing athletes to adapt their fuelling routine minute-by-minute.

3. AI smart socks

Most runners don’t pay much attention to socks, beyond looking to avoid blisters. But Dr Benno Nigg, who founded the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Calgary in Canada, has a different idea. He told On-running.com that smart socks could improve performance for long-distance runners. “If you are running a marathon, you want to stay close to the anaerobic threshold but not over it.” Nigg explains that AI socks would, “measure muscle activity and provide updates to the runner via headphones or similar. If there’s too much activity it would alert you that the muscles are reaching overload so you can slow down and reduce the risk of injury.”