step beeper

I gave my wife one of these as a birthday present.

The first time he went for a walk with it among friends and fellow walkers, everyone wanted to know what it was, how it worked and how to get it.

I call it a “step finder”.

And I liked it so much that I bought one for running and walking.

What is?

Technically, it’s a portable metronome. It is smaller than a pager and runs on a battery. It has a digital display, some buttons, and a spring-loaded clip.

How does it work?

• You set the pace.
• You set the beep pattern.
• You set the volume of the beep.

You then clip it to your clothing or hydration belt, and start walking or running “in time” with this step beep.

Tempo is to musicians what cadence is to runners and walkers: the number of steps per minute you want to take. For example, I used to take 125 steps per minute on average when walking. How can I know? I repeatedly counted my steps out of boredom when I was alone on the road. But now I use my step beeper so that I consistently walk many more steps per minute.

Setting the beep pattern is similar to deciding whether you want a sound like tick-tock-tick-tock, tick-tock-tick-tock, or tick-tock-tick-tock.

Personally, I like the “tick-tock” pattern because it’s like “left leg-right leg.”

The volume I choose depends on my mood, the noise on the road, and if I’m running or walking with other people, who may not want to hear my pager.

Why should you use one?

Running or walking outside around cars or bicycles is dangerous with an MP3 player and headphones in your ears. This step beeper gives you the pace you want to keep your cadence, without putting your life in danger.

You can eliminate the above security risk by using an MP3 player with speakers instead of headphones. But what if you want to walk or run with others? Do they like your musical tastes? If not, or even if they do, but you want to have great conversations while walking or running, then consider using this footstep beep to help you keep your cadence.

How much is it?

It is much less expensive than a sports watch.

So buy one today and start walking or running to the beat, or beep!