Adidas is betting that runners of all shapes, sizes, and speeds will benefit from having a coach that fits in the pocket of their running shorts. The athletic apparel company roll out the website component of its new miCoach system, a cellphone made for runners in conjunction with the electronics maker Samsung. Released this year in the United Kingdom and Germany, it will be available in Spain and France within six months. Next year, Adidas will launch miCoach in the United States. The product is billed as "more than a phone, MP3 player or a website" and is designed to help runners reach their goals - whether that means running a 5K for the first time or finishing the Boston Marathon in under three hours. MiCoach aims to leapfrog competing products, including a joint offering from Apple Inc. and Nike Inc. that transforms an iPod into a pedometer and running journal. The phone feature transmits the data to the website. In subsequent training runs, a voice built into the MP3 player gives the user instructions to help meet the session's goals.http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2008/06/30/helping_runners_stay_on_right_track/
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