4th September 2006, Kempele, Finland – As any running coach will tell you, if you don’t convert your energy into forward motion efficiently you won’t realize your full potential as a competitor. Accurately measuring your running efficiency is extremely difficult however, this is set to change as Polar Electro, pioneer and leading innovator of sports instruments and heart rate monitors, today announced the immediate availability of the RS800sd running computer and training system that, amongst a host of features, will even calculate how efficiently you are running.

The RS800sd training system comprises of a RS800 wrist based running computer with a soft textile chest strap and WearLink® transmitter for ECG accurate heart rate measurement, the s3 Stride Sensor™ for measuring running cadence (leg turnover), average stride length, speed and distance and, ProTrainer 5™ Windows® based software for training planning and analysis. Incorporating new transmission technology (Polar W.I.N.D.), the RS800, s3 Stride Sensor and WearLink transmitter communicate over a 2.4GHz digital frequency to virtually eliminate false readings from the surrounding environment.

“We left no stone unturned when designing the RS800sd running computer and training system.” says Marco Suvilaakso, Running Segment Manager at Polar Electro “Building on our 30 years experience in this field, I believe that this system is the biggest leap forward for running and endurance training since Polar launched the first commercial heart rate monitor in 1981.”

Packed full of features for measuring body performance, technique and the environment, RS800 provides the most comprehensive feedback during training to ensure every step taken is a step closer to achieving your goal. Careful attention is also paid to the aesthetics and ergonomics of the watch case; the physical design blends in whether you are dressed for work, an evening out or just a rest day at home - for the image conscious this watch is as iconic as it is a training tool. Manufactured from tough reinforced composites, it is durable and very light, weighing in at just 46grams and, the comfortable case design makes button presses easy even when running.

Compact and unobtrusive, the Polar s3 stride sensor weighs 21grams and measures only 55 x 39 x 14mm. Tracking the position of your foot more than a thousand times every second, the stride sensor transmits data back to the RS800 where average stride length, speed, distance and cadence are combined with heart rate based measurements and altitude to provide a complete picture of your overall performance. The RS800 then calculates a unique running index which is an overall performance measurement of your fitness and technique.

“If you can learn to run with a shorter faster stride in events like long distance triathlons, half or full marathons you will be more economical and consequently more likely to keep running for the entire event” says Olympic Triathlon Coach, Brendon Downey “Distance running performance is a function of fitness and running economy and there is no other running computer available that can help runners work on both these factors to anything like the level of the RS800sd. It’s going to be huge!”