Back on the Fuelband after a terrible experiment with the Jawbone Up.

I’d used a Fuelband for almost a year before deciding it was limited and wanting more. The Up seemed perfect for a geek, a lovely iOS app and an open API that meant it even had an IFTTT channel. Sadly it was let down by flaws in the product and bad support. It never fully worked, and in the eight weeks I waited for a replacement (which was always promised in a ‘few days’) its remaining functionality gave up and died. A very common story on their support forum.

I found myself longing for a return to the Fuelband. Compared to the Up the data created is limited, the measurement proprietary, and the functionality poor.

But it works. Clever target setting changes my behaviour and makes me more active, perhaps because there is limited functionality that concentrates on activity.

And it’s cooler than the Jawbone too.

A borough rarely evokes the civic pride it deserves; the areas you identify with rarely have coterminous borders with a local authority. Indeed, I’d probably say I’m from Battersea before I’d say I was from Wandsworth.

And while I can think of any number of points of pride I have when comparing Wandsworth and others boroughs, I suspect most only appeal to me as a local government anorak. When I try to think of comparisons or competitions that might have wider appeal I run out of ideas after the London Youth Games (we came second this year) and It’s a Knockout (I don’t know if there was ever a Wandsworth team, but did once notice that Sandwell, in the West Midlands, still display their 1978 Heat 4 winner’s plaque in their Mayoral offices).

However, we have hammered the rest of London in a Nike+ running challenge this year. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned running on the blog (although I sometimes do on Twitter, and until recently auto-tweeted my runs) but couldn’t help pointing this one out.

Technically, it’s not finished, so yes, someone could beat us. But just over a week to go, and look at that lead!

If you fancy helping to dole out a similar drubbing to the rest of London next year and use Nike+ then join the challenge.

(I publish this hoping we do cling on to the lead, since I’m not intending to post again until next year when the challenge is over. Have a great Christmas and new year.)