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| Garmin want vs. Garmin need (Read 424 times) |
| view log hurting! |
posted: 5/3/2008 at 3:47 AM |
| I have to say...I'm a total gadget geek. I have wanted a Garmin since I first started reading about them on this site. Considering my longest run to date is only three miles, I know I don't NEED one. I had done a good job of convincing myself I didn't have to have one, until this REI sale popped up. Seems like such a good deal. What is a newbie runner to do???? |
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posted: 5/3/2008 at 11:54 AM |
| I say get it. You may not use it much now, but eventually you'll probably do more than 3 miles or that 3 miles will start to get boring and you'll want to find a new route. I got a Garmin at about the same stage as you and I have loved it. To be able to throw in an extra loop on a route when I'm feeleing good has been awesome. I don't have to later get in my car and drive it to know the distance. Plus, Garmins are just way cool. |
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| view log no handlebars |
posted: 5/3/2008 at 1:02 PM |
You know...when I first started running I thought only "real" "serious" runners deserved Garmins. Now that I've done ~100 runs with mine I realize I could have benefitted from one much earlier in my running career--especially once I started training for my first HM, which I ran about 7 months after first starting.
The NEED really became apparent as I ran a 15k a year after my first 5k race. The miles were not well marked and I had a tough time knowing just how hard I could go in the middle of the race. As a result I had a nice race, but it was more like a hard, long run than an actual race. This year I will be blowing that PR out of the water with my trusty Garmin to let me know where I am and how I need to pace myself to finish strong.
As cheap as they are, I say GO for it! I am so tempted to grab a 205 as a backup. I really live in fear of my 305 croaking or needing repair and having to go without (and I don't really care for the 405--it's not dorky enough to look right on me  ). |
Kirsten
• Ladies Locker Room •
.: 2008 Goals :.
• Get down to 123#s and STAY there!
• Run 1500 miles
• Run 1st marathon - Milwaukee Lakefront - in my home state of WI < 4:30
• PRs: 5k ~ 15k ~ 25k
• HTFU |
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| view log Balls of Steel |
posted: 5/3/2008 at 1:11 PM |
| Quote from Get Gone on 5/3/2008 at 11:54 AM: I say get it. You may not use it much now, but eventually you'll probably do more than 3 miles or that 3 miles will start to get boring and you'll want to find a new route. I got a Garmin at about the same stage as you and I have loved it. To be able to throw in an extra loop on a route when I'm feeleing good has been awesome. I don't have to later get in my car and drive it to know the distance. Plus, Garmins are just way cool.
Agreed.
I guess it depends on your plans for your running career. If you're sure you're never going to run more than 7-8 miles per week, and you run regular routes, and you never plan (or hope ... or dream ...) about running races and marathons and beyond ... well, skip the Garmin. Save your money. Buy shoes.
But if you see your running going farther that that - I'd get one now. First, they give you a freedom; you can walk out your front door and just run, wherever you like. But second, and more important for me, its a pretty useful coaching tool; I think of mine as my little coach on my wrist. I've seen marked improvements because of it. It motivates me, helps me find and maintain specific paces - makes sure I'm going hard enough when I want to, slow enough when I need to.
Best of all ... it makes running that much more fun. Which might, in turn, help you make running a lifelong passion.
There isn't much downside to getting one. The things last for years apparently. If you want to go cheap get the 205 - the only thing missing is the heart rate monitor. If you're running significant mileage and want to start using an HRM later, it'll be an excuse to upgrade to the 405 someday. |
E-mail: JakeKnight2002@aol.com
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Maniac # 965
"Don't give the prick the satisfaction ..."
~ Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway
"You're a runner, but you're chasing yourself,
feel a hot breath on your shoulder ... "
~ DIO, circa 1985
I've got
Balls of Steel!
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| view log Balls of Steel |
posted: 5/3/2008 at 1:13 PM |
| Quote from zoom-zoom on 5/3/2008 at 1:02 PM:
The NEED really became apparent as I ran a 15k a year after my first 5k race.
Oh, yeah. And that's the other thing. They are truly useful for racing. Probably at any distance. Again, its like having a coach. You know exactly where you are at all times, what pace you're on, and what you need to do to reach a goal. I'm convinced that my recent marathon PR was significantly aided by Coach Garmin, because I was able to pick a specific pace for the first 10 miles and stay within a second of it. That's enormously helpful for those of us not skilled enough to do it solely by feel. |
E-mail: JakeKnight2002@aol.com
-----------------------------------
Maniac # 965
"Don't give the prick the satisfaction ..."
~ Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Highway
"You're a runner, but you're chasing yourself,
feel a hot breath on your shoulder ... "
~ DIO, circa 1985
I've got
Balls of Steel!
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posted: 5/3/2008 at 1:43 PM |
I'm not sure why this question comes up so much.
First off, nobody NEEDS a Garmin. Unless I find a person who's heart will explode if the run one mile faster than 8 minute pace, I will stand firm on this. I am doing just fine without one and have no plans on getting one. Have I struggled with pacing sometimes, you bet. Mainly with finding my tempo pace, but your body learns pretty fast.
That being said if you have the means to buy one and think it will make running more fun for you, get one. JK, zoom, and numerous others will be more than willing to help you with the benefits and how to use it effectively. We all have stuff we don't need. |
Jim Mcintire Half Marathon, May 17th, Fast Finish Progression <1:56
Grandma's Marathon, June 21st, <4:00:00
Two Town Ten Trillion Nanometer Race, July 4th |
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| view log House Master |
posted: 5/3/2008 at 1:54 PM |
I am very new to the Garmin world myself. But JK points out the biggest benefit that I get from it: the Coach aspect.
I like the constant feedback of knowing my pace at any given time. Right now if you just run one pace most of the time, this feature probably is not too appealing. But once you do this more and your training becomes more sophisticated (if you want it to be) you may find you train at 3 or 4 paces, i.e. easy or long run pace, Threshold pace, Interval pace, Marathon pace, etc. Now the benefit of a Garmin becomes clearly visible.
I also like the distance feature. You can go run anywhere and know exactly how far you have ran.
Oh, and they're cool in a real geeky sort of way. |
| The Gaijin Samurai. a.k.a The attorney dissin' attorney.
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| view log I did it! |
posted: 5/3/2008 at 2:26 PM |
lol... me too. I had a serious bout of garmin lust last week and this REI sale pushed me over the edge. I took the plunge.
need vs want.
I don't need one but it will make running and logging my runs much more carefree. I will get much enjoyment out of it. I also am very interested in adding a HR monitor to my training. I really want to make sure I run my easy run easy this summer... as I will be adding in tempo runs. I really want to make sure I run my tempo runs fast enough yet not too fast. I hope the garmin will help me learn that quicker!
I see it as a tool and one which I hope will provided the useful data I hope it will...
Which I hope to get...
1.) accurate data as to how far I ran and how long it took.
2.) I would like to get a better idea of what kind of elevation gain an loss I went through durrning my run to compare to other runs... (this would be a bonus.. )
3.) I would like to see HR vs speed throughout my run.
4.) I would like to use the garmin to monitor my HR durring runs to keep my slow runs slow
5.) I would love the freedom when in strange places to just run and then not have to spend hours with google maps to determine how far I ran.
6.) Be able to find my way home (back to my hotel) in a strange place if I get lost on a run.
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all that being said.... I think Jake hit the nail on the head... |
2008 goals
Cleveland Marathon < 3:59:59 3:38:48- sub 22:00 5k
- PR in the 15k this fall
- Have more fun = run more
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posted: 5/3/2008 at 3:22 PM |
| My husband was suppose to get me one. But he got me a pedometer instead. What a letdown!!!! |
- Anya
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| view log hurting! |
posted: 5/3/2008 at 3:42 PM
modified: 5/3/2008 at 3:55 PM |
I hoped you lovely people would ease my conscience. I have an hour and a half to wait til the local REI opens. Then I have a feeling I will be there buying my new toy training tool! 
I also have a feeling that my self imposed week off of running following my race last week is going to be ending today instead of Monday as planned. I will have to try out the new Garmin!
On a serious note, thanks for the input. I have fallen in love with running, which is a happy side effect because I started running as one of the tools towards getting healthy (I've lost 37 lbs since August). I have a definite plan to continue increasing my mileage, slow but steady. Also planning some traveling in the N.E. this summer. It will be nice to be able to go out the door and run without pre-planning a route in unfamiliar territory. |
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| view log nvm '08 |
posted: 5/3/2008 at 3:50 PM |
| Quote from jsobo119 on 5/3/2008 at 2:26 PM: lol... me too. I had a serious bout of garmin lust last week and this REI sale pushed me over the edge.
are you talking about the current REI anniversary sale? the fine print (and my attempt to apply the coupon code at checkout) tells me 'Offer not valid on GPS receivers'.
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| 'Practice Winning', my 5 y.o. daughter advised me... |
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| view log |
posted: 5/3/2008 at 3:51 PM
modified: 5/3/2008 at 3:54 PM |
Debbie, you're making the right decision! Your story sounds a lot like mine. I lost a lot of weight and was running only a little farther than you at a time. But since I got the Garmin at Christmas, I've improved immensely and can run 10 miles. I guess it depends on your definition of "need." Do I "need" to run 10 miles? No. But it has made me much happier, trimmer, and stronger. Another benefit that hasn't been mentioned is seeing those miles, tenths of miles, and even hundredths of miles clicking by. When you're totally exhausted, seeing those numbers continue to roll really helps you keep going!
You will love it when you're traveling, too. When I showed DH my routes on satellite views of San Antonio and Austin, he pointed out that I will have records of places I have traveled to! I'm planning on using it in London and South Africa in November. What fun! And there's no way I could map those runs ahead of time to know how far I would be running.
Another benefit for me is that I tend to run too fast on training runs. I should be going 11+ mpm on long runs. Of course, the displayed pace isn't exact, but if I look down and see "10:00," I know I need to slow down some.
It IS a training tool and you will never regret your decision to buy it.
PS. I don't use the heartrate monitor at all, and I'm still glad I have it.
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| Maine Coast HM, September 21 |
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posted: 5/3/2008 at 4:09 PM |
I still have occasional buyer's remorse on my Garmin 205 purchase, a year and change later. I'm probably the only one on this site.
I do like it for doing interval workouts on the roads and occasionally for running routes I'm not familiar with without having to guess or map out how far it was. But it sits in my drawer for weeks without being used sometimes. It will not make you a better runner but it can make it a lot easier to collect data, if you're into that sort of thing. |
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posted: 5/4/2008 at 1:11 AM |
I bought a 305 a week or so ago and love it. The only issue I have is that it didn't come fully charged I had to actually wait 2 hrs before I could run (was supposed to charge for 3). I ended up running alot later then I like to. Oh well. Get it you won't be disappointed. I need to get the foot pod next for the occasional time i run on the treadmill. We got a foot of snow yesterday so I was forced to do that and it killed me not to use the Garmin for my distance.
Mike |
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| view log Future RX-7.5 owner |
posted: 5/4/2008 at 2:20 AM |
| I almost got lost in Edinburgh, Scotland. I figured out how to use the navigation screen (which I never do) pretty quickly. |
2008 Goals: 5K PB - Hopefully at CF Nationals - check!
Run another ½ marathon
Run consistant milage |
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