Thoughts on Garmin 305 display fields for half-marathon (Read 896 times)

I'm looking for suggestions for what values to use in the display fields of a Garmin 305 for an upcoming half marathon. The reason I ask this is I haven't run a race longer than 5K and I'm not sure what would be good info to see. When doing training runs I like to see heart rate, lap pace, and total distance. During a race I won't need to see the distance so I figure a display page with pace and heart rate will be simple and easy to read. I don't mind using multiple display pages but would prefer not to have to switch very often - say when I walk at a water station would be often enough. Keep in mind, I'm not in contention for a medal, just wanting to finish and expecting to do so in about 2:20. I've also seen other suggestions to turn off auto-lap and press the lap button at each mile marker so I'll probably try that (and probably forget to do so at many of the mile markers). Brian

I like average lap pace. And then I just glance at it now and then to see if my 'feel' matches the read out.

Ditto. Also, I leave the auto-lap on. One reason I got the Garmin is that I could never reliably remember to hit the lap button on my Timex. I usually have 3 screens showing--elapsed time, distance, and av. pace. Then I have other screens I can toggle through that show time of day, current pace, etc. I've never used my HRM in over a year of owning my 305...I guess I should try that one of these days...

I still like distance -- in case mile markers are missing or I miss them, and I wonder how far there is to go...

Yes...that was the other reason I got my Garmin. I ran a 15k a couple of Summers ago that didn't have mile markers (WTF?). I had no reliable way of knowing how far I'd gone or what my pacing was. I took it WAY too easy.

I'm too stupid not to know my mile splits--I tend to go out way too fast if I don't watch my time early on in races. Yeah, I've run several races with no mile markers. My one and only 10k I kept asking volunteers, how much further? Finally I figured it couldn't be much more than a mile to go and figured I'd better start picking up the pace, and I was right. I got my Garmin a few days later. Best Christmas gift ever. So yeah, for me, I leave the auto lap on. (And I need to move to a better running town.)

I'm totally geeking out on these Garmins. I'm on my 2nd 205 (first wore out) and just bought a 305 two weeks ago so now I have two of these things. I've used the 205 for races and I've always displayed 'Pace' and 'Lap Distance' and manually lap the thing. This Sunday is the Cal Int Marathon and I'm still trying to decide whether to wear the HRM. I won't be using it for pacing as I have a goal time to hit, HR be damned. But it'd be interesting to see the data. If I wear it I'll display Pace, Lap Distance and current HR.

I'm a Garmin newbie (proud owner for all of a week) and still working the thing out. I have a Garmin 405 so I'd be limited to 3 data fields per screen (unless I use auto scroll). If I was running a HM tomorrow I'd just have one screen and would display: -distance -average pace -current lap pace Auto lap ON - I know I'd miss some markers if I did not auto lap Auto pause OFF Auto lap distance set to 1km (or perhaps even 1/2km) If I set auto scroll between 2 screens I'd add in to the mix: -HR zone (I prefer zone to bpm because its a smaller number and easier to take in what it is telling me) -last lap pace -total time My reasons for things I've included: -I want distance so I can count off how far I've gone/to go (even between markers or if I miss them) -average pace is the target I'd be running to achieve (worked out before hand based on my target time) -current lap pace to let me know how I'm doing NOW (its a bit wild for the first 100+m of a "lap", but then settles down OK My reasons for things I've included as second choice -Last lap pace: a good reference to know if I'm gaining or loosing pace -total time: I don't really need this as I can get it when I finish, but its still good to see -HR or HR zone: I don't really need this to know how I feel (but its interesting to look at later, and could help prevent early burn out) Things I'd never include: -current pace: data is too wild and unreliable -elevation or grade: again too unreliable

I avoid using a heart rate monitor at races. My heart rate in a race is always higher than in training even before I cross the starting line. So it's not a good measure of effort and results more in freaking me out than helping in any way. Pace yourself by perceived effort instead, it will help you focus on how your body is doing on race day. So I second Mike: Elapsed time. Take splits at the mile markers for a sanity check.

For those of you that set the Auto-Lap feature to ON during the race. Most 3rd party GPS software such as say SportTracks allow you to display 'splits' at any distance you want. ie 1mile, .5mile, .25 mile, 1K, 2K, 5K, 10K etc. Also, of course, allows you to display the actual recorded splits (when the watch actually 'lapped' itself or when you manually lap it). This is why I like the manual lap mode in a race. I can get the lap times to compare with others who use a regular watch and can go back later using ST and get whatever splits I want. One of the best features of ST. Just an FYI.