RunningAHEAD - Topic: Garmin Forerunner: helpful hints for noobs

Garmin Forerunner: helpful hints for noobs (Read 792 times)

zoom-zoom view log Registered for #2	posted: 11/21/2007 at 2:05 PM
	For those of you who are seasoned Garmin users, what useful advice and tips can you pass along? The basic use of the unit seems straightforward enough, but are there little features and quirks you have discovered as you became more familiar with the device? k --who is still sicker than a dog and can only dream of being able to breathe well enough to use her Garmie.
	Kirsten '07: 1324.5 mi '08: 1561 mi ... • Ladies Locker Room • .: 2009 Goals :. • Run 1750 miles • 2 marathons (May - Bayshore, Fall - ?) • PRs: 5k ~ 15k ~ 25k? ~ HM ~ 26.2 • 1st trail relay (North Country)

t_runner

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posted: 11/21/2007 at 2:32 PM

I'm not exactly seasoned.. but I've had it long enough I can't imagine running without it! The one thing that has annoyed me is a time or two I have accidentally left it on, and then the next day when I go to use it, the battery is gone.

Something strange I have noticed is that the distance reading on the watch is slightly shorter than what I see when I upload to motionbased.com for example. I thought I read somebody else posting here about this, saying that if Garmie only polls every 3 seconds (I'm making that number up, don't remember), it may miss slight variances off the path. When all is said and done though, it's proved to be very accurate for me.

Some interesting information about altitude readings came from the question I posed when I was contemplating buying one:
Click

Hope you feel better! Bummer on the timing all around.

Run To Win view log Blaine Moore	posted: 11/21/2007 at 2:39 PM
	Quote from t_runner on 11/21/2007 at 2:32 PM: Something strange I have noticed is that the distance reading on the watch is slightly shorter than what I see when I upload to motionbased.com for example. I thought I read somebody else posting here about this, saying that if Garmie only polls every 3 seconds (I'm making that number up, don't remember), it may miss slight variances off the path. When all is said and done though, it's proved to be very accurate for me. A friend of mine says that motionbased will correct your path so that if it cuts a corner it will leave you along the road or trail as you would normally go.
	Run to Win I just started using Twitter - anybody else on there? http://twitter.com/RunToWin

mbk view log	posted: 11/21/2007 at 2:43 PM modified: 11/21/2007 at 2:44 PM
	A few helpful tips: 1. I recently stopped using the auto-lap feature. I used to have it set to do a split at every mile, and this caused me to constantly speed up and slow down to stay on a specific pace. Recently I've stopped using splits at all; this causes less variation in the pace Garmin displays and allows me to run a more even pace. 2. Know the difference between "Pace" and "Lap Pace." "Pace" is the calculated pace you are going at that instant, and it will vary wildly (on most of my runs Garmin tells me my fastest pace was in the 5:00s or 6:00s, which is impossible!). You should focus on "Lap Pace" which is your average/aggregate pace for the lap (and if you don't use laps, as I mentioned above, for the whole workout) and is more reliable. 3. In my experience Garmin tends to measure most courses long. This means I need to be a little under my goal pace. For example, if I want to run a 2 hour half marathon (9:06 pace) I would shoot for around 9:00 or slightly under because Garmin will hit the 13.1 miles early. 4. When I get up in the morning to workout I first turn on my Garmin and set it on a windowsill that has a good clear view of the sky. Then I get my workout gear on. When I return, it's ready to go. Don't start your workout until Garmin has gotten in touch with the motherships in outer space. If you do your stats will be wildly off and it will take longer for Garmin to acquire a signal. Just be patient. I guess that's all I can think of. I love it and am probably too reliant on it, but I really like knowing how I'm doing and how far I'm going. Have fun, and Happy Thanksgiving!
	"Long-distance runners have to be very strange people. You have to really want to do it. You don't have to win or beat someone, you just have to get through the thing. That's the sense of victory. The sense of self-worth." ~Ted Corbitt

jEfFgObLuE view log Frustrating Project	posted: 11/21/2007 at 3:47 PM modified: 11/21/2007 at 4:13 PM
	1. I personally like Auto-Lap every mile, but mbk makes a good point in not getting chained to it. Also, the Lap Pace during the first tenth or two of a mile split will be a little skewed (positional error is more significant when you've only traveled a short distance), but should be pretty accurate after that. It is nice to look at your mile splits after the fact; just don't get too obsessed during the run. If you don't like Auto-Lap, but still like knowing your mile marks, go to Training-->Training Options-->Alerts-->Time/Dist Alert. You can set it to beep every mile, but it won't start a new lap. 2. Under Settings-->General-->Data Fields, you can configure what the screen shows. As a runner, you'll have Main 1, Main 2, and Running to work with. (i.e during a run, you can use the up/down arrows to toggle between theses 3 screens). Put whatever you think you need there, but keep it simple -- it'll quickly become a distraction if you're looking at 4 fields trying to figure out what the hell they're saying. FWIW, my Main 1 has Time, Lap Pace, and (Total) Distance. Most of the time, a glance at this is all I need. 3. Settings-->System-->Tones : set to Message only. No one likes something that beeps every time you push a button. 4. Get to know your options under Workouts: a) Quick: run for a specific Dist &Time, Time & Pace, or Dist & Pace. If the Virtual Partner is turned on (not as hot as it sounds -- go to Training-->Training Options-->Virtual Partner), one of the screens you can toggle through will show how many feet/meters you are ahead of or behind the goal pace. Don't get too obsessive with it, but helpful if you have a workout with a very specific pace goal. b) Interval: Great for repeats. If you're doing 3x1 mile reps with 4 minutes rest, this is the place to go. The intervals and rests can be either distance or time-based. However, all reps are the same. If you want to do a workout with intervals of various time/distance (like this one), use Advanced Workout. c) Advanced Workouts: You can program just about any combination of time, distance, repeat you can come up with. Very difficult to program on the watch -- best done using the software (Garmin Training Center). MTA: Get well soon.
	20th Century: 800m: 2:04 \|1600m: 4:37 \|3200m: 10:06 \|5k: 16:23 \|10k: 35:38 \|15k: 54:20 25k: 1:35:59 21st Century: 5k: 19:42 \|10k: 43:00 "Do not allow children to mix drinks. It is unseemly, and they use too much vermouth." Steve Allen Oswald acted alone.

zoom-zoom view log Registered for #2	posted: 11/21/2007 at 6:22 PM
	Quote from jEfFgObLuE on 11/21/2007 at 3:47 PM: b) Interval: Great for repeats. If you're doing 3x1 mile reps with 4 minutes rest, this is the place to go. The intervals and rests can be either distance or time-based. However, all reps are the same. If you want to do a workout with intervals of various time/distance (like this one), use Advanced Workout. c) Advanced Workouts: You can program just about any combination of time, distance, repeat you can come up with. Very difficult to program on the watch -- best done using the software (Garmin Training Center). MTA: Get well soon. Thanks...better living through chemistry. I loves me some Robitussin! I think the two above features will be particularly useful. No need for a track to do "track" workouts. I've already got the auto-pause set on the Garmin. I HATE having to stop and restart my watch at each traffic crossing...especially when I push start and it doesn't...and I don't realize it until 5 minutes later. k
	Kirsten '07: 1324.5 mi '08: 1561 mi ... • Ladies Locker Room • .: 2009 Goals :. • Run 1750 miles • 2 marathons (May - Bayshore, Fall - ?) • PRs: 5k ~ 15k ~ 25k? ~ HM ~ 26.2 • 1st trail relay (North Country)

mikeymike

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posted: 11/21/2007 at 6:37 PM

Quote from Run To Win on 11/21/2007 at 2:39 PM:

A friend of mine says that motionbased will correct your path so that if it cuts a corner it will leave you along the road or trail as you would normally go.

Motionbased does not correct for cutting corners--I can see on the map where it cuts corners all the time. Sport Trax (sp?) lets you do this manually but I've never used it. I think the reason MB sometimes shows a different distace from the watch itself is that if the watch loses signal (like if you go under a bridge or near a tall building) it will not record the distance you traveled while it lost signal, but motionbased will connect the dots in a straight line. I think. Anyhow in my experience the watch always says a slightly different distance than MB, both of which are slightly different from reality. Also--and here's why I DON'T recommend auto-pause--if the thing does lose signal for a few seconds and you have auto pause on, it will stop the timer. It will somehow add the time back in when you upload to MB (it does this whether you have autopause on or off which is anoying) but it won't be nearly as accurate, so if I'm running a route I don't know the distance of, I take the TIME off the watch and I take the DISTANCE from MotionBased.

antihero view log	posted: 11/21/2007 at 7:28 PM
	Quote from zoom-zoom on 11/21/2007 at 6:22 PM: I've already got the auto-pause set on the Garmin. I HATE having to stop and restart my watch at each traffic crossing...especially when I push start and it doesn't...and I don't realize it until 5 minutes later. I've played with auto pause, mostly when I'm biking (for traffic lights), but found it to be not only not useful, but annoying. Nothing is more annoying then to stop, hear the beep-boop of it pausing, then two seconds later, the boop-beep as it unpauses, even though you haven't moved, then another beep-boop to re-pause, then it won't unpause until you've already been moving again for five seconds or something. Really annoying and not very accurate. I think the natural error of 30-40 feet just causes too many variations in spot-calculations of speed for it to be useful. Often, I stand in one place stretching and see my "pace" go from none to 30 minute miles to 12 minute miles to 18 minute miles and then back to none, all without me moving at all. Silly satellites. These errors don't really matter once you average them over anything more than a few minutes, though. For what it's worth, the ascending beep when you push start is loud enough and the button requires a hard enough push that I doubt you will fail to start it and not realize it. Have fun!
	sean

zoom-zoom view log Registered for #2	posted: 11/21/2007 at 7:54 PM
	Hmmm...perhaps I will disable the auto-pause, then. Too bad that feature doesn't work better...in theory it would be a very useful thing. k
	Kirsten '07: 1324.5 mi '08: 1561 mi ... • Ladies Locker Room • .: 2009 Goals :. • Run 1750 miles • 2 marathons (May - Bayshore, Fall - ?) • PRs: 5k ~ 15k ~ 25k? ~ HM ~ 26.2 • 1st trail relay (North Country)

jEfFgObLuE view log Frustrating Project	posted: 11/21/2007 at 8:05 PM modified: 11/21/2007 at 8:09 PM
	RESETTING: Another note: when you're done with your run, always a good idea to hold the lap but down. This resets the Garmin and stores the run in the memory. If you don't do this, the Garmin will sometimes join your next run with the previous run. VIRTUAL TRAINER As far as the Virtual Trainer (during the "Quick Workout") goes, I use it occasionally. More often than not, I use it on rest days when I want to force myself to take it easy. I have toyed with the idea of using it in an actual race. If you or anyone else ever decides to do this, I'd recommend the following. 1. Calculate your target pace. Use a calculator or the pace calculator on this site. 2. Under Training-->Workouts-->Quick Workouts select Dist & Pace 3. Let's say you wanted to run a 27min 5k. That's 8:42 per mile. Enter a distance of 4 miles (NOT 5k), and a pace of 8:42. 4. Hit Start/Stop at the beginning and end of your race. Hit lap at the mile markers if you choose. All the while, you'll being running ~~behind~~ ahead of that Virtual ~~Bastard~~ Trainer. Why do this? Well, you need to oversize your distance, because if the race course and the Garmin disagree, and your Garmin thinks you've run 5k before you hit the finish line, the watch will stop, thinking you're done. If you're doing a Quick Workout by yourself, no need to worry about this, but on a race course, it would suck to have your watch stop before you finish the race. ATTENTION HORSKACK, BABARINO, WASHINGTON, AND EPSTEIN (i.e. SWEATHOGS) The sound holes for the speakers are located on the underside of the watch. The problem is that they're right up against your wrist. I had my Garmin slowly go mute this summer, and I think it was due to a combination of sweat and sunscreen getting in the holes. (Got a fast warranty repair, BTW). I recommend putting scotch tape over these holes. You'll still be able to hear it just fine, and you won't drown your speakers in perspiration.
	20th Century: 800m: 2:04 \|1600m: 4:37 \|3200m: 10:06 \|5k: 16:23 \|10k: 35:38 \|15k: 54:20 25k: 1:35:59 21st Century: 5k: 19:42 \|10k: 43:00 "Do not allow children to mix drinks. It is unseemly, and they use too much vermouth." Steve Allen Oswald acted alone.

zoom-zoom view log Registered for #2	posted: 11/21/2007 at 8:10 PM
	Quote from jEfFgObLuE on 11/21/2007 at 8:05 PM: ATTENTION HORSKACK, BABARINO, WASHINGTON, AND EPSTEIN (i.e. SWEATHOGS) The sound holes for the speakers are located on the underside of the watch. The problem is that they're right up against your wrist. I had my Garmin slowly go mute this summer, and I think it was due to a combination of sweat and sunscreen getting in the holes. (Got a fast warranty repair, BTW). I recommend putting scotch tape over these holes. You'll still be able to hear it just fine, and you won't drown your speakers in perspiration. That may be, perhaps, the best tip I have seen, yet. Ask Eryn about my sweathogness. The first time she ran with me I think she was truly impressed and disgusted by my volume of sweat. Heh, I've lost 3-4#s on a single hour-long run in the Summer. I definitely don't glisten, I SWEAT! k
	Kirsten '07: 1324.5 mi '08: 1561 mi ... • Ladies Locker Room • .: 2009 Goals :. • Run 1750 miles • 2 marathons (May - Bayshore, Fall - ?) • PRs: 5k ~ 15k ~ 25k? ~ HM ~ 26.2 • 1st trail relay (North Country)

trails2run	posted: 11/21/2007 at 8:35 PM
	Quote from jEfFgObLuE on 11/21/2007 at 3:47 PM: 2. Under Settings-->General-->Data Fields, you can configure what the screen shows. As a runner, you'll have Main 1, Main 2, and Running to work with. (i.e during a run, you can use the up/down arrows to toggle between theses 3 screens). Put whatever you think you need there, but keep it simple -- it'll quickly become a distraction if you're looking at 4 fields trying to figure out what the hell they're saying. FWIW, my Main 1 has Time, Lap Pace, and (Total) Distance. Most of the time, a glance at this is all I need. I have different things on the different screens - so the ones I want the most on my main screeen, but 4 completely different data fields on the next one.
	San Francisco MarathonTimberline MarathonLost Dutchman MarathonReno Cinco de Mayo Marathon Tahoe Rim Trail 50kGlacial Trail 50kGrand Teton Trail MarathonGoblin Valley 50k

trails2run	posted: 11/21/2007 at 8:40 PM
	Quote from zoom-zoom on 11/21/2007 at 7:54 PM: Hmmm...perhaps I will disable the auto-pause, then. Too bad that feature doesn't work better...in theory it would be a very useful thing. k And if you forget that auto pause is enabled, and you are trying to beat a certain time in a race, you'll end up mixed up because of the time spent in the restroom, or tying your shoe, etc.! This happened in one of my marathons. I borrowed my husbands Garmin since he had the newer 205, but I didn't know the 2 minutes in the port-a-potty at mile 16 were auto-paused. So while I though I barely made it in under the 5:30 mark, I actually came out slightly longer than 5:30!
	San Francisco MarathonTimberline MarathonLost Dutchman MarathonReno Cinco de Mayo Marathon Tahoe Rim Trail 50kGlacial Trail 50kGrand Teton Trail MarathonGoblin Valley 50k

zoom-zoom view log Registered for #2	posted: 11/21/2007 at 8:52 PM
	Quote from trails2run on 11/21/2007 at 8:40 PM: And if you forget that auto pause is enabled, and you are trying to beat a certain time in a race, you'll end up mixed up because of the time spent in the restroom, or tying your shoe, etc.! This happened in one of my marathons. I borrowed my husbands Garmin since he had the newer 205, but I didn't know the 2 minutes in the port-a-potty at mile 16 were auto-paused. So while I though I barely made it in under the 5:30 mark, I actually came out slightly longer than 5:30! Oh, that is a VERY good point...probably the best reason not to use it! k
	Kirsten '07: 1324.5 mi '08: 1561 mi ... • Ladies Locker Room • .: 2009 Goals :. • Run 1750 miles • 2 marathons (May - Bayshore, Fall - ?) • PRs: 5k ~ 15k ~ 25k? ~ HM ~ 26.2 • 1st trail relay (North Country)

mbk view log	posted: 11/21/2007 at 9:02 PM
	Quote from zoom-zoom on 11/21/2007 at 7:54 PM: Hmmm...perhaps I will disable the auto-pause, then. Too bad that feature doesn't work better...in theory it would be a very useful thing. k I hate auto-pause. I often have the opposite problem of what was described above. I'm running at a fairly even pace. All of the sudden, it auto-pauses, then a few seconds later it un-pauses. It may do this several times. I think this feature works better in the 30x series; I have a 205. But long story short, I hate auto-pause. I also hate that when you stop and start your watch it counts as a lap/split. So if you do come to an intersection at 0.42 miles and stop your watch, you won't be able to get a mile split at 1.0 because the split restarts when the watch restarts. I wish Garmin would fix that. Have fun.
	"Long-distance runners have to be very strange people. You have to really want to do it. You don't have to win or beat someone, you just have to get through the thing. That's the sense of victory. The sense of self-worth." ~Ted Corbitt