Got the 410 from Santa and have done a few runs with it. I like being able to just go out and run without giving a damn about where I'm going to run but knowing when I finish I'll know distance and pace. I like sitting down next to the computer and having the entire workout entered without me typing it in. That's pretty cool. Still, I'm not sure whether to use it on race day as you will never hit the mile markers exactly when the Garmin records a "mile" and the mileage on the course is the only mileage that counts. Nor did I use it during intervals yesterday as a Garmin is worse than useless on a track.
Short term goal: 17:59 5K
Mid term goal: 2:54:59 marathon
Long term goal: To say I've been a runner half my life. (I started running at age 45).
Chairman
A 410 is perfectly useful as a stop watch on a track. It has a lap button and can be programmed to show overall time and lap time, among other things.
For races, the auto lap function can be turned off, and you can lap the watch like a regular stop watch.
And yes, all that is in the crappy manual.
Coalition for a Free and Independent New Jersey
I use my Garmin on the track because I am bad at counting and I totally lose track of laps without a GPS estimate. But maybe that is just me...
Auhugh!!
>> Nor did I use it during intervals yesterday as a Garmin is worse than useless on a track.
I find mine to be very useful at the track.
When I ran a mile time trial at the track in November, I was darn tempted to use the time the Garmin gave me for a mile- since it beeped 8 seconds before I hit the line. But it still has the accurate time, and I can hit the button when I cross the line, so it works for me. Glad you're enjoying your Garmin.
"...You have to have faith, to know that you can do what you want to do." -Joseph Nzau
Run Like a Mother
I'm glad you are enjoying it! I used mine during my last race and I'm glad I did. It didn't match the mile markers at all for many of the miles 6-12, but matched up almost exactly at the end. Some of their mile markers were long, others were really short. But the course was right on. My garmin kept me sane on those long miles and were a reality check on the short ones.
Shakedown Street
so you like the 'feel', good.
Started-5/12, RWOL refugee,5k-24:23 (1/12/13),10K-55:37(9/15/12),HM-1:52:59(3/24/13)
uʍop ǝpᴉsdn sǝʇᴉɹʍ ʇI
If nothing else, I like to use my Garmin for races just to keep track of the miles. Races count for mileage. By the way, the Blue Moon Spiced Amber Ale is very good.
Using garmin connect, I have programmed several complex workouts that I will download to the watch over the course of the season.
From what I can tell, the conflict is in tracking miles vs meters, because in our country, we use miles for warmups and cool downs, and meters for the workout itself (generally speaking that is). So what I have done is chosen to use the lap button as opposed to trying to set it up by distance. I do however, have some workouts programmed by time, but none by distance, yet.
In all honesty, I am actually pretty stoked about this feature, as the possibilities seems endless!
Chief Unicorn Officer
I don't use mine on the track either...I've never tried. I'm just old school. I log my interval times by hand. I pretty much use it for the basics, like you. Just need to know distance for my everyday runs, and pace. Even if the mile markers don't match up in a race, I'm not great and pacing by feel so I like to be able to check in on my pace and see a number, which works for me.
Mile 5:49 - 5K 19:58 - 10K 43:06 - HM 1:36:54
Beer-and-waffle Powered
On the track I'd just use a screen that only has the Lap/Total Time (and maybe the total distance) with autolap off. That way you can use it exactly as a normal watch but can still get all your "totals" and breakdowns after the workout.
In the words of my late-coach : Just hang in there, relax... and at the end of a race anyone you see.....just pass them
Hey LTH, I got the impression you were anti-gadgets. Anyway, as for races, I use the Garmin and I turn AutoLap off. Then takes splits manually with the markers on the course. That way you can go back to the data and compare how the GPS miles compare to the course markers. On one race I ran several people reported a suspiciously long 24th mile.
Healed Hammy
LTH I find the 410 very useful for a new runner. Way back in July I posted a thread about how does one "learn" pacing. You among the other helpful folks here schooled me in cadence, interval marking, and in general just said it takes time and experience to learn the feel of each speedl.
Well 6 months later I can definitely say the Garmin has helped me immensely with proper pacing for long runs and recovery runs for instance. I also can end up at my driveway within 1/10th of a mile of my desired distance. I know where to turn around and where to cut short a loop if needed to match my desired workout. In new locations I can just run till the watch tells me to turn around and trace back the same route.
So yes, +1 to the Garmin (Happy New Year BTW)
Tracy
It's also great to have when on vacation, or when I'm traveling for work.
For racing, I use it just to keep my pace in check, not to count off the miles... the fact that it's always slightly off the mile markers is no big deal.
levitation specialist
It does free you yet chain you, all at the same time. Technology can be like that, sneaky useful!
Glad you like it. Welcome to the dark side, LTH.