So my way too expensive Garmin 610, which I've owned about a year and a half, started malfunctioning a few days ago. The screen would flash blank periodically for a fraction of a second. No problem. Since then, though, it's been getting worse-- it flashes on and off almost continuously and at best when the screen flashes 'on' there are blank lines though all the data fields, making it hard to read.
Now, before everyone gets on my case, I know people ran marathons LONG before GPS devices were invented.
Personally, I feel better having one, and with my marathon coming up on Sunday there's obviously no time to send it in for a repair.
So my options as far as I can see (please feel free to suggest something different)
1- Run with it as is, hope it is not too terrible
2- Buy a cheap Timex watch with lap splits, I'll at least have split data every mile
3- Buy one of the cheaper Garmins, plan to resell it on Craigslist/ebay after the race
4- Buy another 610 (it's what I've been training with, I don't want to learn a whole new watch and I have one run left between now and then), plan to resell it after the race
I've tried doing the master reset, I've tried everything, I think it's a hardware problem (something not making a strong connection to something else inside the watch) rather than a software problem. I've been googling and as far as I can tell I'm the only one with this problem.
Help?
Oh no!!! I understand perfectly your need for a garmin during your upcoming race. I'd feel naked without one as well. I have no advice on what model is better, but I can tell you that I once ran a marathon with a dead garmin (I had forgotten to re-charge it) and I simply added all my splits in my head while running. We have lots of time for simple calculations when running 26.2 miles. Only in the last 2-3 miles did things become kind of a blur to me. I missed a sub-3:40 by about 30 seconds. Darn it! Good luck next weekend! Can you borrow someone's garmin?
PRs: Boston Marathon, 3:27, April 15th 2013
Cornwall Half-Marathon, 1:35, April 27th 2013
18 marathons, 18 BQs since 2010
I would 2nd day mail you my 410 but unless you have run with a touch bezel before, there would not be enough time to become comfortable with it.
If I were in your shoes, I would either buy one, wear it, clean it then return it to the store and say I have changed my mind, or try to find a used one on the after market.
You have invested too much in this race to try experimenting with a standard watch at this point, the stakes are simply too high. If someone cannot understand that that's not your problem.
Thanks Julie
Borrowing one is going to be tough-- all my running friends that I know well enough to ask for a favor like this from are running the marathon too.
I would rather buy a cheap sports watch than add up laps in my head-- I am ok at math but my memory is stupidly terrible during a race!
You have one more option. If you call Garmin and put a deposit, they will send you the replacement Garmin ahead of time (you might get it before the race). Then, send yours after the race in the package they will provide.
I assume it's within warranty?
Damaris
As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.
Fundraising Page
I wouldn't use the watch during the race. My Fenix has a defect and I still used it for MCM instead of going back to my 910XT. It was beeping all race long, giving me weird paces, and basically screwing with my chi.
Thanks, Rick!
I thought about buying/returning one but something doesn't feel right about that... If I buy a Garmin 10 for $130 and resell it for $100 I'm only out $30 total...
Damaris- Thanks for letting me know about that option! I'm not sure I would get it in time... It's no longer under warranty, I figure I'm going to have to pay to fix it but I don't know what that process is yet or how much it's going to cost. I should have dealt with this when it first started blanking out, I just assumed it wouldn't get so much worse so quickly.
I echo the sympathy of the others. That really sucks.
If you go with the timex option, I would recommend you wear a pace band. That will reduce the need to do a lot of math on the fly.
2013 goals: 800m: 2:20 | mile: 4:59 | 5k: 18:59 | 10k: 39:59 | HM: 1:32 | Marathon: 3:20
I have done both of my raced marathons with a Timex. The only thing that really matters are your splits at the mile markers. You can weave along the road and run more than 26.2 miles. Despite that, your time is counts only when you cross the finish and you still only get credit for running 26.2 miles even if you ran 26.5. As a race goes on, the discrepancy between the mile markers you see on the course and the mile marks as reported by the Gospel according to Garmin can differ but it's the course mile marks and only the course mile marks that count. A Garmin is useful for pace data between mile markers.but as you well know, it can drive you crazy if you look at instant pace.
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).
KillJoyFuckStick
I echo the sympathy of the others. That really sucks. If you go with the timex option, I would recommend you wear a pace band. That will reduce the need to do a lot of math on the fly.
Solid advice.
You people have issues
Brad, thanks, but I know all this-- I do manual laps at the mile markers (not auto laps on the garmin) and look at average lap pace rather than instant pace. I do find that it's helpful to be able to check my pace in between the mile markers, which is where I find the garmin to be most useful.
Per Julie's suggestion I just posted an ad on my team's message board. Someone reached out to me already so I may be able to borrow a 410 for the day. I'll just have to get comfortable with it real fast!
If you go with the Timex option, maybe rather than have a pace band you can print out your target ranges mile by mile for A, and B goals.
I ran a marathon last week with a simple New Balance GPS. I also had a Timex on my other wrist. I had a piece of paper printed out that listed splits for 3 finishing times that I could check occasionally.
#artbydmcbride
Try running without anything. Run by feel! You will be running scared the whole time, but you will learn bunches!!
<mostly, that you NEVER want to do it again!>
Runners run
Thanks everyone for the help-- I am actually not freaking out about this, just trying to keep calm and figure out the best option to run my best race.
I'm going to be able to borrow a local teammate's, it's not a perfect solution as it's a 410 and I won't have much time to figure it out (he wants to lend it to me Sat. evening) but I'm super grateful and it's a huge load off my mind.
I did that in four events this year and a half dozen sessions of speed intervals and it is definitely different!