3 Years of Garmin-logged activity (Read 655 times)

I know there are some strong feelings on the role the Garmin devices should play in running...this is not an attempt, in any way, to advocate either end of the spectrum. Just my personal story. For me, the challenge was that I was trying to significantly improve my health and get back my fitness. I had set a goal of at least 1 hour per day or walking and/or running, every day, and tracking distance was a challenge to measure . I either had to spend all those hours on only known, measured routes, which was bo-or-ing, or depend on two different pedometers due to stride length, one for walking and one for running, and the two like streams on a proton gun, they could never meet. Of course, there was no way to mix a walk / run event and get any sort of distance estimate Then one day I stumbled across the Forerunner and my world changed. Bought one, and the very next day I set on new routes and was able to explore new directions and new sights. So much so that the next week I wondered how long it would take me to get to my brother's house, so I set out...25.03 miles in 6hr 50min of walking. I don't run FOR the Garmin, I run with it on and let it record what happened, not create what happened. I'm not much of a pace-slave, I don't expect my ForeRunner to measure a race course within inches of the certified distance (screw what the Garmin sez...either I finished ahead of you or behind you in the race), or all the other evils assigned to these devices. But fact is, for me, the log my Garmin builds keeps me honest. It drives me. I hate the holes, the missed days, I can't hide from the facts it records -- was I slow or fast, did I go out or not, where did that course go...and so on. May 17, 2006...first event logged was 3.02 mile walk. May 17, 2009 11.03 mile run. Between 2006 and 2009 I've used two different Garmin Forerunner 205s to log 1,394 workouts for 5,534 miles. I would not be, I could not have become, as engaged in running as a hobby without my Garmin(s). It has truly been a small device that changed my life, or at least this period of my life.

I'm a sucker--I run FOR my Garmin. I want to take it places its never been. I want the wind to whip through its band. When I race, I always hold my Garmin out in front because I want it to finish the race before me. If it wasn't for my Garmin, I'd spend too much time mapping routes or driving them, or just running the same route over and over. It really does help me run and keep me interested. I thought I was too addicted, but then one day I started running before it got a satellite lock and I realized I would be okay.

I find that the mapping feature on RA does me just fine, and with a little practice takes no time at all.