Hello active peeps. I've discovered to my horror this week that my newly-loved Strava app on my phone is astonishingly inaccurate. I only starting using it post-c25k, & so am now feeling rather foolish in thinking that I'd been making such good progress on some of my consolidation runs. In fact I'm now doubting all my self-measured distances & subsequent timings.
As I am now training for a ridiculously hilly 10k, I want to make sure I'm on course & need to have a reliable tracking device. I'm assuming it's my GPS on my rather battered phone rather than the app per se that's the problem. The problem is, to say I'm on a tight budget is an understatement, so if I have to buy some sort of gadget it needs to be as inexpensive as possible. Any suggestions? Thank you in advance.
Written by
SunnyMummy
Graduate10
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My husband bought me a discontinued model Garmin Forerunner - the 110 - from one of the secondhand/pawnbroker/recycling websites on the interwebz for about £30. It's fine for what I need it to do, basically distance, pace, and duration. It doesn't sync straight to my phone though as it doesn't have Bluetooth.
That said, if you can plan a route using Strava's webpage then you'll know how long your run is and will only need to time yourself (though I realise that's no use for interval sessions).
Don't worry! It's you that's running app or no app 😃
I have had my Garmin Forerunner 10 for ages and is absolutely fine. I got mine from Tesco it does the basics, e.g. Time, distance, pace, splits, virtual pacer, auto pause. There is a video clip on Garmin to explain what it does
I am not bothered about the fancier stuff you can get for which you have to pay extra
When you have done your run you upload it to Garmin Connect and you get some lovely info back at ya 😃
I used the App RUNKEEPER for about 3 years before buying a Garmin. Even then the only reason I did buy a watch was that I wanted to do heart rate training . I couldn't really live without the Garmin now - and really wish I now had a wrist based HRM version. I am anticipating having to go back to C25K type training after my bad foot heals so will probably go back to using RUNKEEPER again for a while - or at least a simple run/walk App.
It's a longshot but I bought a gps watch from Aldi for £65 three years ago. I have not seen them since. It has HRM, normal tracking features, a wayfinder feature so you can input gpx files and it will show you which way to go, as well as a digital compass and 16hr GPS battery life.
It seems as accurate as any Garmin I have tried it against and is certainly more reliable than my rather dodgy old phone.
Ah that's useful to know, I'll have a look online. Thanks!
Following this with interest... after 2.5yrs I am still using endomondo on my phone which means I spend a lot of time wearing my annoying running belt. Although I've started using my normal watch if I know a route well or if the distance has been pre-measured e.g. for parkrun etc. I set it to exactly 9:00 when they shout start and then check it at the halfway mark for progress etc... But a nice beepy watch with pace etc would be nice too, could stretch to £30 I think
Defo need a GPS watch, a few years back I bought a used Garmin FR210 off flebay for £50 and still working great! I see there's a few on eBay at the moment that may suit in the 30s-£50 region. My wife has has the Garmin FR10 (some on here have and rate well) which she likes a lot..
When I graduated I bought a Forerunner 15 on eBay for around £35. Its perfect, accurate and does all I need it to do. Pace, time, calories burnt etc. I just use it for Pace, distance and time. It links to my PC via a data cable and I have it linking via Garmin Connect straight to Strava on my phone. Replacement straps are available as well for £5 so it should do me for a long time. That was the reason why I didn't go for a 110 in the end, although a better watch there was no replacement straps available for the 110.
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- and really wish I now had a wrist based HRM version. I am anticipating having to go back to C25K type training after my bad foot heals so will probably go back to using RUNKEEPER again for a while - or at least a simple run/walk App.
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Be prepared!
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