I am now on Wk 8 (so running 28 mins) and I am looking at buying a Garmin GPS watch (I'm looking at Forerunner 10 £99) and really trying to talk myself into whether I really NEED one or not!!!
I have proved to myself that I am dedicated to running and I am really enjoying it (never thought I would say that!!) and when I get back from each run I like to mapometer to check how far I ran.....so the question is are the Garmin watches worth it?
Have been stuck on this question for a few weeks and cant yet answer it fully, however i am sitting here waiting for the postman to deliver my garmin! I wasn't sure if i could justify the need or the cost, i had mapped my run so knew my distance and was commited to sticking with laura till the end, however i mapped my run again and there was almost a 1k difference, also am on week 7 run 2 and am hating the music, if it arrives today, i am going to use both for one run and then perhaps let go of laura, i think it will give me freedom to change my route, im a bit worried i will look at it obsessively but it will stop me telling laura to hurry up and give me a time, sorry its half an answer, im sure someone else will answer it fully, but i know it is a bit of a dilema
I obsessively watch the Garmin, but then I obsessively watch the clock when I'm doing intervals on the treadmill even though I know it's going to beep at me when I get to the end of that interval.
I've Garmined with the 110, only had it a week so still trying to work the functions ..... Week 8 run 3 completed early this morning ....... but I forgot to press stop it!!! .... .... oh well on the plus side, 3 hours later and according to my watch I've passed the 5k and I'm still running !!!!! he he he
You probably don't NEED one, but having one makes running that bit better. 
I went through the whole range of smartphone apps to log my runs, and they are good. But generally they are only good at recording the data so you can look at it afterwards. Running and trying to use a touchscreen is more or less beyond me, and friends who are runners tell me they have had to have replacement glass on their iPhones several times as a result of checking their phones mid-run and dropping them.
The Garmin (or other GPS device) will let you see the info while you are running (distance, time, pace, etc) which I find helpful and reassuring. So I have a Forerunner 10 also and have no regrets at all (I only wanted the basic info and didn't need the HRM, so went for the 10). If you are confident that you'll carry on running then you'll find a Garmin well worth it.
Hi there, i have the garmin forerunner 110 and I have to say I absolutely love it. I don't have a smartphone, just a small ipod in my pocket, and with the garmin watch it's all I need. I have heard a few people saying about almost dropping smartphones etc and it's not a risk I'd like to take!! I find the garmin really easy to operate and the information you get on connect.garmin.com very useful. Superb for motivation I find. Hope you're happy with your decision either way!
No, you don't need one - but oh, they are so lovely! I think mine (110) is one of the best toys I've ever had! I just go out with the garmin now, I don't take music, so I don't need anything else. So much easier not having to think about earpieces and stopping and starting the ipod.
I have the Garmin Forerunner 410 and I absolutely love it, I say get one and never look back 
You don't NEED one, but as a runner, you DESERVE one for all of your dedication. New running toys keep us motivated! So, are you ordering regular or express delivery? 
Gayle
Get one, it's a terribly addictive toy and I absolutely love mine, I know exactly how fast the dog can run as well now - which is a hell of a lot faster than me!
All your replies have made me laugh as I can so relate to them. My husband bought me the forerunner 610 and I love it. I used to use an app on my smart phone but found it to be just a little unreliable and as others have said I never knew how far I was running or how fast. Now with a twist of the wrist I can see I need to up my pace or keep going for a few minutes more. I'm not too sure what I'm supposed to do with the Heart rate info but I've only had it a couple of months so I'm just logging the data and maybe I'll understand further down the line.
My husband cycles and we found that buying gadgets that will sync with his phone a better choice for him as the phone can be mounted on the handle bars and he can see it easier in that position.
Go for it you will love it
I just did my first run with a garmin, it's evil.
I couldn't stop looking at the pace, I did my best run ever today because of it.
4.5k in 32 minutes, which for me is extremely fast, thought my chest was going to burst when I stopped.
I've just received mine (110) and ran today with it (although I was meant to keep it for graduation, I've just completed wk 8 run 2) excellent fun but highlighted the fact that I too am running much slower than 5k in 30 mins which is discussed elsewhere.
It is part reward and part statement of intent to keep running post graduation and I know it will be a useful tool in helping me keep motivated and monitor progress.
Go for it...
Ooooh you lot are tempting me!! the Garmin 10 is £99 on Amazon and the 110 is £109 so another debate!!
Do the Garmin's have the time on too? so that I can put this on instead of my watch as I go out at 5.45am and need to get back for 6.30am to get ready for work!!
Yes, they do have the time. I wear mine as a watch quite regularly. I would probably spend the extra tenner on a 110, just because it does have a few extra functions and you can have several things on the display at once. Although, admittedly the colour choices for the 10 are much nicer!
I agree with tantrumbean, spend the extra tnner on the 110. Personally I can't imagine running without mine
I'm only on Week 5 and I've put the Garmin forerunner 10 on my amazon wishlist....
My justification is that I don't have a smartphone.
I've an iPod but I'm not sure it measures distance accurately in the fitness mode. I run along the prom - my aim is to run the entire length twice in 30 mins. Trouble is, that's just over 2.3 miles (according to Google) and even though I'm nowhere near running the whole thing, my ipod reckons I've done over 2 miles every time. It tells me I'm up to 2.66 miles. Hmmmm.... in all of 16 mins running and 15 mins walking I doubt that very much!
If I graduate from the Couch to 5k and keep up running and if nobody gets me the garmin for my birthday, I'll get it for myself for Christmas
I have all 4 colours on my Amazon wish list!! waiting for a price drop and my birthday (Sept) maybe hubby will take pity on me!!
I know I answered up close to the top, but there has been a development. Race for life sent me an email on Wednesday, one of their sponsorship partners is Tesco. Tesco sell the bright pink FR10 with £5 going to race for life. I have enough tesco vouchers to pay for one (and we're not getting Thorpe Park passes this year as it's too far in terms of petrol to go often enough), so the dilemma is do I upgrade from my old second-hand garmin to a new shiny shiny pink one?
Hold out a little longer, rumours on moneysavingexpert is that a voucher deal isimminent, so they maybe included in the doube value voucher exchange thing
Ooohhhh! Even more incentive, if the deal's confirmed.
Great news Garmin watches are in the scheme, so you can get the forerunner 10 for £50 worth of vouchers at Tesco direct.
Ooooh goody! I got the MSE email yesterday saying the double voucher thing was on, but hadn't got round to checking if garmins were available.......
Must play on Tesco site later.
I had a £15 Amazon voucher so treated myself to a Garmin FR10 so got it for £75 although I got a boring black one!! I would rather have a shiny pink one though!!
Oh and defo worth it!! has all the info I need time, speed, distance and cals burnt
So...to garmin or not to garmin?
Garmin
Alternative to a Garmin?
Question for Garmin owners
Ok - is it time to buy a Garmin?
