Question for Greenlegs: re Garmin (and anyone else who uses this device)

[PamJK]

Is it very easy to switch on the Garmin after the 5 minute warm up walk and switch off again at the end of the run/before cool down?

I can't do it with my iphone as it's too fiddly which is why I have to record the whole thing.

I covered 5.1K yesterday (W8R2) but obviously 10 minutes of that was walking so I'm guessing I'm covering about 3.5K actually running/plodding at the moment.

[greenlegs Graduate]

I can switch it on and off easily while on the move (even resetting the autolap while cycling - though that's probably not advisable - there wasn't any traffic at that point!) You press one button to stop it tracking, then another one (which you have to hold for a few seconds) to save it. Then you start it again for the next bit.

You do need to wait for it to find the satellites - sometimes it's very quick, other times takes a few minutes (but it will start searching while I'm still indoors).

[PamJK Graduate]

Thanks Greenlegs. If I keep up this running thing, I just might treat myself!

[rosn123 Graduate]

I usually have mine finding satellites while I am doing my warm up walk then it's just a case of pressing a button when I'm ready to start running and pressing it again when I'm finished.

[Landesman Graduate]

Touchscreen smartphones are very difficult to operate while running, but GPS watches are simplicity itself. There's probably more information than you need here but this review of just one model covers all the aspects very thoroughly ( dcrainmaker.com/2012/08/gar... ). They are well worth it if you want a more accurate record of your run, plus info on time, distance and pace while you are running.

[SBG356 Graduate]

There is one stop/start button so very easy. You don't need to save it until you have finished if you don't want to; it just keeps adding onto it each time you restart so you get a total for the whole time you are actually running. It's a good investment so go for it!

Sue

[vixiej Graduate]

we heard you Sue

Pam, I love my Garmin, I usually reset at the end of my warm up walk and again at the end of my run, but in the beginning, when I was only running for short times, I would forget to switch it back on sometimes, so I would just let it run for the whole session and then look at the graphs to get an idea of my speed/heartrate/elevation at particular times (you can 'see' the intervals very clearly!). My favourite stat is the Heart Rate Recovery, because that's where I've seen so much improvment since I started the programme.

Happy running!

[SBG356 Graduate in reply to vixiej]

Haha! Yesterday was not a good day on this site....lots of double, triple posts and no access at all at times.....all fixed now though by the looks of things!

[vixiej Graduate in reply to SBG356]

I couldn't resist, sorry

[PamJK Graduate]

I feel a purchase coming on .... must - res - ist

[vixiej Graduate in reply to PamJK]

Go on, you know you want to

[Dellacat Graduate]

Pam I use a site called gbmapometer and it's great. You literally put on the route you have done and it gives you the distance and km markers. I tend to calculate the bits I run then add the warm up so I know what I have done in total. And it's free!!!