Going to buy my Garmin at last!-Please HELP!!!

[Mini13]

Hi Fellow Runners, please help! I am in my 8th week now one more run and will be on my 9th week.

I have a surgery on 30th April so trying to complete my C25K before 30th April. I have been contemplating whether to buy a Garmin or not for the last few weeks and then decided that I should buy it as my Graduation Present to myself.

So this will be my Graduation Present but I want to buy it now before my final run so I know whether I exactly ran 5K (I think I am running 5K and ran it today within 33 minutes 35 seconds but that is approximate distance) so I can be proud of myself while I sit and wait or walk instead of running for 2-3 weeks after the surgery.

My question is, there are so many Garmin watches (Garmin forerunner 10, Garmin forerunner 110 etc etc etc) and I am not sure what I should buy!

Any advice with regard to this is greatly appreciated! I am not too keen on heart rate monitor as I can buy the gadget for that later as far as I can understand (sorry, I am not very technical!) but the distance (must!) and maybe the calorie count and my running pace. Many thanks in deed!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

I have The Garmin Forerunner 110 and love it. If you have looked at any of my blogs showing the stats you will see what info it gives you. I also chose this one as most of the others were far too big for my small wrists. Mine's girlie grey and pink and came with a HRM but don't tend to use it all the time. Good luck for your final runs and all the best for a successful operation, look forward to hearing that all has gone well for you Mini.

[Mini13 Graduate]

Thank you oldgirl, I wonder whether to buy with the HRM or without. I have been looking at Garmin Forerunner 110, I think I will settle for that. Thank you for your wishes for the op and for the runs..shall post a blog after my final run next week!

[PastyMan Graduate]

Same as OldGirl for me with the Forerunner 110 ... in a manly grey .... it was my graduation/birthday present too.

It's not just for running though. I've worn it for walking, especially hill walking as downloading the route afterwards is really helpful for working out where you went, where you got lost, shortcuts you could take next time etc

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to PastyMan]

Thank you very much PastyMan, this will be my graduation present but a day or two in advance since I want to do my last run knowing the distance I run. Thank you for your comments! Good luck to you for your runs and hikes!

[SBG356 Graduate]

I have the same as oldgirl too and love it! Mine came with the HRM but even though I keep meaning to use it, I still havent...... I just enjoy looking at the stats too much

Mine was a graduation pressie to myself too!

Happy shopping and enjoy your Grad week with your new toy!

Sue

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to SBG356]

What I am thinking is Sue, whether there is a big difference in price if I buy without the HRM. I know I will not use it all the time, but is it better to have when I want to user it is the question. I will be a proud owner of a Garmin before the end of today!

[kirble Graduate]

I am using Forerunner 10. It has no HRM as I find it is bad enough being trussed up in a tight sports bra, let alone having to wear something else to stop me breathing! It is a bit chunky for my wrist but gives everything needed, distance, pace, calories etc. It was also the cheapest because I was getting in danger of having 'having all the gear and no idea'.

Like you Mini, I gave myself the present, but it was for getting off the couch in the first place! Hope you get back into full fitness after your op.

[Mini13 Graduate]

Thank you very much kirble, your comments really help too! You made me smile re HRM!, I do know what you mean! To be honest what I need is also distance, calorie count and pace..too complicated is too much for less technical me! Op is nothing serious; it is for CTS (hand) it is just that I would not be able to run since the hand shakes and it will be bandaged for 2 weeks.

[kirble Graduate in reply to Mini13]

I've just looked at the review from swanscot below and wish I'd had this before spending ages deciding what to get. It is an excellent review. I forgot that there is a negative point and that is it can take ages sometimes to get a gps signal. Other people have also found this. Also, I didn't fancy wearing pink or green, the very reason why my black one is too big! Black for men, stupid colours for women!

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to kirble]

Thank you for your comments..I rather like to wear Pink, maybe not a Green watch though..I will buy one before the end of today! I think we women take longer to decide what to buy so we have few colours! men would look at something and buy at once it if they want to..and they have just Black!

Good luck for your running!

[swanscot Graduate in reply to kirble]

>I forgot that there is a negative point and that is it can take ages sometimes to get a gps signal.

I never have a problem getting a GPS signal on my Garmin watch. It usually takes about 20 seconds - sometimes less - and very occasionally up to ~40 seconds.

[swanscot Graduate]

I have the Forerunner 10. It's the simplest and cheapest of the Garmins, but I find it adequate for all my needs. The display is clear and easy to read when I'm running and easy to change if, for example, I wish to change it from showing 'Time + Pace' to 'Time + Distance'. I use the Virtual Pacer too. With this you can set your desired pace, eg 6:00 mins/km and it beeps and the displays flashes when you go significantly more or less than this.

Here's a good review of it: dcrainmaker.com/2012/08/gar...

I got the green watch, but it now comes in funky orange and lilac.

[Mini13 Graduate in reply to swanscot]

Thank you very much for your comments swanscot, the price difference does not seem to be much with or without the HRM. I do not want to pay silly money, can’t afford in this bad climate, hence the reason why I have taken such a long time to decide whether I really need a Garmin. Many thanks for the Review. Good luck to you for your Runs!

[rockchick69 Graduate in reply to swanscot]

This is a great help swanscot. I'm also considering buying for my graduation pressie I think this is the one for me.....not too much technology but enough info to keep it interesting.