I've been thinking about getting one of these sport watches with gps to track my runs, know how fast (or slow) I was and the topology of the trail. I don't monitor my running at the moment apart from knowing the approximate distance. The main reason is that I'm often thinking I'm not making any progress, get frustrated and leave my running shoes on the shelf for two month before the same circle starts again. I was hoping I could stay motivated for longer if I don't rely on my "feeling" but have hard data telling me where I stand.

What are your experiences with these toys? Helpful or unnecessary?

PS: I know there are apps, but I don't have a smart phone and rarely take it along when running.

This is pretty alright. http://nikerunning.nike.com/nikeos/p.../#//dashboard/

Do you have an Ipod?

No, actually not.

*starting to feel a bit antiquated*

You do know what an Ipod is, right?

Good question, I have an "alternative answer". Been there, done that with all the GPS gimmicks, they don't help you to run unless you're really attempting to set a pace for a race event. There's no replacement for discipline and enjoyment, they are mutual, not contradictory. Try and challenge yourself by checking out different routes or driving a little away from home before starting your circuits. New courses and different trails are far more inspiring than figuring out that you've averaged 5:30/ km/h. If you feel good after running, then it should be down to stretched muscles and hormonal release and not some GPS data on your Garmin.

Just my take on things.

I recently bought the Nike GPS watch. So far been on a couple of runs and it works fine.

http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?l=sh...d-1/pid-406329

I think though the Garmin watch is more suited to "professional" or everyday runners. The reviews on the Garmin 305 watch are also great. I asked this similar question here

Nike+ SportWatch GPS - anybody own one? how good is it?

you can see someone also mentioned endomondo but for this you need a smartphone

I know what it is and what it does but I don't want to worship the golden calf.

Definitely agree but its still cool to see the route on google maps, the pace you've done, the inclination, etc.

In addition with the GPS watch (whichever one you choose) it makes it easier to challenge friends to the same route, challenge yourself, etc.

As stated above if you can't be bothered to put on the running shoes, the watch will sit close to them in the closet after a few months

I just restarted running last month and the GPS watch has helped me

I've got a Forerunner 210 and use it for biking mostly.
I find it a handy tool. Cost approx CHF200

I think they're brilliant for keeping motivated, getting to know your body and what sort of effort you're putting forth, and as you said, keeping a pace during events. I have countless amazing routes out my front door, I have no need to hop in a car to drive somewhere to go running, and I don't see how doing so challenges me. (It's also something those of us who enjoy time with our families aren't really eager to do, if I had to add an hour or two of sitting in traffic to my three hour long runs on the weekend, I think I'd like running a lot less!)

One of the things that challenge me is pushing myself on courses that I'm familiar with, and a good GPS watch is essential for comparing paces on existing courses. I can explore new areas with the confidence that I can easily find my way back home, and scouting out and creating new routes at home and subsequently running them is addicting, and my saved GPS tracks are like a tangible little souvenir of my favorite races. To each his own!

On topic, I've been using a Forerunner 305 for a few years now and love it, I used various iPhone apps before that and was never satisfied.

With some people it works, with some it doesn't but it certainly motivates me to see speed, distance, pulse-rate etc. whether it is hiking, biking or swimming. (Calories used is always a big let-down though). I even have an EXCEL worksheet which I feed it into when I get back. Quite crazy but why worry? Fun to see it add up through the year.
It can't be more daft than sitting on here deleting spam posts, removing email addresses from advertisements and shoving threads from one section to another.

As per Assassin.

There comes a point that unless you are 100% committed to running - and absolutely determined to run faster each race you'll think "Why the f*** am I doing this??"

Running is a slippery slope - you start off crap - you get better - you get faster - you go longer - harder - faster - you get a great time - you get injured - you get a crap time - you get fat - you give it up - you die alone.

Well, something like that.

Once you accept that you're not fussed about being any faster (or even as fast) as you were - but instead run for the hell of it - then you are free - and relaxed - and you enjoy the running. You stop to take a small stone out of your shoe because you don't care about time. You walk when the slope gets too steep - or you feel a muscle not feeling quite right.

It doesn't mean - once you're home you don't check where you went - and how high you went etc - but you're not constantly measuring yourself.

I have lived in and around the same areas for almost 8 years - my friend even longer. On Sunday we ran pathes neither of us had run before!! There are millions of places to explore in your running shoes - don't be tied to running the same 5-8-10-12-15-20km you always do - trying to beat your own time by 2 seconds.

There is more "Joy"** our way than the stopwatch way!

I used to do the same thing - with my sheet calculating project 10k, 1/2 and full marathon pace based on the VO2 and VO2max calcs from each run. I also did splits based on distance and height covered - and included the calorie count.

I think you'll find that is Running Geek ^ Running Geek

**Not in anyway stealing from BMW

I run with the garmin 405cx, and I love it. I got really in to running and wanted something more than my nike+ band could offer. I used it to train for the NYC marathon last year, and keeping track of my training progress really kept me motivated for those long runs.

As for my running experience, it's slightly different to that of dodgyken. It goes:
Started off crap - got better - got faster - fell down stairs - knee buggered - 6 months physio, no running - start running again - got stronger - got faster - trained my socks off 6 months - marathon completed
Fingers crossed the get crap time - get fat - give up - die alone aren't next!!!

Here's a great idea that will let you go a bit lower tech and give some of the mods here something new and exciting to do.

Get yourself one of those GPS collars they sell for dogs. When you're ready to run let one of us know and we'll call you in as lost to activate the GPS signal.

The Mods, while they're sitting around deleting email addresses and shoving threads around, can monitor your signal on a laptop and report on the EF how you did for that day

If you have an Android phone, you could use the GPS on that. There's dedicated sport GPS apps like MyTracks and SportyPal, or you could record a track on a general GPS app like Locus and import it to an online service like sports-tracker.com (or use their own app).

I used to have a Garmin Forerunner 405. It’s a cool toy. Has GPS so maps your route, speed, topology, distance covered ect. However its fairly complicate to set up and use since there are so many functions and only a few buttons. I sold it because it was wasn't exactly user friendly and since I wasn't using it very often I got fed up going through all the complicated procedure of setting it up each time I went for a run.

Food for thought. Assassin and Dodgyken, you're hardcore runners and perhaps don't need these gadgets anymore. Did it help you to get there though?

I'm neither planning on doing races nor am I eager to beat my previous times by a few seconds. I want to be able to jog comfortable for a while and keep my fitness on a good level. A happy amateur jogger.

i use endomondo on my phone and it produces nice little maps and charts like this:



pair with a 30 CHF android phone it's about as cheap as you will get for a gps tracker doodad.

Phil, I'm not yet ready for a smart phone. The thought of storing my life in these little devices is too much for me - photos, addresses, telephone numbers, texts, appointments, etc... If I'm getting a sport toy it will most likely be a dedicated sports watch.

is this a roundabout way of calling zymogen a b!tch?