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Monday, March 7, 2011

Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS and HRM

Garmin Forerunner 305 is a really dorky looking watch with GPS and Heart Rate Monitor.
When it first came out 5 years ago, it was like $400, now you can get one for around $125.  I've been using one for 5 months. GPS works well, but the HRM is erratic. The HRM works a little better with some electrode gel, but still not as well as my old $30 Polar.  I read a few reviews on the web, most people agree that the newer, slicker Garmin Forerunners 40x are worse, so I am happy with the purchase and I try to wear it running and biking.

Over this long winter, I have been gaining weight and not running outside that much. I ran yesterday in a drizzle and it was fun. The watch comes with a PC/Mac program which allows you to analyze you run in any way conceivable.  I usually just look at the summary and pace,  sometimes I'd take a quick look at elevation/grade and I'm always amazed how my pace is effected on the slightest, almost unnoticeable hills. The watch records your location periodically and when you connect the watch to the PC, the app plots you route on Garmin's base map and gives you all kinds of data, you can also export to Google Earth.

One thing I don't know how to do is export just the summary.
I'm using this entry as a place holder for my running log. I'm not a fast runner.
3/6/11   4:49PM Exeter - 6.17 miles, 52:39.82, 8:32 avg pace -  P
3/7/11   9:00AM 20 minutes treadmill @7.5mph, 20 minutes cycling @110rpm
3/9/11   2:51PM Exeter - 7.30 niles, 1:03:43, 8:44 - R
3/10/11 5:33PM Exeter - 2.72 miles, 20:53, 7:41 - T
3/11/11 5 miles treadmill @7.5mph
3/12/11 19 miles bike
3/13/11 5:13PM Exeter -10.0 miles, 1:29:49, 8:59 - R
3/16/11 5:20PM     5.0 miles, no data - R
3/19/11 5:11PM    6.12 miles,  52:05, 8:31 - P
3/22/11 10:03AM 5.22 miles,   47.16, 9:03 - R
3/23/11 4:54PM    7.08 miles,   59:45, 8:27 - P
3/24/11 30 minutes treadmill
3/25/11 5:06PM    7.25 miles, 1:04:21, 8:53 - Mixed
3/27/11 11:35AM 5.02 miles.    43:55,    8:45 - R (allergy)
3/28/11 4:41PM  10.91 miles, 1:42:16,  9:22 - R
foot problem
4/7/11   5:42PM    5.18 miles,   46:24, 8:47 - R
4/10/11 9:00AM 31 miles bike
4/10/11 4:33PM    4.28 miles,   39:29 9:13 - R
4/11/11 5:00PM 21 miles bike
4/13/11 4:58PM    9.77 miles, 1:33:28, 9:34 - R
4/14/11 4:50PM    5.23 miles     46:38, 8:54 - R
4/15/11 8x400m@6:55  4x200m@6:50 200m walking in between

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