My most beloved aspect of running is the simplicity. Knowing that I can drop anything and be running within 3 minutes; rain or shine, good day or bad day, with or without kids. It ALWAYS works out. That being said, I also love fitness data. So how does this change the fundamental simpleness of running? A lot and a little. Add a watch, toss in some sneakers and a pair of shorts, good to go, right?
Not so fast, a basic running watch only chronicles elapsed time. That does me no good! I need additional metrics to base my running fitness and training progression. Cue Garmin ForeRunner. I was bestowed my first Garmin watch about 14 months ago from a great friend and fitness enthusiast. He told me I was training blind and asked how I knew my speed and distance. I replied that I utilized mapping and elapsed time to chronicle my run. His core argument was that information is only good AFTER you get home. Alright, alright...
Strap on that watch for your first kick around the block and the data just starts hurling itself at you. Read outs for pace, distance and heart rate are instantly viewable. You kick yourself for not jumping aboard earlier. I love the real time data, so empowering, while it also becomes another motivational tool. The Garmin has given me a better understanding of pace and really helps me go the distance and not amend a 14 miler to a 13 miler. It also helps hold in the reigns during a recovery run or right out of the gates in the local Turkey Trot.
Now upload that data to your personalized Garmin page and your information is catalogued for your review and storage. Share your outing with a friend or online community. Explain while that mile may have been at a 13 minute pace, check out my elevation gain of 400 feet! Sick, heh?
Now with great power and data comes great responsibility. And I don't want to rely too much on the constant barrage of information during every single run outing. So I try to manage the "importance" of my data with my love of running. I have not named my watch, or given it a well lit hermitically sealed storage locker, but I do keep it charged and ready to go at a moments notice. Not being a slave to the technology, but loving the additional knowledge. "BEEP!" What was that mile at?
I love my Garmin. It rocks. Makes it very hard to cheat on a workout, and keeps you honest.
ReplyDeleteI have been using the GPS in my phone. Works great for the runs i do though a bit more cumbersome than a watch, but It has more music than I can listing too, so I can ditch the ipod.
ReplyDelete