Garmin Forerunner

I get bored fairly easy. And running is really no different. I love to run, but I love to change it up while doing so. I do run a lot on the treadmill, and I do so much better when there is something good on TV to watch. It keeps me distracted and focused on something other than just the running.

As much as I don’t mind running on a treadmill, running outside is my favorite (as long as the weather is favorable)! It can’t be much warmer than 80 degrees out or it’s just miserable. And for me, I’d rather run at the gym if it’s below 30 degrees. I’m not a cold weather person which is one of the reasons I really miss living in Dallas! And I also have to alternate between outside and at the gym because my knees do so much better if I don’t run on the concrete 100% of the time!

When I run outside, I don’t like to do the same route every time. Back when I first started seriously training, I would get in my car and drive around to find a good route and I would clock the miles on my speedometer. When I would get bored with it, I’d have to get in the car and map another route. Then I discovered google maps and mapmyrun.com and those definitely helped. I could figure out my route on the computer first, but knowing the exact route I was going to run before I started was not something I really liked. It took the fun out of just going out for a run.

I had some friends talk about the Garmin Forerunner and I put it off for a while because how could I really spend that kind of money when I am not a fast runner? I love to run, but I’m definitely not out there breaking any records! But, I do love gadgets and this one is really cool! After some thinking and researching, I decided I would go with the Garmin Forerunner 305. I found one online at a decent price, and I bought it. One of my best purchases ever! Even though it is a little bulky and takes a couple runs to get used to, I now feel naked running without it! I have had it for a year and a half and I love it as much as the day I bought it.



The thing I love most is I can walk out my front door and start running. Yes, I usually have a general route in mind, but if I decide that I’d like to run down a street I had not mapped out, it doesn't matter because I have my Garmin! Or what if I am feeling so great on my run that I decide I want to go an extra mile or 2? I have my Garmin, so I can! There are tons of features that I probably could use but don’t. The main things I use my Garmin for are the time, pace and distance. And they are all right there on the main screen. And don’t worry if it’s dark outside, just push a button and the screen lights up! I know a lot of people use the heart rate monitor and I’m sure I would get some great use out of it, but I haven’t tried it yet.

To me, pace is the most important thing while running. Being able to check it at any time during my run is a huge benefit with the Garmin! And it gets especially more important on the longer runs, or in races when tons of people are around. You can get caught up in keeping up with a certain person or passing a certain number of people, when really you should be focused on your pace and what is comfortable to you. The Garmin keeps me in check on things like that! If I’m running outside, I don’t leave home without it!

If you have a Garmin, what do you like or don't like about it? If you don't have a Garmin, I'd love to hear what you use and what works for you!