Garmin Megathread-Ask your questions here-See post 1 on how to search thread

Salty Dog

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Good point Plodder, it could be a useful data field during a marathon, but you'd want to be sure you hit every single mile marker. Miss one, and the data field is screwed up completely. I've run a few where I've watched for the mile markers and missed them completely.

Yeah I was thinking that it might be a more accurate display to have but like you said only works if you hit each split. Might be an option to have it set up on an alternative display.

Krusty_Clown

robinph wrote: »

Which is why I just stick with the unreliable GPS'ed miles. They are not accurate, but it does at least give me a simple way of seeing where I was faster or slower without being dependant on having spotted a marker.

If you use a pace band though, it doesn't matter if you miss a mile marker, as you just continue on to the next one and check your time against that..

I posted in the DCM thread that my 405 was reporting that I was running 7 seconds per mile faster than I actually ran. Had I been running by the watches average pace, I wouldn't be a very happy bunny, and would've lost more than three minutes. I reckon the most useful scenario is using a pace band, but having the GPS' average pace/distance etc as a useful reference/backup.

plodder

I noticed your Berlin run was measured as 26.6 miles on the Garmin Krusty, and others have reported the same for Dublin. So, to be on the safe side, you could use that to calculate pace. So, for a 3:30 time, that would mean targeting pace as 7:53 (as opposed to 8:00, which is what you are really running at)

Krusty_Clown

plodder wrote: »

I noticed your Berlin run was measured as 26.6 miles on the Garmin Krusty, and others have reported the same for Dublin. So, to be on the safe side, you could use that to calculate pace. So, for a 3:30 time, that would mean targeting pace as 7:53 (as opposed to 8:00, which is what you are really running at)

The problem is that you cannot guarantee that the Garmin will measure long, short, or exactly accurate, so I would urge against the strategy of preparing for a garmin-long marathon.

A pace band is quite simply the only way of guaranteeing accurate pace (as long as the mile markers are in the right place!).

plodder

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

The problem is that you cannot guarantee that the Garmin will measure long, short, or exactly accurate, so I would urge against the strategy of preparing for a garmin-long marathon.

A pace band is quite simply the only way of guaranteeing accurate pace (as long as the mile markers are in the right place!).

Agreed on the pace band. But, it does seem to be a consistent over-estimate with the Garmin. If you check Garmin connect for "dublin marathon" on 26 October 2009, there's an awful lot of runs around 26.4 to 26.6, and virtually none, equal or less than 26.2. Even if some of that difference is down to not following the racing line, it's still reasonable to correct for it. But my suspicion is that it's mostly GPS inaccuracy. [edit] Though 26.6 is very much the upper limit, it seems ...

Krusty_Clown

Here are my marathons to date (according to the Garmin):
Berlin Marathon 2010|26.64
Limerick Marathon 2010|26.29
Barcelona Marathon 2010|26.57
Dublin City Marathon 2009|26.47
Berlin Marathon 2009|26.4
Connemara Marathon 2008|26.38
Dublin City Marathon 2008|26.46
Longford Marathon 2008|26.25

RubyK

My Garmin seems to be dead. It's only a couple of weeks old

When I plug it into my computer, it's recognised, but it won't charge and I can't turn it on Bought it online at Amazon, but from a different seller.

Krusty_Clown

RubyK wrote: »

My Garmin seems to be dead. It's only a couple of weeks old

When I plug it into my computer, it's recognised, but it won't charge and I can't turn it on Bought it online at Amazon, but from a different seller.

What type of Garmin? Get in touch with the seller. When that doesn't work, get in touch with Garmin. They'll fix it under warranty, but you might want to find a standby option if you're doing Dublin City Marathon. Get it done as quickly as you can and you could have it sorted for DCM.

RubyK

It's the forerunner 110.

Thanks Krusty, I'll get on to it now.

Krusty_Clown

Try doing a hard reset first. I think that may have solved a similar problem for someone else with a 110.

Peckham

plodder wrote: »

Though 26.6 is very much the upper limit, it seems ...

I ran in the high 26.7s in London this year! Still not sure what I did wrong....but I did much better in Berlin, working the raceline quite closely and coming in at 26.59.

Running 2:58 equates to avg pace of 6:50 for 26.2 miles, but Garmin tells me I actually ran 6:44 pace.

Pacebands are definitely the way forward when it comes to marathons. I've very much got into the habit of using my Garmin as an advanced stopwatch during the race - and just using two features:
1) Total elapsed time (to check against my paceband)
2) Lap time (which I check is in line with pace when I manually hit the lap button at specific intervals - e.g. in Berlin I was aiming for 4:14/km, so when I hit the lap button every at every 2nd km marker, I just made sure the lap time was around 8:28)
...although I also have lap pace showing which I probably looked at about five times during the race, during the first few km before I was in my rhythm and during the last few km when I wanted to make sure I wasn't fading.

The other stuff (i.e. avg pace etc.) is only useful for the post-marathon geeky analysis.

hot to trot

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

Where do you keep your runs, in Garmin connect (internet) or in Garmin training Centre (computer), or both? Are the missing runs up on Garmin Connect?

It could be that you filled the memory (there's only a fixed amount of space, and the distances you run would take up a lot of space!) and for some reason newer runs are not over-writing the older runs. Instead you're losing the new runs.

Sorry to drag this out Krusty. I had to pair it with the ant at work to see how I usually access where they are stored.
When the running data is transferred from the 405 to the computer via the little stick it automatically opens garmin training centre and my runs are there. That is how I get to see them. I dont get to look at them otherwise.
funny that my recent runs that wouldnt transfer to my home computer does it at work ??? , apart from August runs.

Krusty_Clown

hot to trot wrote: »

Sorry to drag this out Krusty. I had to pair it with the ant at work to see how I usually access where they are stored.
When the running data is transferred from the 405 to the computer via the little stick it automatically opens garmin training centre and my runs are there. That is how I get to see them. I dont get to look at them otherwise.
funny that my recent runs that wouldnt transfer to my home computer does it at work ??? , apart from August runs.

Hi there, as far as I know you can only pair the watch to one USB stick at a time. So if it's paired with the one in work, it would need to be re-paired to the one at home (and then again, in work, if you want to connect to that one).

Have you set up a Garmin connect account and all that stuff? If you right click the Garmin ANT agent (in the bottom right of your computer screen) and click on settings, you can get the ANT agent to send the data to both Garmin connect and training centre. This is a good thing to do, as you will have both the copy that always stays on your computer, and the copy that always stays on the internet (and you can see it any time you want).

In the settings you can also decide if you want the run to be deleted (from the watch) after it has been uploaded. I always delete mine to make space, but I know I'll always have two copies (one on the internet, and one on my laptop at home).

RubyK

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

but you might want to find a standby option if you're doing Dublin City Marathon.

Ok, tried to reset it, and that hasn't worked. Box that it came in and invoice gone in the bin :eek: My back up plan is get a new watch. Is the forerunner 110 the cheapest gps out there?

Can anyone recommend a website to use?

Jebas, this marathon lark will have me broke.

RayCun

Give the Garmin support service a shout first. They might have some other ideas for fixing your watch. When my 305 broke down I didn't have to produce a receipt or anything, just give them the serial number, and I think they knew it was still under warranty from that? And then they replaced it without charge

Krusty_Clown

RubyK wrote: »

Ok, tried to reset it, and that hasn't worked. Box that it came in and invoice gone in the bin :eek: My back up plan is get a new watch. Is the forerunner 110 the cheapest gps out there?

Can anyone recommend a website to use?

Jebas, this marathon lark will have me broke.

Contact Garmin support. I'd imagine they will fix it under warranty without an invoice or box. They'll know it's still under warranty, as it was released less than a year ago..

hot to trot

Great thanks. will do that.

To access the data then I just go to garmin .com online and its there? I confess I never look at them once i upload them the first time. Probably a waste.
Just need to figure out , the virtual runner. What use he may be to me and how best to use him/her.

Krusty_Clown

hot to trot wrote: »

Great thanks. will do that.

To access the data then I just go to garmin .com online and its there? I confess I never look at them once i upload them the first time. Probably a waste.
Just need to figure out , the virtual runner. What use he may be to me and how best to use him/her.

Well, it'll be up there if (and only if!) you have set up an account and have been uploading them to there the whole time. If you haven't. then I'm afraid they won't be up there.

I've never really used the virtual partner, but basically you set it up at a particular pace (let's say 9 minute/mile) then it shows you a graphical representation of whether you are ahead or behind of the 'virtual dude' who is running at an even 9 minute/mile. Like this:

Killerz

A quick question there folks. I have a Garmin 305. I'm pacing a marathon in 2 weeks. Time is 3:40, and the way i've been asked to pace is Run 10 min, Walk 1 min. While I can set up Virtual Partner to pace me for an even 3:40 or to run at 10/1 intervals, with the alerts etc, I was told by the pacing coordinator dude that you can combine the two. I've tried this, but it seems to only work for one or the other. He's not the best at responding, so havent heard back from him yet. Any ideas.

In summary, I want the VP to keep me on course for 3:40 pace, but also beep every 10 mins for a 1 min walk interval (ie the last minute of every 11 mins will be at walking pace).

I have a paceband that takes into account walk breaks, and obviously I will be able to use the Garmin just to ensure my speed is on target, it would be easier to do it this way.

I have full confidence that someone can answer my question!

RubyK

A "crop" circle has appeared on the screen - so dampness must have gotten through. I left it on a sunny spot in the window yesterday, to try and dry it out, and it sort of came back to life - it shows the time, locates satelites but that's all.

Good news though, it looks like the seller is going to replace it for me

Krusty_Clown

Killerz wrote: »

A quick question there folks. I have a Garmin 305. I'm pacing a marathon in 2 weeks. Time is 3:40, and the way i've been asked to pace is Run 10 min, Walk 1 min. While I can set up Virtual Partner to pace me for an even 3:40 or to run at 10/1 intervals, with the alerts etc, I was told by the pacing coordinator dude that you can combine the two. I've tried this, but it seems to only work for one or the other. He's not the best at responding, so havent heard back from him yet. Any ideas.

In summary, I want the VP to keep me on course for 3:40 pace, but also beep every 10 mins for a 1 min walk interval (ie the last minute of every 11 mins will be at walking pace).

I have a paceband that takes into account walk breaks, and obviously I will be able to use the Garmin just to ensure my speed is on target, it would be easier to do it this way.

I have full confidence that someone can answer my question!

Well, you could just set up an interval session on the watch:
Interval type: Time
Interval Duration: 00:10:00
Rest Type: Time
Rest Duration: 00:01:00
Number of reps: Lots!
Warm-up/down=No
This way the watch will give you lots of nice beeping noises to warn you of the next interval/rest period. You can use one of the other data screens for your virtual partner / average pace. The only thing is, it's not adjustable on the fly, i.e. if you failed to notice a walk period then tough luck, you won't be able to adjust it on the go.

The alternative would be to create an advanced program, of: Go 10 minutes, go 1 minute, go 10 minutes etc.. Don't think it will offer you anything more than the above interval strategy.

Whichever option you go with, make sure you practice with it, as it's easy to get it wrong. I would also make sure you have a backup plan (stopwatch with pacing band) so if everything goes tots-up, you can still go back to the tried and trusted.

Killerz

Thanks Krusty. I used the 10/1 garmin intervals today on a training run, together with a pace band based on 3:40 marathon pace on a 10 mile run. using the speed display, i was able to ensure i was on target. i previously wasnt able to hook up the virtual partner together with interval (so didnt go with that today) - i'm obviously not doing it right. i'l have a closer look.

No fear - i will only be truly trusting the pace band, the km markers and the stopwatch!

cheers

opus

Read on Engadget that there was some new Garmin kit announced today.

410



210

Krusty_Clown

Thanks for the link Opus. I have to say I'm not entirely excited by other product.

410: Has the flaws of the 405 product (bezel, wireless data transfer = crap battery) and the addition of a simple navigation mode (maybe a bit like the 405's simple compass based navigation mode?). Sounds like they fixed the problem with the crazy bezel though.

210: Re-added the features they removed from the 110, real time pace, support for footpod, and intervals.

What a business strategy. Bring out two products, one with flawed design and another product which has stripped down features. Then bring out two new releases, one which fixes the flaws introduced in the first product and a second which re-introduces some of the features that were stripped out. On a positive note, it should bring down the price of the 405 and 110.

robinph

Looks like I'm in the market for a new device myself now as the strap on my 405 has finally broken free of the supergluing that I did to it previously. I can't wait for them to release a new model though as I'll be needing some gadgetry on me for the end of this month's marathon, so will probaby get one of those 110's for now.

RubyK

Woo hoo, my new replacement Garmin has just been delivered I'm very impressed that the company dispatched a replacement one to me, before they even received my faulty watch.

oneupper

Hi, I am looking for a GPS distance tracker that can not only give accurate distance readings while running but also capture date while playing a football match.Does anyone know if a product such as Garmin 10xt can accurately capture non linear, more erractic movements that would occour playing football?Many thanks

RayCun

A Garmin will capture your movements about the pitch, and you can review them later. Krusty posted his up before - I think they showed he was a lazy goalhanger and never passed?

oneupper

haha I wont be the only one so .Thanks for that Raycun ! I'll give this thread the once over as seems to have reels of info outthere. Cheers

BeepBeep67

Just picked up a Duracell Instant USB Charger in Tesco for €3.95, either priced to sell or priced incorrectly I remember them being €40 or so.
Anyway it's happily charging my 405 as I watch Russia rip us apart. It weighs feck all and claims 180mins talk time on an iPhone, handy to have if you are not going to have access to power.