Running watch

Juniorhurler

Hey there folks,

I am a new runner and I am loving it at the moment. Anyhow, I am looking to buy a running watch (or get the OH to get it for my bday) and I am just looking for a bit of direction. I am only new to it and still play a bit of hurling so I don't want to go mad on price. Thanks for any advice.

RayCun

The cheapest option is to use a stopwatch to time your run, and use mapmyrun (or a similar site) to measure the distance.

Next cheapest is a watch linked to a pedometer (the Nike + for example)
The pedometer isn't great for accuracy - basially you calibrate it by running a known distance, it says "okay, that km took X steps" and from then on calculates distance run by counting steps and comparing to X. Which is fine, as long as your stride length doesn't change. If you recalibrate regularly, it should be within 5-10% of your actual distance. When you upload your run it will tell you (roughly) how fast you were going at different stages.

A GPS watch (such as a Garmin, see megathread) uses a satellite signal to calculate your position... and your position a second later... and another second later... and so on. It uses this data to calculate how far you've travelled, and how fast (and will usually have a range of other features such as programmed workouts, heart rate monitors, etc). They usually cost at least 150 quid.

If you have an iPhone, there are several apps you can use to track your time and distance, such as Runmeter.

from here

dahat

The cheapest option is to use a stopwatch to time your run, and use mapmyrun (or a similar site) to measure the distance.


I have used this method for near on 9 months,good site for a beginner runner.
The watch i got in Argos for 20 euro,bog standard sports watch..........

Juniorhurler

Thanks for the replies folks. I have been running on a hard track which is local to me and is exactly half a mile long so this gives me my distances so far but gets a little boring every night. When I am running on the road I have been planning my routes and driving them in the jeep on the way home from work to measure them but this is not ideal.

The OH thinks a watch for my birthday is a good idea (saves her thinking of something else). Any suggestions for a good one and where to buy, Herself can buy online or in a shop?

RayCun

A Garmin from Amazon. 305 if you want a heart rate monitor, 205 if you don't. Probably about 100/80 euro. That's about as cheap as you get for a good GPS watch.

tonto2010

I used to use this site to check the distance of my runs before I got my Garmin, saves you driving the distance in your car.

I would get a watch if I were you, best purchase you will make.

Juniorhurler

Garmin forerunner 405 fo €143 plus postage off ebay without heart monitor or €170 with heart monitor. Should I go for a heart monitor for an extra €30? Howw much benefit will it be?

RayCun

I said 305

Some people use their HRM in training, some don't. The Garmin HRMs can be a bit flaky. You can probably add the HRM later if you want one.

Triangle

I've had the Garmin 405 for a year now and although can't fault the connection with laptop/Garmin and the functionality..... The battery does not last 8 hours of GPS use and has caused issues (lasting all of 1 hour for a time before it reset itself after a week and started working again)
I can't speak of the other Garmin models, or makes... Pulse(?) but make sure you read reviews of each type prior to purchase

Best of luck with the running.

Brian

RayCun

great garmin reviews here

Oryx

Triangle wrote: »

I've had the Garmin 405 for a year now and although can't fault the connection with laptop/Garmin and the functionality..... The battery does not last 8 hours of GPS use and has caused issues (lasting all of 1 hour for a time before it reset itself after a week and started working again)
I can't speak of the other Garmin models, or makes... Pulse(?) but make sure you read reviews of each type prior to purchase

Best of luck with the running.

Brian

I had a 405 with similar issues, less than 3 hours gps time, ever, used to reset and switch off at random. It died completely after about a year. Garmin did replace it with another 405 which is a much better behaved animal tho the longest Ive had the gps in use would be four hours or so, so cant say how it does longer than that. The touch bezel is a pain in the behind, as well.

edit: there are also plenty of pretty accurate runtracker apps you can get if you have a smart phone. Ive used sportstracker which has good stats.

Juniorhurler

RayCun wrote: »

I said 305

Some people use their HRM in training, some don't. The Garmin HRMs can be a bit flaky. You can probably add the HRM later if you want one.

Sorry Raycun, I thought 305 and 205 were the prices I would expect to pay for a garmin watch. Didn't think that they were the model numbers:rolleyes:.

spurscormac

You can get yourself a 405cx with HRM here for £118.
handtec.co.uk

Make sure you read the reviews on dc rainmaker for each model, and are aware of the pros & cons of each.
I was going to get the one linked above but I borrowed one to try it out and a few things about it annoyed me so I decided on another watch from the US (when my next paycheck comes in), the Timex Run Trainer.

Plenty of people love their Garmins, but I like to be a bit different.

gnu

Not sure if this would suit you but Lidl are doing a watch with HRM on Monday for €17.99.

Oh, and here's a thread about it:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056542475&utm_source=notification&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=digestthread

Cartman78

dahat wrote: »

The cheapest option is to use a stopwatch to time your run, and use mapmyrun (or a similar site) to measure the distance.


I have used this method for near on 9 months,good site for a beginner runner.
The watch i got in Argos for 20 euro,bog standard sports watch..........

There's no doubt that this is the cheapest option (and is something I did for a couple of years) but there are drawbacks and limitations to this approach.

In hindsight, if I had my time back, I would have bought an entry level Garmin a couple of years earlier than I did.

I spent a lot of time fluting about with MapMyRun and logging runs on Excel etc. Also found it tedious mapping a run before doing it and/or having to re-map it afterwards if i didn't stick exactly to the route.

I'll admit freely that I love uploading data and looking at graphs, splits, tables etc. Does it make me a better runner?? Of course not, but it makes things a lot more interesting

tigershould

sorry to hijack this thread but i am looking for a similar distance watch to track how far i run during a football match ?

i'm playing 6 aside for 60 odd minutes once a week and i want to see how much ground i'm covering.

can anyone advise if there is such a device?

thx

Krusty_Clown

tigershould wrote: »

can anyone advise if there is such a device?

Any of the Garmin GPS watches will do it, with a reasonable level of accuracy. Here's one I made earlier. Pedometers won't work very well, as your stride length and pace will be changing constantly. Dunno if it's really worth investing in a GPS watch, just to satisfy your curiosity though. Probably best to borrow one of a runner you know.

tigershould

thanks, love the stats, looks like you did a lot of running in one half of the pitch!

i was thinking of a nike+ sportsband but that runs off the steps which isnt great as you say. and €200 for the gps model is a lot of cash.

although it is more than a curiosity for me. i'm planning a fitness buzz and i love my statistics and want to accurately (as possible) assess the running im doing.

the garmin 205 looks good but its a bit bulky, i want to find something slim and lightweight.

huskerdu

tigershould wrote: »

the garmin 205 looks good but its a bit bulky, i want to find something slim and lightweight.

The Garmin 205 ( or a 305, which has a HRM) is the next value GPS running watch for features/€100. You can get one on amazon for 90stg.

The slimer / lightweight watches cost a lot more.

monthehoops

Can anyone help me with this?

I use Runmeter to track my runing/cycling on my iPhone. It's a great app. Can anyone tell me if there's somewhere I can get a watch with just Runmeter/Endomondo/MapMyRun on it and if not, why not?

I have a Garmin Forerunner and I absolutely hate it. With Runmeter/Cyclemeter I can hit "Start" and off I go.

huskerdu

monthehoops wrote: »

Can anyone help me with this?

I use Runmeter to track my runing/cycling on my iPhone. It's a great app. Can anyone tell me if there's somewhere I can get a watch with just Runmeter/Endomondo/MapMyRun on it and if not, why not?

I have a Garmin Forerunner and I absolutely hate it. With Runmeter/Cyclemeter I can hit "Start" and off I go.

Sigh. OK, I'll take the bait.

I dont know which Forerunner model you have, ( there are at least 6 available), and you haven't explained what you hate about it. If you honestly expect a reply, you will have to give more information.

I have a Forerunner 305 and I hit start and off I go. During the run and at the end of the run, I have all the information I need about distance, and pace. I don't know why this doesn't work with yours, it's what they do. Is it broken ?

Krusty_Clown

monthehoops wrote: »

I have a Garmin Forerunner and I absolutely hate it. With Runmeter/Cyclemeter I can hit "Start" and off I go.

Why don't you sell your Forerunner watch to tigershould?
Kill two birds with one stone!

RayCun

waiting for satellites maybe? You have to wait a couple of minutes to get a GPS signal in your watch, because you just turned it on. If your phone was normally switched off and you just switched it on when you were going to run, you'd have to wait for that too. If you got a running watch with Runmeter/Endomondo/MapMyRun on it, but only switched it on when you were going running, you'd have to wait for that too...

monthehoops

huskerdu wrote: »

Sigh. OK, I'll take the bait.

I dont know which Forerunner model you have, ( there are at least 6 available), and you haven't explained what you hate about it. If you honestly expect a reply, you will have to give more information.

I have a Forerunner 305 and I hit start and off I go. During the run and at the end of the run, I have all the information I need about distance, and pace. I don't know why this doesn't work with yours, it's what they do. Is it broken ?

Ok, first off can I just say that not everyone spends days on here going through each thread, so apologies if you think I'm trying to bait you but I'm not. I don't know who you are and don't have a history of posting for the sake of a wind up either.

I have a Forerunner 305. It's supposedly the best one. I'm sure lots of people love it, I just don't. When I turn it on it takes about 3 or 4 minutes of "Searching for Satellites" before I can take off.

RayCun has answered the question above and it's something I'd not thought about actually.

I'll give the Forerunner another bash. I realise the software on an iPhone can be and is a whole pile more advanced than that on a Forerunner, but I just do not like the Forerunner and have it with about 12 months.

Endomondo etc are a joy to use, it's a shame you cant get something similar on your wrist.

RayCun

you can turn it on and leave it by a window a few minutes before you start to run, that usually gives it time to pick up a signal.

huskerdu

monthehoops wrote: »

Ok, first off can I just say that not everyone spends days on here going through each thread, so apologies if you think I'm trying to bait you but I'm not. I don't know who you are and don't have a history of posting for the sake of a wind up either.

I have a Forerunner 305. It's supposedly the best one. I'm sure lots of people love it, I just don't. When I turn it on it takes about 3 or 4 minutes of "Searching for Satellites" before I can take off.

RayCun has answered the question above and it's something I'd not thought about actually.

I'll give the Forerunner another bash. I realise the software on an iPhone can be and is a whole pile more advanced than that on a Forerunner, but I just do not like the Forerunner and have it with about 12 months.

Endomondo etc are a joy to use, it's a shame you cant get something similar on your wrist.

I apologise if my tone came across badly. I was a bit sarcastic. I was trying to answer by asking you to give more information. But, my point was that you asked a question without enough information. Fair dues to Ray for guessing what your problem actually was.



I have a 305, it is a great piece of kit. It is a pity that you have decided that it is rubbish because it takes 2 to 4 minutes to find the satellites. All GPS devices do that. If your question is simply " Is it possible to buy a GPS device that can find the satellite in seconds, either a watch or a phone, I think the answer is no.

Whatever you want the 305 to do, I bet it will do it, if you find out how. We are a friendly bunch here, just ask the question clearly and precisely and someone will answer.

I dont know anything about Endomondo, If there is a feature that it has that you wish the 305 to do, and you cant find it in the manual, let us know and we might be able to help.

Krusty_Clown

monthehoops wrote: »

I realise the software on an iPhone can be and is a whole pile more advanced than that on a Forerunner, but I just do not like the Forerunner and have it with about 12 months.

The watch is better at doing things like establishing your pace, distance and HR while running/cycling/and swimming. The iPhone is better at making calls, taking photos, playing music, playing games and other online type applications. If you don't find that this is the case, then there is a chance you may not be using your watch correctly.

I have an iPhone, and Android phone and a mobile phone. There's a reason I don't take them running, and that's because they are not designed for the purpose and do not do the job as well. If you're not getting on well with your watch after a year and have more success with your smart-phone application, you should probably stick with the phone.

Krusty_Clown

tigershould wrote: »

thanks, love the stats, looks like you did a lot of running in one half of the pitch!

We were only playing on half of the pitch (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!).

Krusty_Clown

monthehoops wrote: »

I have a Forerunner 305. It's supposedly the best one.

If by best, you mean best value for money, then you are most certainly correct. However, that model was release on the 3rd January 2006 (pre-iPhone). Just as the iPhone has gone through several release cycles, so have the Forerunner range of watches, and most of the newer models would have newer GPS receiver chipsets, that acquire satellite signals substantially faster and are more accurate (my 910 takes only a few seconds). But still, the 305 represents the best value for money in the Garmin range, even if the technology is somewhat older.

BeepBeep67

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

We were only playing on half of the pitch (that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it!).

At least you headed the ball about 109 times

monthehoops

huskerdu wrote: »

I apologise if my tone came across badly. I was a bit sarcastic. I was trying to answer by asking you to give more information. But, my point was that you asked a question without enough information. Fair dues to Ray for guessing what your problem actually was.



I have a 305, it is a great piece of kit. It is a pity that you have decided that it is rubbish because it takes 2 to 4 minutes to find the satellites. All GPS devices do that. If your question is simply " Is it possible to buy a GPS device that can find the satellite in seconds, either a watch or a phone, I think the answer is no.

Whatever you want the 305 to do, I bet it will do it, if you find out how. We are a friendly bunch here, just ask the question clearly and precisely and someone will answer.

I dont know anything about Endomondo, If there is a feature that it has that you wish the 305 to do, and you cant find it in the manual, let us know and we might be able to help.

That's my main bugbear, not my only one.

I never said it was rubbish. I just said I don't like it. I am completely aware that it's a very popular piece of kit. If you can develop a piece of kit that EVERYONE will like, then you're in the money.

Maybe the problem is that I've used the iPhone and used Endomondo/Runmeter/Cyclemeter etc before I bought the 305. All I was asking was if there was a wristwatch that does the same as them because I don't like carrying the phone out on a run because I can't glance at it when I want to...which is why I bought the Forerunner in the first place.

I could give you a list of things I don't like about the 305, and no doubt you'll have an answer for all of them, but it won't change my mind on it, just like I can't change anyone's mind that does like it - and as it's a popular piece of kit I'm sure plenty do.

Maybe you should give Endomondo a try and I'll give the Forerunner another shot.