The GPS Advisor

Verdict: “Best Entry-Level GPS Running Watch”

If your budget is limited (to about 100 bucks) and you want to add GPS functionality to your workouts or training regimen, look no further than the Garmin Forerunner 101 GPS running watch.

Having survived my 25 year running career with a handy digital watch, I was amazed to see what Garmin has packed into this wrist-top GPS running computer.

I like the simplicity and basic functions of this virtual training partner as well as the very low entry price, unless you want to hook it up to your PC - then go with the next step up. Read the rest of this entry »

Verdict: “Excellent Entry-level GPS Wrist Watch”

The Garmin Foretrex 101 GPS wrist watch is a new addition to the Foretrex 201 line, but in a more economical package with great features.

We are quite amazed at the sheer number of features that Garmin has packed into this fairly compact unit. After may years of carrying around a general handheld GPS unit, this is a refreshing alternative.

Heavy-Duty Features in a Little Package

Garmin claims that the Foretrex 101 has the same features at the Foretrex 201, but at a more economical price point, including PC interface capabilities for downloading waypoints, tracks and routes, and operation on two AAA batteries. Read the rest of this entry »

Verdict: “Excellent High-Powered GPS Running Watch”

The Garmin Forerunner 305 is a high-end GPS runners watch that is ideal for serious athletes and trail runners looking for serious backcountry adventures.

Garmin never disappoints when it comes to GPS features and this unit is no exception. This is the GPS running watch I would buy today (if price were not a factor), because of it’s extensive features, sleek design, and Garmin reliability & performance. Read the rest of this entry »

Having come back from a devastating form of cancer, I can attest to the need to use any means to help you stay focused and on track for your recovery program.

A GPS wrist watch can be an invaluable training tool for charting your progress and providing inspiration on the long road of recovery. In the haze of recovery, you may miss out on the satisfaction of your progress, unless you track how you are doing.

The positive benefits of seeing your progress can help catapult you to the next step of your recovery. From there, it is just a process of stepping back up the ladder to your full recovered state. I think that a GPS watch could be very helpful, as it can automatically collect data during your daily walks (and I believe my daily walks played a huge factor in my recovery). Read the rest of this entry »

Amazing Features to Jump-Start Your Training

GPS watches are the newest “must-have” training devices in the world of outdoor athletics and multi-sport adventures. Both professional and amateur athletes embracing the GPS technology of the pros to make their athletic pursuits more enjoyable and survivable.

As an amateur triathlete, I am very excited about the possiblities of using a GPS watch to help me get through the long training sessions as well as the sometimes grueling races.

The explosion of the GPS watch market has happened because elite athletes, as well as amateur multi-sport athletes are buying them to improve training and race day performance. Read the rest of this entry »

A GPS Watch with HRM Gives You the Full Picture

Most of the major manufacturers have versions of their GPS watches that include Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) accessories, usually in the form of a chest strap. Things get interesting when you combine GPS navigational data with heart rate data.

You can get sophisticated software that will combine HRM data with GPS data to give you a multi-dimensional picture of your training and racing. Imagine seeing your riding course and watching exactly how your body responded to those tough hills on your PC after your workout. This is not only interesting, but can tell you where you need more work. Do you see the benefit?

A “Virtual Training Partner” Helps Keep You on Pace

The Garmin GPS watches have a feature called the “Virtual Partner”, which allows you to program in pacing information directly into the GPS watch before heading out on your training run or ride.

As you move through your course, the watch then lets you know at any time, using GPS tracking and the GPS watch computer, whether you are ahead or behind of your virtual training partner. The image on the left is from the Garmin Edge Bike Computer.

I like the easy-to-read graphic repesentation of you and your competition. When I am in the middle of a tough ride, the last thing I want to do is try to calculate my pace in my brain. It is hard enough to use my brain to stay on the road or trail.

Buy the Garmin Edge Bike Computer with Virtual Partner HERE!

Read the rest of this entry »

With triathlons as competitive as they are today, it is not surprising that there is a surge of amateur atheletes who are utliizing the GPS technology of the pros to make our athletic pursuits more enjoyable and survivable.

As an very amateur triathlete, I am very jazzed about the potential of using a GPS watch to help me get through the long training sessions as well as the grueling races.

A GPS Watch Keeps Your Training Log

Anyone who has ever trained for and competed in a triathlon knows the immense amount of preparation, coordination and dedication that is required. Additionally, training for a multi-sport event is such a significant undertaking, we want to see the results of our hard work.

Most triathletes keep a written log of their long journey in training to racing to see their progress and plan ahead. Instead of spending all of that time writing, why not let your handy GPS watch log your endless hours of training, distance, heart rate data, and other training data? Read the rest of this entry »