…is a dead Garmin 305!
My watch didn’t exactly die this morning, but it was acting oddly and rendered all data useless. First it took 15 minutes to find satellites (this is an ongoing problem). Then, midway through the run, the HRM started telling me I was running at 25% max heart rate. Just for fun, I ran really fast to see what it would do. At 6:15 pace, it said I was running at 50% effort. I wish.
This watch has given me trouble from the get go. Its worst sin was dropping GPS signals during two of my five marathons, but it often gives me grief during races and training runs, but rarely on the days when I’m just running easy. Unforgivable!
So it’s getting kicked to the curb. I have a new 310xt shipping out to me on Monday. Despite my particular watch’s issues, I like the Garmin products. So I’m hoping the new model will not only be a better watch product, but a better individual watch too.
Review to come.
Filed under: clothes and gear | Tagged: 305, 310xt, garmin |
Races Like a Girl 
I’ve not had such problems with my 305. Of course, I had major problems with an iPod nano, but that’s a different subject.
Good thing you didn’t name yours, like some folks we know. Much easier to move on.
Hahaha, Joe’s comment cracks me up. I was just about to write “Sad day.” Hopefully you were less emotionally attached to your Garmin than I am to Guadalupe. Good luck with the new model. I followed the link and it looks very cool. I’m anxious to hear how it works out for you.
I regretted not having named my old watch after reading these comments. I think I’ll name the new watch Trixie.
WOW, thats nice the 310xt….
Poor 305, but the new is better i think!.
Now you run whit a watch, so i have a training for you ;-).
Do you now the “climax run”?.
“Inlopen 25’Heen climaxloop 27 ½’ Terug DL3>10kmT ca 5×5’P1’SP 2 ½’ p op de plaats”
Translate to english( i hope you understand).
You start warming up and than you start the climax run for 27 ½’ minutes.Start slow and accelerate on high speed after 27 ½’ minutes.Now you stop on the place for 2 ½ minutes.Than you run back the same route but now faster than your half marathon speed but slower than your 10km speed.After 5 minutes you stop 1 minutes and that 5 time..
When you run good?, than you back on the place where you start the climax run!.
* Warming up slow run 25 minutes.
* 27 ½’ minutes climax-run(the last 4 or 5 minutes high speed).
*rest stop 2 ½ minutes.
* run back on > half marathon speed- < 10km speed and rest after 5 minutes run 1 minutes……
This 5 times and you will see you end where you start
Rinus, this makes my head spin. On the other hand, it’s Friday evening after a very long week of head spinning. But rather than figure this out myself, I’ll make my coach decide if this is a good idea. 😉
Do you do this workout yourself?
Why’d you pick the 310xt over the 405? Just curious, both good.
BTW, I was serious about the fb post on the orange sauconys. I have some at my store.
Tracy, I went with the XT because a few people I know have the 405 and don’t like it. The consensus is: the touchwheel is very finicky and difficult to operate when running fast. It also acts up if your fingers are wet — not good thing for those of us who sweat a lot (or run in the rain).
I like the 305’s form factor. It’s easy to operate and read. My other choices involved going to a watch with a separate GPS unit or a foot pod (and those are impractical if you run in about six different pairs of shoes, since you have to calibrate it for each pair).
Speaking of shoes — I’m interested! I’ll buzz you on FB so this doesn’t get lost…
Yeah my 405’s bezel is a little cranky. I can’t imagine trying to work it while going fast, but I’m also not sure why I would try.
Let me know what you think about the 310 when you get it. We’re supposed to have them in the store in about a week; got to play with one Friday and it was pretty cool.
Julie, you can do the “climax-run thirst sorter like, “Inlopen 25’Heen climaxloop 22 ½’’ Terug DL3>10kmT ca 5×4’P1’SP 2 ½’ p op de plaats”
Only than you run 22 ½’’ minutes and back 5 x 4 minutes…
It is the same, but sorter.
You can also do the climax-run when you do the slow run training.So you see there are a much variation!.
@Julie, “Do you do this workout yourself?”
Yes, special for the marathon training and the(long) climax-training 3 weeks before the marathon.
Julie, you now that i train in time and feeling of my body and head, thats for my importend……to have fun when i run or do the training.
I have for two years run scheme and training for a top coach in Holland, but he stop whit training and scheme….And i will always run a marathon and now i go for the ultra run and 12 september i run the 100km in Winschoten…
Thats make that i learn a lot from my coach and personal scheme and now i make my own scheme for the marathon and ultra run.
I run 21 marathon and what do i learn about it?.
A marathon do not run a way and when you think that you must run a good time, you do not run a fast time.
Oké, you train a lot, but a marathon is more than that, you must feel the marathon.
You wil see that when you not expected a PR or good time on the marathon, you wil run a pr!!!!.
For my you have fun marathon and same times a PR marathon…..but so you learn the marathon, and that do you not learn by only training.
Julie, long story and my english is not so good, but have fun and pleasure when you run and do not to focus to much.
And i think that you do better for training and for your self, thats the way.
Nive weekend.
Rinus.
Rinus, when I think about that workout, well, it looks very challenging! It’s funny, I’ve never seen a “run back and forth” workout like that before. Very unique.
I didn’t realize you were training for an ultra. I’ll bet that’s a completely different mindset. I’ll be interested to see if you enjoy the experience.
My experiences over the past few months have shown me that I need to be more flexible in training and relax expectations both from day to day and on race day. I think this is also what you’re saying. I have enjoyed running without all the gadgets, and also really “running by feel” on some days. I am thinking that I may even run without a watch during some of my fall races just to see what that’s like — in other words, “race by feel” too.
This is what I love so much about running: there are so many ways to approach it mentally and from a training standpoint. And there is always more to learn — about running itself and about yourself as an individual runner.
Nice to read that you like the workout.You can try, but nothing must!.
Yes, you learn a lot and you bean more relax, thats good.
I now you like the marathon and you run sometime a good time and PR, no problem for you.
I go for the ultra-run and it is a sort time for a good training, but i go for it and i now that you can do a lot whit mentally……and i see this ultra like a experiment in my running live!…I don’t no if i like that, i wil see.
I now that the long ultra is a part of running that i feel never have before, thats fun i hope ;-).
I want to now something about your surroundings where you run…When i read your blog, i ask my self, how looks the surroundings where Julie run?.
I have no idea how its looks.
I now Newyork is big, but do you run in a park?,beach, street, or lake?.
Can you not take and post some pics where you run?, and it wil be nice when you on the pic!.
Nice weekend.
Rinus.
Rinus, I’m a better runner than I am a photographer. Here are some images of the places where I run:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/bronxriver/clusters/
I’m incredibly lucky to have an 11 mile long path (the photos above are taking at various points along it). Only about 1.5 miles is on a roadway (a frightening one — crazy drivers and no shoulder or sidewalk). But the rest is either paved or dirt path. As you can see, it’s very beautiful in the fall and winter. I think I’ll link to some of these in a dedicated post…
There have been some good Garmin names. My occasional training partner named hers Gandalf.
I think I’d go with the 310xt too (if I weren’t saving me toaster money for a HRV monitor). As you say, the sweat on the 405 makes them unreliable.
I think the 310 is all improved, except for 5 second sampling (for those of us who run in circles, or on zig-zaggy paths). Longer battery life though!
Practising running by feel in races is a great idea. Start the Garmin, but don’t look at it. By the way, the “current pace” feature of Garmins has always been next to useless. I prefer the “last km” split to get an idea of pace.
Current pace is typically a roller coaster, true. I look at (current) mile pace (and I have average pace for the entire run on another screen). About the only time I find current pace to be useful is when running intervals.
I’m coming up with lots of name candidates. I’ll see which one speaks to me when my new toy, er, watch arrives. Or maybe I’ll do another poll and let readers choose/suggest.
Looks nice and fun to run in the bronxriver(park)…
Thanks Julie.
Rinus.
Don’t let us choose. Voters are prone to selecting something silly. Or at least have some “hanging chad” fallback.
I like the idea of a poll though. Make sure you include “Gladys Garmin” and “Gorky Garmin”.
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