debcook

2008-08-11 21:13:18 

Gadgets make exercise more fun whether inside or outside. Watches, GPS devices, pedometers and even websites help walkers and runners stick to routines that they would otherwise loose interest in.

Today was so cool (temperature wise) that it started me thinking of how to step up my exercise routine. In the heat of summer I have walked 3 miles per day most days. I have not tracked my progress in any way other than distance and time spent.

A year or so ago I was a daily jogger. My favorite trail was the high school track. My gadget gear included my Timex Ironman workout watch and my radio. I was always looking for a smaller radio and most of the ones I found never worked as well as I wanted them too. Thank goodness for MP3 players!

This fall I plan to resume my jogging but this time I want to do it up right. I want to track my progress in terms of distance and speed. I want to have an accurate record to look back on. Previously I used a small spiral runner’s journal where I recorded the date, the temperature, the distance and the time spent for each workout. It worked well but I cannot see it as an entire picture of my workouts.

A runner’s GPS watch is winning the battle to be my newest exercise gadget. Why? It will most accurately record my workout regardless of my location. During my journal days I hesitated to change running location and the actual workout itself because I dreaded writing it all down. If I ran at the track and ran the same way each day I could quickly re-write the same information each day. It was really a hassle to hand write the information of a workout that included intervals.

There are several GPS devices available for walkers and joggers. So far my favorite jogger’s GPS is the Garmin Forerunner 305. There is a Garmin 405 but I compared the features and actually like the 305 better. The 405 looks better but the face is smaller. I don’t know about you but it is hard for me to read a watch face while running in the best of circumstances. The Garmin also has the advantage of having the GPS functionality built in without the need for a separate receiver.

A heart rate monitor is available but in the past I decided not to use the one had. There always seemed to be interference – either from my radio or even from the large overhead lights (I ran early in the morning). I did not like the way it felt either – sweat was required to make it read my heart rate accurately – and a sweaty plastic band around my ribs was not my idea of a pleasant run.

I am not a big time runner so I would never use all of the features available on a device as advanced as the Garmin Forerunner 305. But there are particular features that I would use. The Auto Pause setting would allow me to re-tie my shoes or wait for a stoplight to change without altering my true workout data. A Foot Pod (ties onto a pair of shoes) is available to use when inside on my treadmill. Yes, I know that my treadmill will keep track of my stats but those stats cannot be uploaded to my computer on the Garmin Center Software.

I just want to stay in shape and enjoy my time working out. I don’t want to spend a lot of time and effort tracking my daily stats. I want a device that is totally portable and easy to wear. I want a device that is easy to read and operate during my workout. If anyone knows of a workout device that is better than the Garmin Forerunner 305 I’d love to hear from you!