The TomTom Runner GPS Watch is the first real product from TomTom in the highly competitive GPS watch category. This watch has some great features, including some fun graphic modes that are almost too good in that you want to look at the screen instead of run. It’s a solid entry that should be looked at by most runners.
I had a great question via email today that I just had to write about. Mandy has a brand new Garmin 410 Forerunner GPS watch. This summer, she is going on a cruise and would like to keep up her running while on the ship. That’s great! Congratulations Mandy, on keeping up with your fitness. But, what she wants to know is if her GPS will will work while on the ship.
Image licensed under CC from Flickr user lotopspin. Thank you.
While on a cruise ship, there are 2 ways that you can keep up with your running. First, use the treadmill in the cruise ship health club. Just about all cruise ships have clubs of various sizes. And, typically, a least a few treadmills for you to get in your run.
But, if you are like me, you prefer to run outside. No problem as most of the larger cruise ships have a small walking/jogging/running track on the perimeter of one of the larger decks. So, go outside and enjoy the fresh air and run in many circles.
Now, on to the question…will the GPS watch work while running on a cruise ship. The answer is yes, it will work, but it will absolutely NOT be accurate while the ship is moving. First, out on the open ocean, you should be able to get a very strong satellite signal. But, if you run when the ship is moving, the GPS calculation tracks your movement and the ships movement at the same time.
Let’s say that you are running from the back of the ship to the front while the ship is in motion. The GPS will seem to cover a lot of ground. But, if you run from the front to the back of the ship, you will have covered less ground. If the ship is barely moving in a bay, you may even be standing still according to your GPS.
You best bet is to consult with a member of the ships crew. They should be able to tell you the length of the track on the ship. Then, you can simply count your laps.
The Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor running watch comes with a broad range of features for the running enthusiast who is looking forward to refining his running skills. This running watch offers both a GPS and HRM, to help prepare for a big race day when slight variations in time and distance could spell the difference between meeting personal goals or just missing them. The watch is simple to look at, yet extends basic functions in various dimensions to suit a range of running styles. Read ahead to see if this watch could be considered one of the best GPS watch for runners. Check pricing on this GPS heart rate monitor watch.
Click to Buy the Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor Features at Amazon.
Basic Physical Features of the 410 with HRM
The Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor measures only 1.88 inches in width, 2.78 inches in height and 0.646 inches in depth (4.8 cm width, 7.1 cm height and 1.6 cm depth). With a display screen a mere 2.7 cm in diameter and a screen resolution of 124 by 95 pixels, the watch does not deliberately feature a touchscreen, which would become oversensitive and unsuitable for the marathon runner prone to body heat and sweat.
The chargeable lithium-ion battery incorporated in the Forerunner 410 heart monitor watch goes on for almost two weeks when in power saver mode. In the training mode, with full power consumption, it is built to last for a minimum eight hours, during which time anyone participating in a marathon for the first time would be able to achieve their finish.
Customizable Display of the Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor
The Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor has display options that are customizable to minimize clutter in the display area and enable you to display selected pieces of data, preferably two or three details at a time. This is in conjunction with the details of heart rate function.
Usability Incorporated in the Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor
This Garmin with GPS and heart rate monitor functions at a constant pace for up to eight hours. Among user-friendly features of the Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor is the wrist band with a quick release snap feature for quick and easy removal. The color scheme looks much neater, with a sense of power and majesty and controls are neither too sensitive nor seem too awkward while pressing. This allows the wearer to be able to push the control buttons even when wearing hand gloves or similar protection when the weather gets colder.
The advanced controls that respond to touch are designed for a number of different displays and enable you to accomplish a large number of operations much faster and more conveniently than ever before. The Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor also features several automatic tracking functions as part of the GPS, such as Auto Pause for stoplights and AutoLap for automatic lap initiation.
As a heart rate monitor and GPS, the 410 displays important notifications regarding your time exhausted and distance accomplished, heart rate monitoring and pace notifications as well as calorific consumption based on heart rate data.
Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor Features Superior Heart Rate Observation
The 410 is a variant of the Garmin 405 watch and exactly like the 410 without the heart rate monitor. However it is much more superior when compared to the Garmin 405 and includes a chest strap besides better controls. The Garmin Forerunner 410 HRM features a premium chest strap that is much more comfortable than the most chest straps and aids the heart rate monitor capture precise cardiac rhythms. The strap is slightly wider than some others, but you won’t really notice it.
The Tempo Monitoring Function in the Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor
The watch features a tempo function with which you can set up a pre-selected tempo based on your goals and monitor your tempo in real time against the pre-selected tempo. This enables you to ascertain whether you went faster or slower than your pre-selected tempo. This is a very useful feature for the marathon trainer who is often at a risk of overtraining or undertraining. Since the goal of the marathon training schedule is to build endurance gradually, without having to lose time from unintended mishaps, this tempo monitoring feature is an indispensable watch function.
Data Integration Capability of the Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor
The data collected in the 410 HRM can be transferred using a wireless network or through a USB cable attached to your computer. The data integration capability of the watch works across the Microsoft Windows as well as the Macintosh platforms. Also a number of standard browsers are supported, including Safari. All data can be reviewed on your computer and uploaded to various Internet services for additional analysis.
Indicators of Training Accomplishment through Your Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor
The HRM watch has built in functionality for both basic training routines as well as enhanced training workouts. While basic routines work with preset time, calorie and mileage targets, enhanced routines are designed for programming custom workouts. While working with these advanced routines, there is an option to setup alerts when you deviate from your intended pace for that session or when you accomplish a goal in terms of time or distance. Another useful feature to help you train better is the ability to create intervals for exercise sessions and rest periods.
Additional Features of the Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor
Besides basic features, the Garmin Forerunner 410 with Heart Rate Monitor includes certain useful attributes including automatically synchronizing data with your PC and using the Garmin connect interface to share data and analyze it in an internet community. Besides, the watch comes with the Garmin Training Center software and allows Automatic Browse, a feature designed to traverse through information during your training session.
Other automatic functions included is the Automatic Pause function which is a program in the chipset that stops and starts an inbuilt timer based upon your running speed. This is a great feature should you run on city streets with a lot of stop lights. The Automatic Lap function is included in the watch design to enable the beginning of a new lap without any manual intervention.
In a nutshell, the running watch is a multi function watch for the ambitious runner, and incorporates several combinations of basic and advanced features to let the marathon trainer precisely focus on training goals across a range of dimensions. The watch offers great features for a very competitor price making the Garmin Forerunner 410 with heart rate monitor one of the best running trainers around.
Help support Running Watch Review. The Garmin Forerunner 410 GPS with Heart Rate Monitor is available from Amazon: Buy | Reviews
A couple of days ago, for the first time in a long time, I went for a run with a watch, GPS or heart rate monitor. I was feeling a little down and felt that a short run would do me good. So, I decided to head out the door without any electronics. I told my wife I would head down into the canyon and be back in 30 minutes.
So, I headed out the door, checked my form and started a leisurely run over to the trail that would take me down about 300 feet into a canyon. I wasn’t quite sure how far I would run, what my course would be or if I wanted this to be an easy or hard run. Sometimes, no plan is a good plan.
It’s a somewhat steep hill going down and the day was somewhat warm. Last summer I got into the habit of either singing or snapping my fingers as I head down on narrow trails. I do this for good reason, last summer is when I got too close for comfort to a rattle snack. So, I try to make a little noise to let them know I’m coming. I got the idea from mountain bikers who have bells attached to their bikes as they careen around the trails.
The descent is about 300 feet and takes me to a creek. When I got to the bottom, the small bridge was washed to an angle from rain last week. So, I spent about 10 minutes or so trying to straighten it out. I gave up and threw a couple of rocks in the water to make sure the step to the bridge was easy. Once I got across, I decided to head on over to Paradise Falls, about a mile away.
I started feeling really good on the way to the falls. Since this was later afternoon on a weekday, I had only passed one hiker. So, I felt a great sense of calm listening to my footsteps and my breathing.
I checked out the falls and say a young couple sitting on a rock. So, I decided not to disturb them. I turned and started to backtrack on the trail from where I came. At that point, I started thinking how good I felt, so I turned around and kept moving alongside the creek. From the falls, you can continue to a developed campsite. That was fun as there were two more stream crossings, I got my left foot wet.
When I got the campsite, I was planning to head back up canyon along a fire road. However, I saw a sign for the lizard rock trail. This is the backside of a trail that is fairly long. From the starting point, I had only taken it to the actual Lizard Rock. But, never beyond. So, I figured why not and kept going. I knew I was in for a tough run because from the bottom of the canyon to the top of lizard rock was about a 500 foot climb in less than a mile.
Just as I started up the steep switchbacks, a few guys on mountain bikes came screaming downhill. I jumped to the edge of the narrow trail and hugged the mountain. They yelled out that there were five more riders. I kept an eye ahead as I started back on the trail. Sure enough, in less than 60 seconds, the all five riders passed me.
As I got the steep part, I tried a new running technique of crossing over my feet at a slight angle as opposed to running straight up. The hill was tough, but I felt unbelievably happy to be running up, a slew of positive thoughts kept passing through my head. I stopped a couple of time, but this was because I wanted to take in the view.
The last 40 feet are very steep to get up to Lizard Rock, so I mostly walked it. But, from the top, I felt great.
This picture is the trail to Lizard Rock from the front. I stood on top for about two minutes to soak up the view and felt great. I took the front trail back home. It was all downhill.
From this point, I felt like I was running on air. My legs were refreshed at the top and I took it easy coming down. As a matter of fact, this run was my easiest run in years, despite the hill climb. I just felt great.
Lizard Rock is just to the left/top of the center of this map:
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I have a general idea of how long this run took. I stopped at a drinking fountain near a nature center. I stopped at the falls and a couple of times up the mountain and the top of the mountain. Not once did I wonder how long I had been running or how far.
The next time you need to clear your head, don’t just go for an easy run, go to explore. You never know where your mind will take you.
The Garmin FR60 running watch is an advanced GPS running watch that has been created keeping the needs of runners and triathletes in mind. It has everything one may look for in a GPS runner’s watch: all the advanced features that are required by today’s athletes to train. This watch follows from the Garmin Forerunner line and has some of the best features offered, as well as other innovative features. The high price tag and the extra baggage are thankfully missing. Confused as to whether or not to buy the Garmin FR60? Read our GPS watch review before you decide.
The Garmin FR60 running watch is light and small and you will have no trouble with it when you go swimming or running. It looks sleek enough to be worn as a daily wear watch as well. It has a good audible alarm clock that is perfect for those times when you are afraid of missing an early morning training session. The Garmin FR60 watch is available in black, lilac and red. Accessories you can buy with this watch are bike sensor, heart rate monitor and foot pod. The compact look of the watch and the way all the features fit inside one tiny package makes us give thumbs’ up to Garmin once again!
The Garmin FR60 is a running sports watch that is perfect for both athletes and the casual wearer. Its compact design and light weight makes the wearer feel quite comfortable when it is strapped to the arm. It has advanced sports features that athletes and trail runners can use in it and the great thing is that it is extremely user friendly. Setting up the watch is easy and so is programming it in a way to suit you! Also, learning to use all the features is really not difficult at all.
The Garmin FR60 is totally water resistant. This means that you don’t have to worry if you sweat a lot during your training sessions. You can even take it out on a swim without being worried about whether it is going to work later on! It is triathlon- friendly. This watch is a training aid and can keep track of the current pace, speed, hear rate, average pace, distance and time and also lets you train within your specific Heart Rate Zones. Of course, the GPS records every mile that you can download to your computer. When the watch is turned on for the first time, it will record your age, height and weight. It can also be used to set up alerts for training. The Virtual Trainer Mode is another feature worth mentioning. When you connect the Garmin FR60 to a foot pod, you get a continuous stream of live data like your speed, pace and distance. It can also be connected to a heart rate monitor or bike sensor if you want more data. Minus points? None we could find!
The Garmin FR60 is a must buy for athletes looking for a complete solution to their training needs; plus a watch!
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