First off, I'm a IT guy and technology in general interests me. So when I find a new gadget that's not only cool, but also useful, I am drawn even closer. The Garmin Forerunner 305 offers utility that applies directly to my life and doesn't break the bank.
One of the things I love about running is the sense of freedom it gives, but are you truly free when you have to map out all of your runs online, or worse-- use your car to measure the distance? Portable GPS devices ease that burden of pre-run measurements and offer other features as well. Sure, I still have an "idea" of how long a run is going to be when I step out my door, but I don't have to know the exact route if I don't want too. All I have to do is aim my body, press start, and run. Periodic checks of my distance, along with my time, pace, and heart-rate help me decide to either keep going farther or start making my way back home. Of course, if you are running a one-way route, you better at least take an educated guess on the distance, or you might end up past the point of no return and not enough juice in the tank to take you all the way.
I picked up my Garmin Forerunner 305 on eBay, slightly used, for about $100 a year ago. It came with all the accessories, including the heart-rate monitor and manual. I didn't really need the manual, the device is very user friendly. The heart-rate monitor fits nicely and is not noticeable after a few minutes The buttons are easy to press (even with gloves on), and the large format display is easy to read even at night (with the help of the backlight). It is rather large, but you get used to it very quickly. The GPS is very accurate, but if you may want to turn your unit on and set it outside a few minutes before your run. It can take a little while to locate enough satellites, which is annoying if you're in a hurry.
I love my Garmin Forerunner 305 because it makes me a smarter runner. I use it to teach my what paces feel like, what heart-rates I can sustain, and even what music makes me run faster. I know some of the "organic" runners out there get a bitter taste in their mouths just to say "GPS," but I'm not one of those guys. I love the feeling of not being tied to a route but still being able to easily know how far and hard I've gone.
Lastly, the array of Garmin Devices come with access to connect.garmin.com, (a site to upload, view, and share runs, routes, and comments). The site is very well put together and easy to use. Most of all, I love seeing my accomplishments on the screen.
So, what are your thoughts? Do you own a sport GPS? If not, would you use one? Why or why not?
Note: I am not endorsed or sponsored by Garmin in anyway. These are just my opinions.
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