I couldn't wait; the ultimate training tool that I needed to be a world class runner was on the way. And finally I got my Garmin Forerunner 201 GPS training watch. I run on trails that don't have even the hint of trail markers or mile markers so I wanted this watch to help me know my splits better. And I got so much more. I have now been using the watch for over 2 months and have learned that its great for my training. I know my mile splits while I'm running and through the PC interface I can download them to my computer after each run for a great historical picture. So far my concerns have been few. The button placements are not really great for people moving rapidly and not wanting to mess up the timer. Additionally the time to synch with the satellites each time the unit is turned on can get old. I have learned while its synching up I can stretch outside. I have modified some of the pace smoothing settings to help ensure that I'm getting the most accurate picture of my pace. And I have learned that the pace is more accurate over distance than every 2 seconds that I want to check it. I also recently started using its virtual training partner which is a great tool when my human training partner is unavailable. The virtual training partner is a great way to keep me motivated. As I mentioned there is software to download your runs to and Garmin provides a great looking profile and track of your runs when the information is loaded to your computer. I really hope that Garmin will begin to tailor the interface to runners though because currently the software seems to be more of a hiker's tool. And lest I forget the Forerunner provides the extra cool feature of using your body weight, effort expended (both pace and elevation changes) to provide calories burned per run. (That gives me a great excuse for those extra goodies throughout the day.) For their first foray into the running world I think Garmin has created a great product with the Forerunner 201 that with little effort and attention to runner's needs will outpace the competition. And by the way it didn't make me a world class runner; I guess I'll just wait for the next ultimate training tool.
Pros:
Pace using satellite positioning.
Auto-lap feature which will automically cause the lap timer to be tripped at a predetermined distance.
Virtual Training Partner. Great when you need extra motivation!
PC Interface. Download your workouts to your computer and view the profile and track of your run as well as other info.
Cons:
Poor positioning of buttons. I often have to stop or slow down to ensure I don't hit the wrong button and stop the timer while running.
Lack of appropriate scale in the computer software. I change elevation by 100-300 feet in my runs and yet the base scale is 1000 feet which skews the profile view. Also the scale for the pace is not scaled so that the slowest time is the chart 0 thus the pace chart is also skewed.
No way to incrementally load from the watch. Which means as you gather more runs it will take longer to download.
Can't hit the lap button manually to mark a favorite spot or turn-around without also restarting the Auto-lap which throws off the mile positioning.
