The
Gear Head Many of us runners are intensely data driven. How far? How fast? How long? What pace? We want to know! Several companies are answering the call with small GPS (Global Positioning System) units, now designed especially for runners. How do they work? The U.S. government developed the GPS system for the military and is very accurate. Several satellites in stationary orbit over the earth transmit location coordinates. GPS receivers on earth pick up signals from the satellites. At least 2 and preferably 3 satellites must be received in order for the unit to locate, or "fix", your position. Units designed for runners take frequent fixes, computing distance, time, pace, location, altitude, and more. What do they do? I picked up a Garmin Forerunner 201 about 3 months ago. This unit is a single component which straps to your wrist (some units have 2 or more components). It looks like an oversized wristwatch. The unit is reasonably small, light, and comfortable to wear. The keypad is user friendly. It takes a couple runs to learn, and remember, how to access all of the functions while on the run. The Forerunner has some really cool features. It "knows" when you slow down or stop, and you can set the unit to automatically stop the timer when you stop, and start it when you begin to run again. One can set pace alerts, and the unit will alarm if your pace drops below or rises above your custom preset levels. The unit stores loads of data for a ton of runs. It can draw your run on a map, and has navigation features to help you return to your starting point. The Forerunner even features a "Virtual Partner" to pace you or race! Other data such as % grade, altitude, average pace, and best pace are readily available. How does it perform? I have used my Forerunner on the track, road running, trail running, and road cycling. The unit must have a clear "view" of the sky in order to receive satellite signals. It does not work indoors. Heavy foliage and tall buildings can obstruct its view. The Forerunner alerts the runner to problems with reception. I have found that the unit performs flawlessly when road biking, road running, and track running. It is very accurate and consistent. Trail running is another matter. During the summer, heavy foliage can obstruct the Forerunner's view, yielding poor to no reception. I was anxious for the leaves to fall so I could test the Forerunner out on the trails. With the leaves down, satellite reception has not been an issue. Disappointingly, however, I have found the unit to produce mixed results on the trail. It tends to measure distances short on steep grades. An out and back run over hilly terrain can yield significantly different distances for the out and back sections. I have applied for a Nobel Prize in Physics with a theory, which explains how the same course is shorter when run in reverse. I suspect that my unit is having problems adjusting for altitude. In all fairness to Garmin, I have an e-mail in to tech support on this issue. I am hoping that a software upgrade will cure this problem. My impressions? The Garmin Forerunner 201 is a cool tool for the gear head or data junkie. It is light and comfortable. It looks a little geeky, but real gear heads won't mind. It provides tons of data (more than I really need). If you run on the roads, on the track, or road bike the Forerunner works very well. On the trail, reception is good in the fall and winter, spotty in spring and summer. Even with good reception, my unit is inconsistent in on hilly trails, so the jury is still out for trail running. I'll let you know if Garmin is able to resolve this issue. Want to road test it? If you are interested in purchasing a Forerunner 201, try before you buy. I will loan my unit to ORTC members for trial runs. Just ask. Contact me at dirtrunner1955@msn.com or 483-9920. |