running with GPS

Question
Hello!

My "devotion" to running varies a lot, mostly on the level of schoolwork I have to handle. I was thinking about buying GPS Garmin 205 Running watch. I was wondering if you had another product recommendation. I am a very mathematically orientated person (my major is physics) and I get bored of running when I can't monitor progress I usually run in random places with no set schedule. I do not keep a log or anything.

Thanks,
Kara

Answer
The 205 would be a great product.  One of similar tastes is the Timex Ironman GPS Speed & Distance monitor.  This is the one I have used in the past, with my coaching & training I did.  I was able to buy a data recorder that was linkable with a computer, and you'd get to see your workouts in graphs, able to zoom in & pin-point exact speeds you were running at at certain points.  I have no experience with the Garmin series, just the Timex Ironman unit.  It came with a watch, a GPS monitor for your arm, plus a data recorder, which I usually kept in my pocket, or clipped onto the armband of the monitor.  Without that data recorder, I couldn't have discovered all the things I did to help coach my XC athletes better, or analyze the sprint performance trials of my private training athletes.  

Believe me, once you analyze the data, you won't get bored with your running.  I never worried about how some running monitors could track your routes and plot them on a map for you later on.  To me, that's not all important, I just need to know the total distances & speeds I'm going for my running performance goals.

I hope this helps you well.  If you are interested, I do sell an e-book in which I cover all the training implementations of GPS training that I've discovered & used.  That site is http://endure.speeddialcoach.com

Rick Karboviak