I might break down and buy a HR monitor/GPS unit

[KSH]

OK, I am totally against strapping more equipment on me but I think I really need to know what my exertion level is when I'm running.

I have pretty much figured out that my side cramp is based on my breathing. As long as I am breathing easy... I'm fine. Sure, that sounds easy enough to judge and I suppose it is... but sometimes I can run slow and breathe heavy. I think those are the days my HR is through the roof, for some unexplained reason.

When I race in my tri's... I need to keep my running at a 11-12 minute mile, so I can run the entire distance. Unfortunately, I never have a watch on (haven't found one I like) and I never really know how far I have gone. I think being able to pace myself will help as I move into longer distance tri's.

And before I get to the run... I need to keep my HR down on the bike. I typically set myself up for failure on the run, by blowing out on the bike. I don't know... maybe a HR monitor beeping at me will make me slow down.

So... what HR monitor/GPS unit do you suggest? I am looking at Polar because I can get a sports bra with the sensors built in. Although, that might not work in tri's, as I probably can's swim in it. Hhhuummm.

[Pika]

Hi KSH:
I am looking for something too- the garmin 305 look very very techie cool
I think LBTC and Wahine use them?? maybe they can give us a review
I have a HR monitor and like to use it but now I want more info- + we need something for DH, maybe that is the excuse I'll use to upgrade

also with the gps I could also use it for sailing- we could monitor the different legs of the course - it is sometimes hard to tell if tuning the sail has made any impact- since our stripped out boat does not have any techie gear- no knotmeter or depth sounder which we could have used when we ran aground hard during the race yesterday!!

[Wahine]

I have the Garmin 305. It took me a year to figure out how to use it with some proficiency, but now I'm in looooooovvvvve.

It is very techie, with a novel for a manual, but check this out...

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/user/h2odiva

This is the data you can get from the garmin about your workouts. Waaayyyy cooooolll.

[Offthegrid]

I have the Polar (cs-300 I think) and I like it although the wrist watch is big. I wanted one unit I could use for the bike and the run, and I didn't have a cadence sensor so this seemed like a logical option. Although now that I can actually run, I do wish I had GPS, but I can pretty well estimate the distance based on time.

The HR has been a big help to me. It lets me know I'm jogging too hard. On the bike it's horribly slow (and frustrating sometimes) to keep my HR low, but I know it's what I need to do right now. I don't wear it to swim.

As for the strap, I don't mind the regular HR strap -- I don't even know it's there. (I'm too big to wear one of Polar's bras.)

[MINIskirt]

I have the Garmin Forerunner 205, which is similar to the Garmin Forerunner 305, but doesn't have a HRM. I absolutely LOVE my Forerunner.

You can even set it to beep when you start running too quickly.

[HillSlugger]

I think that Polar's sports bra will pretty much take any heart rate monitor unit. Basically it's a sports bra that has slots that the monitor and straps thread through.

[LBTC]

DH and I both have the Garmin 301. It has some cool features - set up for running, biking or other, but you have to change the settings for each sport. You can set different max HR for each sport, also, not that I know how to do that!

We have sometime seen spikey HR's being reported - we doubt that DH hit 240 in his last mild road ride, so we think there is some disturbance from an outside source....I am hoping that all HRM's do this from time to time.

I like that I can have custom screens - so I can view time, HR and elevation or whatever combination of stats that I want.

Here's one of my rides:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/2423139

No cadence meter on this one, though.

Have fun deciding!

H&B
~T~

[KSH]

I have the Garmin 305. It took me a year to figure out how to use it with some proficiency,

Hhhhhuuummm... not a good sign... a year? Wow.

Sounds hard.

Maybe I'll go really simple and just go for a basic HR monitor/watch combo only.

[VeloVT]

I have the Timex Bodylink system. I really like it actually. Very easy to use --took me about 15 minutes to get it set up and figure out how to use it. The only issue I can see for tri's is that it takes a few minutes to lock onto the GPS signal at the beginning of your run -- but I guess you could just turn it on when you're setting up your transition stuff before the race and leave it there, on, and put it on either in T1 or T2 (you don't really need the GPS on your bike b/c of the computer, and since the unit is separate from the watch, it might be easier just to use it for the run).

I've found that the real-time pacing is pretty accurate.

The newest version does measure altitude/ascent & descent rates, so while you don't get the fancy readout on the watch itself that you seem to get with a Garmin, if you get the data recorder, that is recorded and can be uploaded and graphed, etc.

I have tiny wrists and while the Garmin seems really cool, I don't think I could wear it.

[spazzdog]

Wahine, did you find it (the 305) worth the price tag?

I went looking at them a cople of weeks ago... thought I'd put my Polar HRM aside and go for something that gave HRM data and altitude info. But the watch is HUGE! as is the price.

I use a MAVIC wintech cyclometer w/cadence so only need the HRM function (and lust after the altitude function).

spazz

[yellow]

I'm with Wahine. I love the 305. Lovelovelove it.

I got it ridiculously cheap (well, for what it is) on Amazon.com (I posted somewhere about this recently...can't remember where...). I figured out how to use it very quickly, but then I'd already been using a GPS for mtn biking for a while. There is a rebate right now, through the end of May. So my after rebate price was $205. Way less than "retail price".

I don't get any weird readings and so far the gps signal has been very good. I can transfer the data to a number of different programs. It maps, it charts, has all kinds of functions (I love the % grade function)...it was worth every penny. Did I say that I lovelovelove it??

Now, if you're going to run for more than 10 hours , you might have a battery charge issue. But of course there are solutions for that now, too. I think some of the gals using the Edge have the on-the-go chargers. I suppose you could strap it to your arm next to your iPod and espresso maker.

By the way, I have a tiny wrist and I don't even notice it. So while it looks big, it does not feel awkward at all.

[Wahine]

Wahine, did you find it (the 305) worth the price tag?

spazz

Yup, since I didn't have to pay for it. To be honest, I wouldn't have bought it simply because it would have scared me to think about trying to learn to use it. But now that I know how...

I don't know what they retail for, but I would pay about $300 for it, knowing what it can do. I also agree with Yellow about the watch. Looks huge but is actually pretty comfy.

[KSH]

Decisions... decisions.

I think I am going to start out SIMPLE. Go for something small (I have a very small wrist, measures 5.5 inches around)... and easy to use... OH... and CHEAP! HA!

Once I get the hang of that... then I move on to bigger and better... with a GPS in it.

I can barely use my wireless bike computer as it is...

Knowing my HR might be good for right now.

[kelownagirl]

I found one for a fairly good price here.

http://www.etronics.com/addtocart.as...&sgar0044700=1

$239 US.

Still a lot of money though. Wahine - is yours the Garmin Forerunner 305 or the Garmin Edge 305?

[kerrybelle]

I just found a new feature on MotionBased. Choose one of your activities from your digest. Up pops the stats and the small map. On the right side are some orange tabs, choose the "Map Player" one. Here you can watch your ride unfold before you. It's a lot like the dot race but you don't need to ride the same trail twice to do it.

On the left side you can select the background you want such as photo, topo, street etc. And just below that you can Zones; heartrate % of max, elevation, speed, and grade. Select one and your ride becomes a technicolour ribbon of your efforts.

Here's my info from our first club ride of the year:

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/p...kValue=2403642

If you slow it down you can watch your stats as the ride progresses. I'm not a triathlete but thought I'd share this information.

Kerry