quick question for

[Wahine]

Check your manual for sure, but there's absolutely no problem with the polar straps in the water. I've worn my garmin strap in the swim and have not had any issues. I put the watch on my tri bars and hit the timer on the way out of T1, once i'm on my bike, hitting my stride and in a safe place, I put it on my wrist. You have to be pretty confident to do this because it would really suck to drop it. The safest thing to do is to put it on in T1.

When's your race again? I forgot. It's the Oliver HIM right?

How exciting!!!

[activediva]

Wondering why you want to wear it? They are for training, unless you have a heart condition. Want to share more?

[Blueberry]

Some people use them as part of their race strategy to ensure that they are performing at the appropriate level given their goals and conditioning.

CA

[Wahine]

Especially for races longer than an Olympic distance. These races are long enough that it becomes a big problem later in the race if you spend too much time at or above your lactate threshold.

[Pika]

Thanks all-
Wahine and CA are right- I want to wear it so I can stay within my lactate balance point so I have "something" left for the run.
It is the garmin so I think I'll put it on and hope for the best- likely for me I will put the watch part on in T1- I'm corordinated but not that co-ordinated!
Yesterday on my ride my profile designe water bottle fell out while I was on my aerobars- I moved out a little it to avoid a drainage and got on the the rumble strips going down a hill..it was so slow motion...bouce bounce bounce..arrrgh...thank goodness it cleared my front wheel and I could stop quickly- manged to pick up all the pieces though then I had no water~!

Guess the elastics are there for a reason!!
tam

[Tri Girl]

But... have you lost the yellow spongy thing a million times yet? I finally broke down and bought the bracket for the aero bottle. It was the best money I've spent. No more rubber bands holding it in and flinging off at inappropriate times. And no more yellow spongy thing either- I bought a loofah at the dollar tree.

And you'll probably be fine with your strap in the water. My Nike does just fine when wet. Gotta keep an eye on that HR and keep it down to avoid pushing too hard. After 3 years of tri racing, I still don't have a good gauge of where I'm at if I don't have it on. Some days I feel like I'm going at it too hard and my HR is 130, some days I feel like I've got more to give and my HR is 180. I'd be lost without that HR info. Go figure.

[tygab]

I am over the idea of babying my Garmin 305... and plan to try freshwater swims with it... I'll probably put a small piece of duct tape over the battery on the strap and the contacts on the watch, and see what happens.

I would not advise this for salt water and it's overkill for the pool (I have used my old polar when so inclined) so once the temps warm I'll give it a go.