Platypus' Beginners Guide to Running

Just started running again over the last 3/4 weeks and reading on this before hand has really helped me up my fitness and running ability, nothing better then finishing a nice pb long run. My aim is to run the Half Marathon this August.

Just wondering how much would you people recommend one of those HRM watches?

If anyone is interested and looking for a running waterproof jacker i got the nike storm fit for my birthday last week and it is amazing- £36 I believe (sale)
 
HRM watchs - I'd HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend the Garmin 305 - HR + GPS

bit clunky but works perfectly and is relatively cheap :) - around £100 from major places online
 
Yea think that is the one i was looking at. I have got a little bit of money from b'day but was thinking maybe i am better saving that for something more important and get the watch possibly when i know i have a job in the summer ( Student) ? Or would you say it's a worth while investment?
 
well swings and roundabouts - I think its worth the £100 just for self motivation - but others on here please jump in and agree/disagree

the fact you're recording your runs, how fast, how far, how often etc - I find great incentive. Tonight - I fancied a different route, made up on the fly on top of my normal 10k - its great to know its being recorded, you can see how far you've gone etc - so tonights ended up being a 12.5k run

2 elements I'm heavily using at the moment - to spur me on - I have a "set" 10k run I've been doing - I set it as a "course" on the device after one of my runs

now on each run I can race against myself on that run - so all the way round I see how many m ahread or behind I am - myself previously .... if I want to push myself harder - if I get a PB on the 10k - I then re-set that as the course to run against - making it even harder to beat myself

2ndly - you can set "alerts" for during your run, one of which is your pace, so I know for instance I don't want to drop below 5 min / kms, so every time the watch detects me running below that pace - it beeps loudly at me

also I find the HR reading useful - it shows how hard you are pushing yourself, so I know I can't keep up 160 beats +, I know 140-150 is sustainable etc, so you can either turn down the pace or speed up depending on what your HR is showing. It also can help physologically - if you feel you are pushing yourself too hard - you look down at your watch and see 140 bpm you can say to youself - come on - you're not really pushing youself hard. Without the watch I'd previously had visions in my head that I was up at 180/190 bpm etc - playing tricks within my mind.

all small things - but gees you on during your run

I think its £100 well spent - but YMMV
 
just checked for instance last weeks stats - over last 7 days: 3 runs, 33.16k total, average 12.2k/hr, HR average 144, total calories - 2192

so this week going to see if I can beat it :)
 
Thanks for your reply that seems like an amazing piece of equipment. It crazy to think how it can do all of that and be only a watch.

If i don't get one soon shall definitely be in the next few months as I would like to know how i am training especially in terms of when I do HITT and also building up to a marathon.

Does the watch tell you how you have run even if you just go on a random one that has not been planned into the watch?
 
If you are worried about cost then iPhone and Android phones can do the exact same for free. You do need to buy a seperate HRM to connect to the phone (bluetooth).

Endomondo, for example, allows you to go for a run and then save it as a route and go against that route time and will tell you average speed, average pace, calories burnt and how far ahead or behind the PB for that course is whenever you want during the run.
 
Richie said:
If you are worried about cost then iPhone and Android phones can do the exact same for free. You do need to buy a seperate HRM to connect to the phone (bluetooth).

Endomondo, for example, allows you to go for a run and then save it as a route and go against that route time and will tell you average speed, average pace, calories burnt and how far ahead or behind the PB for that course is whenever you want during the run.
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I used my android phones for a long time with my tracks (no heart rate monitor but I never use that with my garmin either) the benefit is being able to play music as well,the annoying thing is not being able to glance at the info as easily. If only the garmins also played music.
 
Skidder said:
I used my android phones for a long time with my tracks (no heart rate monitor but I never use that with my garmin either) the benefit is being able to play music as well,the annoying thing is not being able to glance at the info as easily. If only the garmins also played music.
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Carrying it is also a disadvantage, and the risk of dropping it.

I done it with my Desire ages ago, and it was very good. But so clunky in my pocket, and I don't really do short runs <10miles with a bag unless I need to get changed when I get there.

I may invest in one of these watches, as I never time myself on runs.
 
lynchy6789 said:
Thanks for your reply that seems like an amazing piece of equipment. It crazy to think how it can do all of that and be only a watch.

If i don't get one soon shall definitely be in the next few months as I would like to know how i am training especially in terms of when I do HITT and also building up to a marathon.

Does the watch tell you how you have run even if you just go on a random one that has not been planned into the watch?
Click to expand...

I've got a Garmin Forerunner 310XT. Here's a Garmin Connect log for the Liverpool Half Marathon I ran last Sunday. Nothing was programmed into the watch (route-wise), I just started / stopped the watch as I, erm, started and finished :D

I then upload from the 310XT via an ANT+ dongle and the run appears on Garmin Connect or you could take the run into a 3rd party application like Sport Tracks.

Great bit of kit IMHO.
 
^^ well done you were very consistent during your run

I'm trying to build up towards 10 milers (as an initial target) - then hopefully half marathons

tonight felt easier than Sundays run - no idea why - was same run - but I felt much faster

overall it was 12.6k, average pace 4:55, average HR - 146, total time 1 hr 01 min 56

hoping for sub 1 hr next week
 
Skidder said:
I used my android phones for a long time with my tracks (no heart rate monitor but I never use that with my garmin either) the benefit is being able to play music as well,the annoying thing is not being able to glance at the info as easily. If only the garmins also played music.
Click to expand...

Begbie said:
Carrying it is also a disadvantage, and the risk of dropping it.
Click to expand...

Endomondo can solve these problems a bit. If you get an armband to fit your phone in then it can be strapped to your arm and, with Endomondo, it supports headset use whereby if you press the main headset button it will give you your current stats of average speed, calories burnt, distance ran and (if you set this option at the start) how far ahead or behind your PB for a previous saved run you are on. All this info is "spoken" over the headset.

Personally I just carry the phone in my hand and hardly notice it now.

I am not against the Garmin or any other device of the same ilk but can I justify spending circa £100 when I could spend practically nothing and get much the same thing? Not really.
 
if you want to track your run then a phone does the same thing, if you want real time data & training with specific targets etc then a watch is the way to go.
 
Not sure how accurate that statement is. The current generation of phones can track your workout and also give real-time data as well as having the option of setting specific targets just like a watch. Would like to know what a £100 watch can do that a phone cannot :confused:
 
Richie said:
Not sure how accurate that statement is. The current generation of phones can track your workout and also give real-time data as well as having the option of setting specific targets just like a watch. Would like to know what a £100 watch can do that a phone cannot :confused:
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survive a swim? Last over 10 hours before the battery runs out. (OK I don't do many 10 hours runs, but the phone dies in a couple of hours when the GPS is on)
 
Richie said:
Not sure how accurate that statement is. The current generation of phones can track your workout and also give real-time data as well as having the option of setting specific targets just like a watch. Would like to know what a £100 watch can do that a phone cannot :confused:
Click to expand...

I find it a pain just to change albums on my ipod during a run let alone anything else. How can it be easier to remove your phone from your arm band, unlock the screen and read the data off & having the data via audio is fine unless your in a race where headphones are not allowed. If you run with it in your hand what are you going to do at drink stations, what about when you need both hands to tear open a sports gel ? How about you're running a marathon and it's raining, are you happy with your phone exposed in the rain for 3+ hours ? What about a xc race in the mud and you drop your phone.
 
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