Peg’s Posts: Garmin’s all-star lineup for Boston Marathon

Earlier this week, we asked for your stories on how Forerunner helped you earn a spot at Boston. We heard detailed accounts from several followers and here are some excerpts:
Last year I ran the Boston Marathon for charity, and for every moment of training I wore my Forerunner 305 so I could keep my thirst for data quenched. During the Boston Marathon at water stop 4 or 5, there was quite a bit of jostling. At this point my memory of the exact details is a bit foggy, but the next thing I knew, my watch had detached from the quick-release strap and was flying helplessly through the air. I just grabbed it and threw it in a pocket. I felt naked without it, as I was planning on checking my heart rate regularly to make sure it stayed under 150. Well, I finished without any problems, and the next day I laid out the pieces to my Forerunner, stuck them together, and then to my astonishment, it turned on. K.M.

We’re not sure if this Forerunner customer is running Boston, but he certainly has some interesting stories and data from his Forerunner training: I've been using my Forerunner 405 and Garmin Connect for about a year now, collecting data from 50+ competitions from around North America. I'm not a runner, nor a biker (nor a speed-walker, recumbent cyclist, horseback rider or kite surfer — all of which are categories in Garmin Connect). I'm an orienteer, and the information that the 405 provides is very useful in what I do.

In all honesty, the 405 doesn't really help me out much when I'm competing. I don't really pay attention to it, since I'm usually preoccupied with studying the terrain and the map in my hand. Exact latitude and longitude won't help, and neither will exact elevation, as our maps don't reference either. But there are two areas where this thing shines: post-race analysis and training.

The data from the 405 is perfect for post-race analysis. By the time I get out of the shower after a muddy race, data is already on my computer waiting for me. Using some orienteering-specific analysis software, I can overlay my exact route, plus pace and heart rate data on top of my orienteering map. I can see every little mistake (such as a wrong turn or inaccurate bearing) I made and every time-wasting hesitation. I can also see what I did well. Maybe a shortcut worked, maybe I took a really efficient route compared to another competitor. Sometimes you'll find a discrepancy between where you thought you went vs. where you actually went. A Garmin never lies! All of this information is irreplaceable.

In training, I use the watch to keep tabs on my pace. Knowing my average pace on-trail vs. off-trail, or uphill vs. downhill is useful to know. It's illegal to use distance and pace data during competition, so I only display this info while training. I know several peers who have heart rate monitors and find that data useful in training. I don't use a heart rate monitor, but I can see how that helps when I analyze their training logs.

I thought I'd share a few of my memorable tracks in Garmin Connect:

My first race with the 405. Look, I ran through the ocean! (It was low tide). My biggest gaffe, caught on tape! (Between 2:30 and 2:44) [Peg says: if that little loop-de-loop is your biggest gaffe, I’m impressed. In my total of 2 orienteering races, I likely backtracked the equivalent of a 5k] My best run of the year, at US Champs, no less!

I don't know if you've heard from other orienteering competitors out there, but I know that a lot of them run with Garmins on their wrists and compare routes and data afterward. We are probably the most loyal pro-Garmin athletes you've never heard from. The 405’s a great product. It's survived a year of mud, woods, rocks, you name it. P.N.

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