Running GPS's Blog

Running GPS as a running partner August 1, 2009

Running outdoors is one of my passions. Fresh air helps me to disconnect and reconnect to the reality. I like to start my journey with my body and my mind completely cleans.

First I find it a little boring without any kind of motivation. I don’t go to competitions. I also don’t know anything about my body possibilities. I need a coach and I discover this watches that analyzes your data while running. I recover the motivation and I started my watch collection.

And I don’t have a running partner…

I spend several years of training with a heart rate monitor. It is the best way to improve my fitness training at the right intensity because I know I’m sure I will not be over or under training. It’s also perfect as a partner while running because it helps me to be motivated all the time and it gives me the evidence of my progress. It’s like to have the perfect coach who have the exact data to tell you what you need to do at each step.

After a couple of years the technology came with a new product: the foot pod. With him paired with my watch I can track more data: real-time running speed and distance. Now I have a lot of information in my wrist unit display. My training is getting better and my motivation ready for the next performance. Is this the perfect partner, or not? Not yet…

Now, with the miniaturization of the GPS technology, the most important computer training watches brands and the high-tech GPS enterprises are developing the perfect partner for the runners. The running GPS watch merge computerized information compilation with GPS monitoring. Now I also can compare the data about my heart rate, my pace, speed and distance with the route on a map after the training session. The analysis of my training could not be better. If there’s a rise or a slope I will know it at the exact point and I will see how my body reacts. Monitoring and analyzing my training data gives me the possibility to improve performance by planing my next running gps session.

The data can be used as my run to help pace myself. Also, it can be downloaded to my computer at the finish of my run to analyze my improvement. The most resourceful GPS running watches come with multi-session features which let you to contrast several runs.

Now my watch collection is focused in GPS running watches.

Some of the bests features that I like more are:

• An interval workout is occasionally called a step workout. It consists of a stage of intense exercise followed by a period of rest. For instance, you may run hard for 3 minutes and then rest by walking for one minute.
• A distance workout would merely measure the distance you’ve run and alert you after you reached your goal. The timed workout function is just like a countdown clock. It notifies you once a certain quantity of time has passed. A heart rate workout helps you maintain your heart rate in a certain range and notifies you as soon as your heart rate rises outside a certain upper limit or goes under a certain lower target. Finally, for a calorie burn workout the GPS runner watch would alert you when you have burned the amount of calories you set as a goal.
• A few of the voluntary features of GPS runner watches include warm-up and cool-down options, an altimeter that tracks inclines and declines and thermometers that can record information about the weather during your run. Some GPS running watches can even interface with foot pods you place in your shoes that record your step length and pace. They can interface with a heart monitor that records your pulse or heart rate so you correct your effort in order to remain inside your preferred training range. Some can download digital maps and mark the course you have gone in order to help one keep from getting lost.

Now that I have my personal trainer, my coach, maybe it’s time to go to a competition… a running gps competition