GPS Enabled Training Watches for Women Runners?

Now that it’s possible to run a “virtual” race (“The Human Race”), and there’s practically no aspect of your run that can’t be download, encoded, tracked and mapped, I figured it was time for me to break down and upgrade from my much-loved, but VERY old-fashioned Timex Ironman to a watch for a REAL runner…one of those cool, fully programmable GPS enabled jobs.

So I did what I always do – I fired up the computer and started doing some research.  There are a lot of choices out there, the array of options is really confusing, and as with anything technology, you can spend quite a bit of money on one of these things, depending upon the level of functionality you want.

Here’s what I want:

-        Basic timing functionality appropriate to runners (laps, time elapsed, etc.)

-        Heart rate monitor with workout tracking

-        Customized workout programming

-        Software to upload my workouts into a database

Here’s what I found:

Garmin

Garmin is the leader in GPS navigation and was one of the first companies to bring GPS technology to runners’ wrists.  Their products are also the most pricey.  After looking at several of their models I narrowed it down to two possibilities; the Forerunner 305 ($299.99 - $433.32) and the Forerunner 405 ($299.99-$373.32). 

Both of these models offer “traditional” running watch functionality, are GPS enabled, monitor heart rate and are compatible with the Garmin performance tracking software online called Garmin Connect™.  The 350 stores up to 50 separate routes and here’s the really cool thing: inn both watches you can program in different workouts and compete against previous workouts including interval workouts!  Both have pace alert too (I love this).

Side-bar: I don’t cross-train seriously, but for all you tri-girls, the 350 also has a multi-sport function.

Garmin could really use some demos of their product on their website.  The array of options is really dizzying and can be confusing without some additional explanation.

Timex

I have always had a soft spot for Timex since I’ve been using their running watches for years. 

Timex has a line of advanced watches in a line called Bodylink®, and their attention to runners’ needs and understanding of how we talk about functions is evident in their product information.

According to the Timex website however, only one of their models, The Bodylink Trail Runner® ($350.00) provides true GPS functionality.  With the Trail Runner you can preset heart rate zones (up to 5 training zones), measure your recovery rate and display heart rate in a % of max format.  Cool.  The watch also calculates pace, average pace and PR pace.  However, the Trail Runner doesn’t track workout distance or give distance alerts, take splits, etc, which in my mind makes it pretty useless.  It looks like if I want stick with the old favorite Timex, I’ll have to forego GPS for training focused functionality.

Oh, one more interesting point, only the Trail Runner is listed in Timex’s listing of watches for women.  Does that mean that the rest of the BodyLink® watches don’t fit women?  And when I do a search on “GPS” on the Timex website, the Trail Runner doesn’t even come up! I’m so confused!

Oh, and none of the Timex products seem to upload into a Timex workout tracker of any kind.

Nike+

I have to include the Nike+ system in my consideration set just because, well, it’s so cool.  If you don’t know about Nike+ then you’re no longer fogging a mirror.  The Nike+ system is not a GPS, and it doesn’t have heart rate monitoring, but it does the basic monitoring that I really need.  And you don’t need an iPod anymore to use the Nike+ system – the company uncoupled the system from the mp3 players many months ago.  Now you can buy a “Sportband” which you wear on your wrist.  Just pop the Nike sensor into any Nike+ shoe and it reads all the “vitals” into the band on your wrist: distance, pace, elapsed time and calories burned. Of course with Nike+ I can track my runs and upload them into a really cool website with a really cool user-interface.  You just pop out the flash drive from the Sportband itself and plug it into the USB port on your computer.  And once I do that, I can track progress, develop training plans and join the Nike running community where runners all over the world challenge eachother.  Of course, once you register on the Nike+ training site they gotcha.  You’ll receive all kinds of stuff from Nike about “events, products and online exclusives.”  BTW – you don’t need to run in Nike shoes to use Nike+.  There are lace-in devices (like shoe pockets) that you can use.  Maybe you have used one of these and can tell the rest of us how it works?  Cost for Nike+?  $78.00 for the sensor and the sportband.

Mmm…OK.  My initial research is done and I probably have more questions than when I started, so t looks like I’m heading to the brick and mortar stores.

I guess my biggest question is; do the Garmin and Timex watches fit women?  How can these guys have overlooked 49% of the running population and not included this information on their websites?  HELLO!

Stay tuned.

Image: Garmin 405