Seth Godin’s post on dashboards reminded me that I have yet to post on switching from Nike+ to the Garmin 305.
After about a year and a half of using the Nike+ system I’m now using a Garmin 305. The 305 always had a better feature set, but the difference now is that the price has fallen to around $150. I really like using a heart rate monitor (HRM) to train, some days it tells me that just because I feel like I’m giving 100%, I’m not. Other days I have to rein it in even though it feels like I can push harder.
Besides the HRM, the 305 uses global positioning satellites (GPS) to measure distance traveled, speed (and altitude). I was having a problem with the accuracy of the Nike+ foot sensor (measuring by pedometer), that came to a head when I was running a hilly 5k course that I was unfamiliar with and my iPod read that I was finished when I still had more of a tenth of a mile to go. That was the day I went back to see what the 305 price was at.
As far as music I’m using a 2nd Generation Shuffle, the generation with controls still on the player. The 3rd gen is tiny, but you have to use the earbuds that come with it b/c the controls are on the wire, not the unit. This doesn’t work b/c I don’t like to run with earbuds, I prefer neckband so that if they fall out I don’t lose them.
More reports as I put some more miles (and the Falmouth Road Race!) on it.
