On Friday I received a new toy in the mail. I have been meaning to get one of these for a while. I used to have one until I wore it out. The Garmin Forerunner 305 is yet another tool to assist me with my training. Using the Forerunner, I can keep track of all my running and biking stats and make sure I am training in the proper zone. The device uses GPS to keep track of time, distance, pace, heart rate, calories, and has many other useful features. I am especially interested in the heart rate data and calories burned features in addition to the traditional time, pace, and distance measurements. Training in the proper heart rate zone is all the rage and is supposed to lead to better performance. The watch calculates your zones based on your maximum heart rate which is determined with a formula based on age and some other variables. I would like to figure out what my actual maximum heart rate is but I have not figured out exactly how I am going to do that yet. I think if I had access to a treadmill, I could get an accurate calculation. For now, I will use the preset formula.
On Saturday morning, we woke up to cold rain. There was even a little bit of ice on the windshield of the car. But being that we are training with a team, we got our cold weather running gear on and headed out for the church. For some reason, the schedule had been adjusted and my team ran 6 miles. Well, actually now that I have the Garmin, I can tell you that it was really 6.35 miles. I have posted a link to my run below. Once you have finished reading, you can always come back and click "View Details" to get even more data.
Saturday Run
After our run, we went to the pool for our post-run swim workout. Unfortunately, I got some calf cramps about 30 minutes into the swim. This happened to me once before after running and I am working on the issue. Melissa continued her swim so she could get her full hour of swimming in.
After our swim we drove to Hampton Roads to watch our niece play in a huge volleyball tournament. It was quite a scene with 18 courts set up inside the Hampton Roads Coliseum. This is the first time I have ever watched competitive volleyball up close and also the first time we have seen Devon play. Boy was she good. Right away she made some really great plays. I am not sure how she gets down so low to keep the volley alive or how she jumps so high to spike the ball. I was impressed with her ability as well as the overall athleticism of all the girls playing. It was quite a fun experience.
On Sunday, we did a 1-hour swim. I was able to go the whole workout without any cramps although I did not do any kick drills this time around. I was holding back slightly since I knew I would be doing a big bike ride later.
After our swim, I did a 20+ mile loop on my bike. I forgot to hook up the cadence sensor that I bought with my Garmin 305 but I still was able to log some useful data. I had the watch set to run, however, so the calorie count is not accurate for this ride. Below is the map and data from the ride. I felt pretty good during the ride although I was still slightly cold throughout the ride. Also I find it more difficult to breath well when it is cold. Although it was sunny and supposedly around 50, the air still felt cold to me and my feet were definitely cold by the end of the ride.
Sunday Bike
After my bike ride, I did a 3-mile run. I am supposed to run 3 easy miles on Sundays according to my 10K training plan. But as you can see from the map and data below, I ended up with a pretty fast 3 miles when compared to my previous race times. Easy is supposed to be just that-easy, and while I did not feel like I was pushing it real hard, it looks as if the heart rate data indicates I was probably in zone 3 too much. Easy runs should be in zone 2 and not zone 3. I am not too worried about it. I still have to dial in my zones so they are specific to me and not just my age.
Sunday Run
After my run, we got cleaned up and went to Whole Foods. Since it was Superbowl Sunday and we got to the store around kickoff, there was no one there. It was quite a nice treat to shop with no lines, and no competition for the goods. We don't have TV so we did not watch any of the game. I don't feel like I missed anything.
My knees felt pretty good after my ride and run. The swimming and the biking really help. Also I spent about 30 minutes on Friday night doing my foam roller which really helps for some reason. I have not figured that one out yet but whatever helps is good. I do plan to ask my doctor about it when I go for my physical.
That about wraps it up. Thanks for reading and enjoy my Garmin data.
3 comments:
The Garmin is cool, isn't it? I like the elevation data- that seems like it will be really useful. Keep up the good work!
Yes, your new Garmin gives you some pretty good info! Boy, only 687 calories burned for a 6 and 1/3 mile run! A bit disappointing, although they say the slimmer you are, the fewer calories you burn. 1700 calories for that 21-mile bike ride was a little better! Not a bad time either. You were averaging 4 minutes, 10 seconds per mile!
I like the calorie-counter the best among the new measurements your new Garmin gives you!
The 1700 calories is not accurate as I had the device set to run rather than bike. I have to remember to switch it to bike when I am cycling to get more accurate results. I am mostly interested in the calories to help me make sure I am taking in enough calories. I want to make sure I am fueled up for my activities.
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