Hi Everyone
We recently asked EHM runners what their preferred way of
tracking/mapping a run was. On the whole we got positive responses from people using
very specialised and expensive Garmin type watch devises, with a similar
positive responses coming from people using budget mobile phone apps.
The technology driving both sides of the fence is in essence
the same. Both reliant on a strong GPS signal. So what’s giving you more value for money?
As with many comparison tests (see our previous treadmill v
outdoors running blog) the amount of info available on the internet is never
ending. The pros and cons, the lovers and haters are in abundance so here is a
no nonsense round up of views direct from the runEHM face book page and some
geeky techy advice from an expert.
Just for fun we have put up 10 things you can do while you wait for your device to connect to the satellite. This comes from Born To Plod
We will pop some links up at the end of this
blog for you to visit in your GPS quest.
Let’s kick off with the expert
After surfing our way through reviews and making a few calls
we came up with this.
Quite surprisingly the expert advice almost mirrors the
common sense view. Jeff Fisher who is an ultra marathon runner and all round
tech geek had this to say about the great GPS debate.
Think of it in terms of buying new running shoes or if
you’re after a mobile app then buying a good insole (although mobile apps can
be downloaded for free). You should be looking at investing in the best from
your budget and then try to squeeze the retailer for a good deal. Shop around
as the best bargains are to be had on the internet. Garmin are leaders in GPS
mapping for runners but don’t discount the competition from the likes of Nike,
Timex and Polar. For apps you should be looking at MapMyRun or Endomondo, these
two offering the best performance on both Android and Apple platforms.
Ask yourself these questions......
Will it vibrate at programmed interval miles?Be waterproof?
Track elevation?
Is the battery life good?
Auto share to social network pages?
User friendly?
Online support / Community?
Motivating features?
Will it make your run more fun?
You may have your own requirements as to what features you find important, whatever that is you will find a device that can offer it. Do some research and visit online run forums where you will find loads of chatter and reviews about devices on the market today.
Runners comments from the Facebook group page runEHM Facebook
Our brilliant fans over on our Facebook page had this to say.
Jenna Taylor I use mapmyrun, only because that's what my friend uses, and it's free!!!, I like the look of that what Tony Carroll uses tho! (It was an Endomondo mobile app)
Alli Marshall Father Christmas bought me a Garmin Forerunner 410, I upload all my runs into Strava.
Evonne Hazlehurst I have a garmin 205 looking to upgrade as want HR monitor. How's the 410 heard alot about the bezel. I sometimes use phone aswell how few apps sports tracker I quite like !!!
Adam Tregaskis endomondo. works well and most of my friends use it too. especially like the 'beat yourself' function...
Some fun stuff - 10 things to do while your Garmin connects to the satellite
2. Whisper into it while glancing around in a furtive manner, so everyone thinks you’re some sort of secret agent.
Seriously, they’ll totally think that.
3. Alphabetise your gels.
4. Do a thorough all-body warm-up while at the same time trying to hold your wrist absolutely still.
5. Gaze thoughtfully up at the sky as if you fully expect to see the satellites, so that you can then make minute adjustments to your position, thereby speeding the whole process along a bit. Every single one of you has done this at some point.
6. Boil an egg.
…assuming of course that you’ve got a pan of boiling water handy.
…and an egg.
(Once it’s boiled to perfection, just throw it away. No time to stand around eating eggs like some sort of fancy la-di-dah egg-eater; there’s running to be done!)
7. Write to the letters page of Runner’s World magazine, demanding that they print more articles about puppies.
8. Stand absolutely still, staring blankly ahead, arms held down by your sides. Then, when your watch beeps to signal that it’s locked on, spring to life and start running. Everyone will think you’re a robot.
9. Write a quick blog post, in which you suggest ten things to do while waiting for your Garmin to lock onto satellites.
10. Just ignore the watch and run anyway. Okay, now I’m just being silly.
* Other GPS watches are, of course, available. But none are quite so Garminny.
In conclusion
Garmin do seam to be ahead of the pack with what they can offer. They have a good range which are priced to fit most people budgets. Mobile phone app users can road test a few because many are free. Once you have found one you like then buy the app, this will stop pop-up adverts from swamping your mobile. Endomondo which we think is one of the best mobile apps on the market is about £4, very cheap.
GPS watches do come out on top when rating them against mobile phones apps. They just work better, it's as simple as that. As you would expect the features are more in-depth and because it's a dedicated device then you don't have the problem of draining the battery on your mobile or exposing it to changeable weather conditions.
So without going into a huge amount of detail we hope this has just got your mind ticking and asking yourself some important questions. As promise, below are some great links to get you started searching for the perfect GPS.
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