I always used to brag that running is so easy because you really don’t need much equipment in order to do it. You just put on your shoes, and shorts and you’re on your way. Over the past few years, my running has become more complex. Running clothes, shoes and socks – – yes, I still use those. But now I have my “special” running socks and shoes. I roll on my sports shield to keep my skin from chaffing. Then there is my water filled camelback and nutrition supplements (GU) for the long runs and perhaps my iPod too. But that’s not all.
I also have a special wrist mounted GPS device that I wear as well. It has a heartrate monitor strap to pick up the HR data. My GPS device has given me one more way to obsess about distance and pace. GPS technology is very cool as it allows you to just look at your device and know how far you have run, your current running pace, and the average pace for the entire run. I can even do track workouts without the track by just programming the interval that I want to alerted to and the rest intervals. It does it all. It even has a virtual running partner that you can compete against. At the end of the run, I can upload my data to my computer and get picture of my run on a map. It is mind boggling the amount of data you can retrieve after a run.
Well, Garmin is has now taken the GPS technology one step further. They have released a new model and I can’t wait to upgrade. My husband now has my hand-me-down device and I am without until my new one arrives. The withdrawal period is horrendous. Yesterday, I was trying to do my Yasso 800s using the stopwatch feature on my iPod! It’s crazy. I’ve become so tied to my data much like an addict who needs their fix.