Garmin 305

I did the research and for the price and functionality, I am virtually convinced that the Garmin 305 will be the answer to great run-tracking. There is a new 405 out, but all the reviews say that when your hands are wet the bezel-adjusting-function doesn't respond well. And since I am such a sweat pig (I only have to think of exercise and I start sweating) I figured it best to stay away from the new and more expensive version.

It has always been my dream to own a Suunto watch, but their reviews were terrible or they were very expensive. The other choice was a Timex, but since the Garmin has a better GPS I went with it.

Imagine this. I run anywhere I want and this watch tells me the speed I am running at, the elevation of my run, way points to my run (so I could repeat the run or find my way back home), and I get to watch my heart rate. When I get back I can plot a graph of my heart rate to distance and elevation and yes the speed at that time.

I believe I could then figure out the correct running style to accomplish the best speeds with the lowest heart rate. I already know that I can continue over long distances with a heart rate around the upper 160's. I would need to now only know how I should adjust my running style to accomplish a higher speed. Obviously the style also depends on whether I am running uphill or downhill. I also need to know with which style I can continue to run for long distances.

The different styles, as I see it, is firstly: where my body leans forward more relative to where I plant my step in front of me. This style is very comfortable to me, but I feel that the stride might be to short to get good speed. The next style would be a longer stride with the front leg extending to its maximum before or just as it connects with the ground. My legs do almost a kind of pulling action into the next step. Where as the previous style was almost like running uphill continuously, falling onto the step with a bend knee and then extending it like a jump to fall onto the next foot.

The last style could be incorporated with either of the previous styles. This is to use the ankles to spring yourself forward or as in the latter style, more upward. I don't have well developed spring in my ankles and find it hard to sustain this spring action throughout the run, but I have seen some runners bounce real well. I might have to develop some calf muscles to increase my speed.

Somewhere in all of this there lays the perfect equation between forward motion and muscles energy consumed. The bigger the muscles, the more the weight to carry the full distance. Most of the worlds best long distance athletes are skinny and wiry - I fail miserably on all counts.

It seems tragic that there is such a slow-down that happens with the years that I didn't run seriously. I ran half marathon distances at an average speed of under 5 minutes a mile. Now I really struggle to keep my time under 8 minutes a mile. It seems almost an insurmountable difference, but I keep telling myself that some of the worlds best times have been established by men older than myself, so there is still hope.

My father would say that I have no chance since I don't consume meat, but I live to prove his thoughts concerning my abilities are ill conceived. My dad has a rope jumping record that I can only dream to better. He claims that he was able to jump up to 400 consecutive double skips. 120 has been my best before the muscles in my forearms burn so much I couldn't even dream to swing another double. There is a lot of wrist action in doing doubles that wear out your forearms quickly. Now to think that there are people that can jump 300 triple skips consecutively blows my mind. Come to think of it, I believe it is a lady holds that record.

The muscles of the body need so much daily attention, that I thank God that I have had such a labour intensive occupation for most of my life. It must be real difficult for people to maintain their physical conditioning and work long hours in a office environment.