cewait
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 3, 2000
- Messages
- 5,695
Thanks to a tip I found a Garmin 620 -HR at Fit2Run in DtD on Friday. I ended up saving some money from the backordered unit whose delivery date I was pushed back 3 additional weeks. This unit replaces my current Garmin Forerunner 610.
The unit came out of the box ready to run. It did take a few moments for the receiver to find the satellites the first time I powered it on but this was as much about me being a guy (ie not reading the instructions) than the unit needing time. One of the huge hits I see with the 220 and 620 is that if one cradles the unit and connects to the computer (or wifi for the 620) it downloads expected satellite positions for the next 7 days. The result is that the unit finds itself within seconds once you turn it on. No more waiting, walking around the drive with your left arm extended, or daring to get as close to the intersection as one can when staying at a downtown hotel, you simply turn it on.
I found set up and operating the watch while on the run to be easy. I would think that most any current Garmin user would have no issues as the power/light button is the upper left; the start stop the upper right and the lap button the lower right. One neat improvement is the lower left button flips the clock on and then returns to your last screen; a feature that comes in handy on the long run. Also, taking the unit out of sleep/clock mode is much easier than the 610. One simply presses any button other than the light button, a lock icon comes up and the user simply presses that icon to put the watch into workout mode. I am getting use to the new chimes and sounds coming from the unit. They actually make sense on laps, run starts and run stops.
A Coach on your wrist. This is where the 620 gets seriously cool. First of all, the unit looks at your workout(s) and prescribes a recovery period. I believe one can override the period and still workout, but I find this function to be one of the more valuable (and probably over looked) new adds to the unit. What many runners fail to realize is that strength and fitness are not gained during the work; rather, these gains are achieved through recovery. I am trying to figure out the logic behind the calculation, but so far after four runs, the suggestions are not out of the world.
Running form the units HR Strap contains an accelerometer. Funny, now that I think it through, the sternum is the best place to take turn over, vertical oscillation readings instead of on a foot pod. With these two sets of data, and the GPS speed input the unit calculates ground contact time and average distance per stride. It takes all this data and creates a personalized algorithm that is then uses for those times when you decide to run on the TM. I ran hills on a mill as one of my runs. The unit indicated that I was running about the same speed as my foot pod would have with an exception the indicated speed would fall off on some incline changes and if I went to a walk. With time, this should get a little better I would hope.
VO2 Max is the measure of How big is your engine? It is a trainable value within your given genetic makeup. The concept is relatively simple, the more oxygen you can consume per unit of weight, the more work you can do in the case of running, the faster you can go. For VO2Max, the unit looks at speed, heart rate and HR variability and predicts a VO2Max. I am kind of shocked at the number it suggests for me. I would have expected more degradation from when I was testing regularly in my IM days. Stating that, the unit calculated my VO2Max within a range that I would have expected at this point in my marathon training. I am only 9 ml/kg/min below my all time measured peak and about half of that is due to a weight gain from that year.
One feature that I am not so sure of is the conversion of VO2Max data into race predictions. I believe that the conversion for the Jack Daniels race prediction tables and therefore assume a well-trained athlete. The predicted marathon time is just under my PR but within a stones throw of a BQ time. I seriously do not think that my current state of training would support a marathon in the time range of the prediction. I may have the engine but the suspension and tires are well worn at this point in time. It does get me thinking and I may try to find a small, well supported race in Fall 2014. Hmmmmm.
Finally, the run/walk interval set up on the unit is easy and changeable on the fly. I am still reviewing the harder core interval workouts and will attempt to see how the coach on the wrist does at assisting in the setup of speed work.
Thank you Santa
The unit came out of the box ready to run. It did take a few moments for the receiver to find the satellites the first time I powered it on but this was as much about me being a guy (ie not reading the instructions) than the unit needing time. One of the huge hits I see with the 220 and 620 is that if one cradles the unit and connects to the computer (or wifi for the 620) it downloads expected satellite positions for the next 7 days. The result is that the unit finds itself within seconds once you turn it on. No more waiting, walking around the drive with your left arm extended, or daring to get as close to the intersection as one can when staying at a downtown hotel, you simply turn it on.
I found set up and operating the watch while on the run to be easy. I would think that most any current Garmin user would have no issues as the power/light button is the upper left; the start stop the upper right and the lap button the lower right. One neat improvement is the lower left button flips the clock on and then returns to your last screen; a feature that comes in handy on the long run. Also, taking the unit out of sleep/clock mode is much easier than the 610. One simply presses any button other than the light button, a lock icon comes up and the user simply presses that icon to put the watch into workout mode. I am getting use to the new chimes and sounds coming from the unit. They actually make sense on laps, run starts and run stops.
A Coach on your wrist. This is where the 620 gets seriously cool. First of all, the unit looks at your workout(s) and prescribes a recovery period. I believe one can override the period and still workout, but I find this function to be one of the more valuable (and probably over looked) new adds to the unit. What many runners fail to realize is that strength and fitness are not gained during the work; rather, these gains are achieved through recovery. I am trying to figure out the logic behind the calculation, but so far after four runs, the suggestions are not out of the world.
Running form the units HR Strap contains an accelerometer. Funny, now that I think it through, the sternum is the best place to take turn over, vertical oscillation readings instead of on a foot pod. With these two sets of data, and the GPS speed input the unit calculates ground contact time and average distance per stride. It takes all this data and creates a personalized algorithm that is then uses for those times when you decide to run on the TM. I ran hills on a mill as one of my runs. The unit indicated that I was running about the same speed as my foot pod would have with an exception the indicated speed would fall off on some incline changes and if I went to a walk. With time, this should get a little better I would hope.
VO2 Max is the measure of How big is your engine? It is a trainable value within your given genetic makeup. The concept is relatively simple, the more oxygen you can consume per unit of weight, the more work you can do in the case of running, the faster you can go. For VO2Max, the unit looks at speed, heart rate and HR variability and predicts a VO2Max. I am kind of shocked at the number it suggests for me. I would have expected more degradation from when I was testing regularly in my IM days. Stating that, the unit calculated my VO2Max within a range that I would have expected at this point in my marathon training. I am only 9 ml/kg/min below my all time measured peak and about half of that is due to a weight gain from that year.
One feature that I am not so sure of is the conversion of VO2Max data into race predictions. I believe that the conversion for the Jack Daniels race prediction tables and therefore assume a well-trained athlete. The predicted marathon time is just under my PR but within a stones throw of a BQ time. I seriously do not think that my current state of training would support a marathon in the time range of the prediction. I may have the engine but the suspension and tires are well worn at this point in time. It does get me thinking and I may try to find a small, well supported race in Fall 2014. Hmmmmm.
Finally, the run/walk interval set up on the unit is easy and changeable on the fly. I am still reviewing the harder core interval workouts and will attempt to see how the coach on the wrist does at assisting in the setup of speed work.
Thank you Santa
from this new runner.
