GPS? Run/Walk timer? Where to start re: devices?

[YawningDodo]

So after one day of using an app on my phone to time intervals, I'm already looking for ways to not have to do that! My big frustration is that I can't read my phone's screen when it's in the armband holder I got for it (even when I maneuver it to where I can see it, the combination of glare, the extra layer of plastic, and sunglasses makes the entire screen look black). Also, I don't trust my phone's GPS for accuracy, so I'm not even bothering to track distance or pace on it.

What I need in the near-term is just a run/walk timer, since I'm using the Galloway method. Eventually I'll want to be able to track distance and pace, so I'm assuming that eventually I'll want a GPS watch. Those are really the only functions I'm looking for, and I don't want to spend a fortune on it. I'm considering just buying a timer and not worrying about the GPS aspect yet, but I kind of want to start tracking my pace just to see what's going on. However, one of the things about the Gymboss that appeals to me is that it has both vibration function and it's supposed to have a pretty loud beep--I'm worried about missing the notification to switch if I use a device that doesn't vibrate. Is that something I should be worried about?

Thoughts? Recommendations? What device(s) are you using?

 

[rteetz]

Galloway has his own timer

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/store/accessories/run-walk-run-timer.html

Otherwise I have an Apple Watch so I use that.

 

[Keels]

I’m a big fan of Garmin products! I have a Vivoactive I can send you if you want to try one out!

 

[jfinke]

I would just get a basic garmin. I cannot run with a phone or any kind of touch device. I need hard buttons to push for start, stop, lap, etc.

Looks like you can pick up a Garmin 15 for under $100.

 

[YawningDodo]

Galloway has his own timer

http://www.jeffgalloway.com/store/accessories/run-walk-run-timer.html

Otherwise I have an Apple Watch so I use that.

That's the simple timer I was looking at--I nearly bought one last week when I ordered one of his books, but held off because it's $30+ by the time I get a wristband for it and that's enough money to have me waiting until I decide whether it's better to jump straight to a more advanced device. How is the Apple Watch? I think it's out of my price range for this purpose and I've never been especially drawn to get one for other things, but I'm interested to know.

I’m a big fan of Garmin products! I have a Vivoactive I can send you if you want to try one out!

Thank you, that's really thoughtful! I think I'm okay just buying one once I decide which kind, though--mostly I need to know whether it's got a loud beep and/or a vibrate since I'm worried about missing interval notifications.

I would just get a basic garmin. I cannot run with a phone or any kind of touch device. I need hard buttons to push for start, stop, lap, etc.

Looks like you can pick up a Garmin 15 for under $100.

Yeah, the phone drove me a bit nuts--both because I couldn't see the screen well and because when I was messing with it to try to see it better I apparently mashed the pause button on the touch screen. Then, yeah, especially with the plastic of the holder over it, it's a lot of awkward screen mashing.

I'm eyeballing the Forerunner 25, which I'm seeing for $100.

 

[rteetz]

That's the simple timer I was looking at--I nearly bought one last week when I ordered one of his books, but held off because it's $30+ by the time I get a wristband for it and that's enough money to have me waiting until I decide whether it's better to jump straight to a more advanced device. How is the Apple Watch? I think it's out of my price range for this purpose and I've never been especially drawn to get one for other things, but I'm interested to know.

I love my Apple Watch and have used it for Dopey and most of my races thus far. It is why I haven't gotten a Garmin yet even though I am tempted.

 

[Bree]

I don’t run/walk, but Gymboss is the one I see recommended the most for timers.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_...imer&sprefix=Gymbo,aps,188&crid=1TAGF00NR5EV7

 

[tigger536]

I use a free app on my phone for intervals called HIIT Interval Timer. I highly recommend this app - simple, free, and you can create multple interval variations so you can switch in between if you need. I don't need to look at it ever because it rings/ buzzes for my intervals, through the music.

For tracking distance/ pace, I use the Nike app. I don't recommend this one because it crashes frequently on my watch (its supposed to replicate through to my apple watch so I can see pace, etc without looking at my phone. I really need a garmin, lol.

 

[cavepig]

My mom uses the Gymboss which I've borrowed some in the past, it is very loud I think which is good so you don't miss it. The beep on my Garmin (simple Forerunner 15 as I just want pace/distance too) is okay to hear but quieter than the Gymboss, so if a loud car/truck/whatever is passing I've missed hearing it on splits. She actually uses both for herself the Gymboss as she likes the loudness as she is a 100% Galloway interval runner & then she has just a Garmin Forerunner 10 for pace/distance.

The only issue she had with the Gymboss is during Wine & Dine races last year tons of people were using them so sometimes it was hard for for her to hear her's in such a large crowd, but just on regular runs it's fine.

 

[camaker]

I really liked using the Garmin 200 (220/225/230/235) series for both gps and intervals when I started running seriously. I’m a big fan of minimizing the number of gadgets I have to strap on every time I go out for a run. One nice advantage for the Garmin 200 series is that it gives both an audible beep and a vibration on your wrist when it’s time to change from running to walking and vice versa.

 

[Disney at Heart]

My mom uses the Gymboss which I've borrowed some in the past, it is very loud I think which is good so you don't miss it. The beep on my Garmin (simple Forerunner 15 as I just want pace/distance too) is okay to hear but quieter than the Gymboss, so if a loud car/truck/whatever is passing I've missed hearing it on splits. She actually uses both for herself the Gymboss as she likes the loudness as she is a 100% Galloway interval runner & then she has just a Garmin Forerunner 10 for pace/distance.

The only issue she had with the Gymboss is during Wine & Dine races last year tons of people were using them so sometimes it was hard for for her to hear her's in such a large crowd, but just on regular runs it's fine.

I use Gymboss during Disney marathons and always attach it to my sports bra just below my shoulder near my ear. That way I can always tell that it is MY beep that I am hearing and not the other 30 people-who-are-running-near-me's beep.

 

[YawningDodo]

I use a free app on my phone for intervals called HIIT Interval Timer. I highly recommend this app - simple, free, and you can create multple interval variations so you can switch in between if you need. I don't need to look at it ever because it rings/ buzzes for my intervals, through the music.

For tracking distance/ pace, I use the Nike app. I don't recommend this one because it crashes frequently on my watch (its supposed to replicate through to my apple watch so I can see pace, etc without looking at my phone. I really need a garmin, lol.

The app I've been using on my phone is 'Intervals - HIIT Workout Timer' and while I've been happy with the flexibility of its setup, I think it's the touch screen itself that's making my life difficult. Today I tried just carrying my phone in my hand until I was about two minutes away from finishing my warm-up and starting my intervals, so I could glance at it and see that yes, it was still counting down even though I hadn't heard from it in eight minutes. I still managed to hit pause on the workout during the warm-up (I was pretty sure I hadn't even touched the screen!), and when I was trying to turn on my music at the start of the run proper it cancelled/reset the workout entirely. Since I hadn't started my intervals yet it was a quick fix (I just removed the warm-up from the program and restarted), but it was still irritating and not being able to trust the app to keep going if any buttons get bumped or it registers a false touch on the screen is stressful to me. When it works, it's great. I was able to get it to work concurrently with Spotify and it would lower the sound of the music so I could hear the alerts, and I wish it was working better overall for me so I could justify going on using it instead of buying a new device.

My mom uses the Gymboss which I've borrowed some in the past, it is very loud I think which is good so you don't miss it. The beep on my Garmin (simple Forerunner 15 as I just want pace/distance too) is okay to hear but quieter than the Gymboss, so if a loud car/truck/whatever is passing I've missed hearing it on splits. She actually uses both for herself the Gymboss as she likes the loudness as she is a 100% Galloway interval runner & then she has just a Garmin Forerunner 10 for pace/distance.

The only issue she had with the Gymboss is during Wine & Dine races last year tons of people were using them so sometimes it was hard for for her to hear her's in such a large crowd, but just on regular runs it's fine.

I hadn't thought about that, but considering the Galloway-Disney connection I shouldn't be surprised!

I use Gymboss during Disney marathons and always attach it to my sports bra just below my shoulder near my ear. That way I can always tell that it is MY beep that I am hearing and not the other 30 people-who-are-running-near-me's beep.

Good idea! If I go that route that may be exactly what I do myself.

I really liked using the Garmin 200 (220/225/230/235) series for both gps and intervals when I started running seriously. I’m a big fan of minimizing the number of gadgets I have to strap on every time I go out for a run. One nice advantage for the Garmin 200 series is that it gives both an audible beep and a vibration on your wrist when it’s time to change from running to walking and vice versa.

Hmm...that's kind of what I've been thinking, that having a device that vibrates could bypass the sound issue entirely. I've been looking at the Forerunner 25, though, because I'm not sure I'm ready to commit to a more expensive device when I really just need intervals and pace/distance measurements, and I'm not clear on whether the 25 vibrates. I can unfortunately see myself wearing a lot of devices at once...Gymboss for intervals, Garmin for pace/distance tracking, iPhone if I want to listen to music....

As I was writing this reply I ran a search and found a comparison review saying that the Forerunner 25 doesn't vibrate, but the 35 does. For $70 more...well, $40 more when you consider I wouldn't be spending $30 on a Gymboss and strap to wear at the same time...that might do what I need it to do.

 

[tigger536]

The app I've been using on my phone is 'Intervals - HIIT Workout Timer' and while I've been happy with the flexibility of its setup, I think it's the touch screen itself that's making my life difficult. Today I tried just carrying my phone in my hand until I was about two minutes away from finishing my warm-up and starting my intervals, so I could glance at it and see that yes, it was still counting down even though I hadn't heard from it in eight minutes. I still managed to hit pause on the workout during the warm-up (I was pretty sure I hadn't even touched the screen!), and when I was trying to turn on my music at the start of the run proper it cancelled/reset the workout entirely. Since I hadn't started my intervals yet it was a quick fix (I just removed the warm-up from the program and restarted), but it was still irritating and not being able to trust the app to keep going if any buttons get bumped or it registers a false touch on the screen is stressful to me. When it works, it's great. I was able to get it to work concurrently with Spotify and it would lower the sound of the music so I could hear the alerts, and I wish it was working better overall for me so I could justify going on using it instead of buying a new device.

This might be a different app. The way I have mine set up, I don't need to touch it or look at it at all. I have intervals set up for run and walk, different noises for each. I'll start it before a run or race and just let it go. I don't really worry about the first interval anyway. This one sounds overly complicated. Good luck with what you choose.

 

[YawningDodo]

This might be a different app. The way I have mine set up, I don't need to touch it or look at it at all. I have intervals set up for run and walk, different noises for each. I'll start it before a run or race and just let it go. I don't really worry about the first interval anyway. This one sounds overly complicated. Good luck with what you choose.

It may be a different app, but it is supposed to just do the entire workout you've set up once you hit start. It just doesn't because the touch screen keeps registering a touch when I didn't intend to do anything to it. Overall I think the app itself is straightforward and easy to use; it's my phone that's ticking me off.

Edit: As I'm sitting here I'm thinking of various workarounds (for instance, I bet the app would run in the background, and then it wouldn't be 'up' for the pause button to get hit by accident), but I think the core issue is really that I'm paranoid about it stopping if I can't look at it and make sure that it's still running, since I've had that issue with a couple of apps and devices now. So I always want to keep an eye on it, whether or not I really need to.

 

[cavepig]

I use Gymboss during Disney marathons and always attach it to my sports bra just below my shoulder near my ear. That way I can always tell that it is MY beep that I am hearing and not the other 30 people-who-are-running-near-me's beep.

Oh that's right, I think she said she attached it to the top of her tank top to hear it better. Good point.

 

[Disney at Heart]

Oh that's right, I think she said she attached it to the top of her tank top to hear it better. Good point.

Yeah, I tried clipping it to my shirt, but my shirts are all loose and it bounced uncomfortably, but my bra is tighter and holds it still. So it’s usually under my shirt, but still loud enough as long as it’s close to my ear.

 

[bumbershoot]

That's the simple timer I was looking at--I nearly bought one last week when I ordered one of his books, but held off because it's $30+ by the time I get a wristband for it

No need for a band. Clip it to sports bra.

It vibrates. Big time. Even on my chest with all the other sensations that go along with running I could feel the buzz almost every single time.



If I’m sitting around quietly I can feel my garmin 235 buzz for intervals, but out on a run that wrist buzz isn’t anywhere near enough.

 

[bphilb]

The lolo apps have interval timing and Jeff Galloway gives you tips and thoughts during your run. The phone vibrates when it's time to walk/run and provides audio cues as well.

 

[GrandAdmiralStrife]

I have the Forerunner 25, had it for 3 years, love it. Keep in mind that you can only adjust the run/walk times by 30 sec increments, I know some plans call for things like 10/30 or 15/30 or variations of that, so keep that in mind.

 

[YawningDodo]

I have the Forerunner 25, had it for 3 years, love it. Keep in mind that you can only adjust the run/walk times by 30 sec increments, I know some plans call for things like 10/30 or 15/30 or variations of that, so keep that in mind.

I ended up getting the Forerunner 35--if I'd known about the run/walk limitations I might have kept looking, but it still worked out! I use the Interval function instead of the Run/Walk function and it lets me adjust down to increments of 5 seconds. I think the final readout for the workout ends up wonkier than it would if I were using the run/walk function, but it is what it is since I need the smaller increments right now.