Tom,

You out there?

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"You're guaranteed to miss 100% of the shots you never take" - Wayne Gretzky

I'll give you my opinion on the timex speed+distance - I'm not too happy with the GPS reception, as it loses signal briefly all the time, and sometime loses it for longer periods. ANd this is not on what I consider heavy or dense trees. Other than that it seems to work fine. Something on my wish list for the watch is a mode that displays pace and distance simultaneously.

On the other hand, I recently bought the new Garmin Forerunner 201. Yes, I'm a gadget freak ;) I've only used it once, and it held the GPS signal the entire time (~45 mins) but I need to use it more to get a better sense of reception quality. I already like the Forerunner better because it is just one unit (as opposed to the separate watch and gps brick of the timex speed+distance) which means the display is large enough to display pace, distance, and elapsed time simulatenously! There are other features I probably won't use, like the ability to set waypoints, etc.

Anyway, I think the timex speed+distance system is nifty, but can't quite recommend it because the GPS reception is sketchy. Garmin makes the GPS part of both these units, so I'm not sure why the timex is so questionable.

Thanks Man I appreciate it, as for Tom it looks like he as already left fo IMNZ...

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"You're guaranteed to miss 100% of the shots you never take" - Wayne Gretzky

Geez, Tom left already? My travel agent said that like 150 of us were flying out of LA on Saturday for IMNZ.

I haven't tried the Timex system, but researched it quite a bit and decided to go with a FitSense instead. Advantages:
- no reception issues
- supposedly more accurate once calibrated
- at the time, was only system with distance, heartrate, and computer download
- much smaller
- somewhat less geeky looking. The watch is pretty geek but you don't have to have anything strapped to your arm.

I have had it for about 8 months and like it well enough to recommend it. Disadvantages include:
- calibration is a pain...anytime you do anything to your shoes it will need to be recalibrated. You always wonder how accurate your calibration is, this would not be an issue with GPS. On the other hand, it's measurements are very repeatable. I can do an 10 mile out and back course (turn around at 5) and it will be within 100 feet or so of 10 when I get back to my start.
- the heart rate monitor seems to go through batteries fast. Some have only lasted a week, others have gone a month or so.
- the download to computer always seems a little flakey

I can't stand running without it now. It would be like biking without a speedometer.

I never ran the review becasue of the changes coming in the "new" version of the Speed/Distance with the smaller GPS and the downloadable data accumulator thingy.

At any rate, I did the research and did the comparisons based on other GPS units such as a Garmin hand-held. My finding were that, on flat gound in a rural/suburban setting the Timex unit was uncannily precise for pace and distance. I am using the word "precise" in the context that the GPS unit produced repeatable results over a large number of trials on the same running course.

In the Timex tradition I torture tested the unit on the outside of a vehicle during the winter and it survived swimmingly.

I found the unit easy to learn and easy to use. To me, the GPS armband unit is not a problem or hinderance at all, but a 33% smaller unit as proposed on the new version will be nicer.

I have no experience with the download device as we have had them on order for 8 months and never received them.

All in all, I find this to an invaluable tool for training. I am debating having a special GPS pocket sewn onto the back of my race uniform for IMNZ to carry the GPS unit on the run just to monitor my pace. I find it very useful.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

You know, the smaller GPS thing isn't really that much smaller. sure, it looks smaller in the pictures, but in real life it is close to the size of the original, and is actually deeper.

Nice thing about it is the battery life, from what I understand, you can get about 4X the lifespan out of the new one compared to the old one.

Data thingy is cool. It has quirks, but is pretty good for tracking your workouts - I upload to trainingbible.com.

Do you actually have this stuff?

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

Thanks Tom,

I am looking at buying one of the new ones with the smaller GPS unit. Good racing at IMNZ.....

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"You're guaranteed to miss 100% of the shots you never take" - Wayne Gretzky

I have the data recorder, a friend has the new GPS.

It's "waterproof" up to 50m but if you press the buttons underwater the watch will break. I broke mine during a swim workout although I don't specifically remember pressing buttons while the watch was submerged.

Yup. All of them are like that.

Mine turns green in the pool, though I think it may be the pool's fault, not the watch.

Actually, my watch band discolored too (we're talking about the "new" watch, with HRM functionality). Then again, the buttons also went berzerk, probably because I used it a few times in the pool. Funny that the OLD speed and distance watch that I have seems to be bulletproof---I swim in it every day and have never had a problem. Still waiting on my replacement from Timex.....3 weeks and counting...

Andy

I have the newer unit and I love it!! I do not have problems with reception on the GPS. It has gone out on a rare occassion, but it gets good reception even in fairly tree-covered areas (as long as I have a bit of open sky over me, I am fine). I can measure distances of runs without having to get in the car to drive the run course. Also, I can measure distances of runs on paths where I can't even take the car. The thing I really like about it is that I can use it on the bike as a bike computer. I don't need my crappy old bike computer anymore. I just strap the watch to the aero bars and go. I have used it for many hours and I have not needed to replace to batteries in the GPS unit even once. The GPS unit can be strapped to your arm or clipped to your belt/waist (if you don't like the strapped on look). I simply cannot say enough good things about it. It was about $300, but worth every penny. One more thing, you can adjust the watch to display any of three settings at one time (HR, time, distance, current pace, avg pace, speed, etc.). I say go for it and get it!!!!!! (No, I do not work for Timex...LOL).

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http://www.imf2006.blogspot.com

Been using and abusing it for about 1 yr. - No problems... EXTREMELY accurate... battery life is about 6-7 hrs. Almost all problems with regard to accuracy loss or slow syncing has been a result of week batteries.

I have been trying to get a data recorder for about 6 months... no luck.

However, I do have the Timex S+D and HRM combo... the HRM is not as good as the Polars (or other HRM's I have used) but it is good enoug... just too basic for my taste... definately needs to provide Average HR.

Until I get the Data Recorder, I will be continuing to use a Polar plus a Timex S+D device combo. Overall, it has proven to be a very good training device... specially when you consider that it is a 1st generation device.

FWIW Joe Moya