So, my Garmin 310XT fell off during the swim leg of IMC last weekend. I have one of those break-away bands and use the watch as my bike computer also. I made the mistake a couple months back of taking off my previous Cateye bike computer because I didn’t see why I needed it now that I have the Garmin. It only added drag right! That being said, I had to do the entire IMC bike course without any speed, distance, HR, or power data. All I had was my Timex watch that I fortunately started when the race began so I could at least know my time. Luckily, I exhaustively analyzed the bike course before the race so I could usually tell at which mile I was at based on the scenery and road. It was very difficult not having any way to pace myself other than perceived effort. I have never done an “effort-based” pacing for a long-distance event before. It worked out fairly well though. The only place I think I went way over my pre-race pacing goals was on the climb to Yellow Lake when that awful headwind was pelting us. Oddly enough, my bike time was almost exactly what I predicted during my pre-race planning (Predicted 6:15, Actual 6:12).
The start of the run was tough to pace also because I felt so good and I didn’t want to blow my whole marathon by going too fast in the first 6 miles. Then the cramps set in about mile 15 and pacing became irrelevant. It was all walk some/run some from then on. Well, I guess you learn lessons the hard way. I am going to re-install my previous bike computer this week.
P.S. If anyone sees a Garmin 310XT head unit on the bottom of Okanagan Lake. Please mail it back to Mississippi so I can go back to using it. Thanks!
I don’t understand why you had the Timex as well. The Garmin, assuming it stays attached to your wrist, tells time also. Sucks that you lost your unit. I lost my 310 less than a week after I bought it. I got it right when it was released. I complained to Garmin that the wrist strap had a design defect and they eventually sent me a replacement for free. I few months ago I got the updated quick release strap and it feels 100 times more secure. What break-away band are you referring to?
I had the Timex also because I am always overly prepared. It gives me a back-up plan in case something goes wrong with the Garmin, as in this case. My last IM race I did in 2008, I wore the Garmin 50 and the Garmin 310XT just to have a back-up HR monitor. I wish I would have wore the Garmin 50 again this time instead of the Timex.
I have the original black band. My wife has the newer orange/green break-away band. The new one definitely seems more secure.
Quick question since I was considering the purchase of one, is this common to have happen? Hate to invest $ into something like this then have the same problem…especially now that I know about it. Thanks…
Have you tried to get Garmin to replace it? A friend of mine lost his the same way at a race in July and Garmin sent him a new one. I don’t think their quick releases should be worn in mass swim starts (without the watch being under a wetsuit sleeve) … too many people thrashing around. I had a sleeveless on at IMC and kept thinking my whole watch (wristband and all) was going to be pulled off. That was a brutal swim - at least where I was.
From my experience, swimming with the 310Xt on the wrist has been unreliable. Yes, it reads your HR but satellite signals are sporadic and you will see this after downloading the data. So why were you wearing it on your wrist. I wear mine under the swim cap where it is not only secure but also quite reliable as it gets very good satellite signals compared to wearing it on the wrist. Once out of the water, I removed the swim cap and make sure I grab the 310xt with the cap. It gets attached to the bike mount and then after the bike it gets attached to my wrist strap which I have been wearing the whole race.
I ask because I have a 305 that I would like to race with but haven’t tried yet, always used a Timex. My understanding is that the HR doesn’t work underwater (bad info?) and that GPS is erratic at best. Aside from that, the 305 is pretty chunky/draggy and I need all the help I can get on the swim. Is the 310 low profile enough that drag is a non-factor?
Going off those presumptions on HR/GPS/drag, I was going to just set my watch in auto multisport, strap it to my bike (velcro band) and start the clock before the swim. My total time, swim split and T1 would be off obviously, but that’s what the chip around my ankle is for. I’d still have the 305 for HR, distance and pacing on the bike and run which is what I really want anyway. I’ll get total elapsed time (and swim/T1) when I’m done. During the race, ET by itself doesn’t seem as useful to me.
What is the error in my thinking? Is the Garmin/watch also a backup in case your chip fails (which HAS happened to me, I must admit)? Something else I’m overlooking? Just personal preference? What does a 305/310 buy you in the swim besides accurate time?
I wear my 310XT in the water for 2 reasons: So I can start it at the beginning of the race to have an overall time in addition to leg times and so I don’t forget to put it on in transition. I wear it facing inward like somebody else suggested and it seems pretty secure and isn’t too floppy. I don’t have a bike computer any longer, just use the Garmin.
I wear mine so I can capture swim splits in open water after the race and match that with my recollection of effort, form, etc. It’s taught me a bunch about managing my effort and sighting since I get to see the track of my motion later.
I have my 310 set to “lap” every 1/10 of a mile on the swim and put it in my swim cap. That gives me a pleasant vibrating sensation on top of my head every couple of minutes (or so - actual time not revealed to avoid ridicule). Putting the unit in your swim cap yields very accurate distances and tracks.
I lost my 310 on the swim as well! So there are at least two of them down there. How did yours fall off? I have the older quick release kit on mine, and someone smacked my wrist and the mount on the back of the unit snapped. Most of the mount is still in the wrist strap. I plan to contact Garmin and see what they have to say.
It was pretty hard to get my head around not racing with any data. I had absolutely nothing (not even a watch). The only time I saw my time was when I finished the bike, and when I finished the race.
I ask because I have a 305 that I would like to race with but haven’t tried yet, always used a Timex. My understanding is that the HR doesn’t work underwater (bad info?) and that GPS is erratic at best. Aside from that, the 305 is pretty chunky/draggy and I need all the help I can get on the swim. Is the 310 low profile enough that drag is a non-factor?
Going off those presumptions on HR/GPS/drag, I was going to just set my watch in auto multisport, strap it to my bike (velcro band) and start the clock before the swim. My total time, swim split and T1 would be off obviously, but that’s what the chip around my ankle is for. I’d still have the 305 for HR, distance and pacing on the bike and run which is what I really want anyway. I’ll get total elapsed time (and swim/T1) when I’m done. During the race, ET by itself doesn’t seem as useful to me.
What is the error in my thinking? Is the Garmin/watch also a backup in case your chip fails (which HAS happened to me, I must admit)? Something else I’m overlooking? Just personal preference? What does a 305/310 buy you in the swim besides accurate time?
You will likely destroy your 305 if you wear it on the swim. The 310 was created for the swim. The 305 is not. Some people put it in a zip lock baggie under their swim caps, but, if you simply wear the 305 on your wrist, you will likely destroy it.
With the 310 on the wrist, the distance is spotty, at best, but the time is accurate (obviously). The HR is spotty as well.
From my experience, swimming with the 310Xt on the wrist has been unreliable. Yes, it reads your HR but satellite signals are sporadic and you will see this after downloading the data. So why were you wearing it on your wrist. I wear mine under the swim cap where it is not only secure but also quite reliable as it gets very good satellite signals compared to wearing it on the wrist. Once out of the water, I removed the swim cap and make sure I grab the 310xt with the cap. It gets attached to the bike mount and then after the bike it gets attached to my wrist strap which I have been wearing the whole race.
Wow…I never thought about putting it in my swim cap…thanks for the info. Now I am much less concerned about losing it and the signals are much better.
I have lost 2 310’s in the water, one just popped off during a swim, the other came off as I was being helped out onto a dock…Garmin actually replaced both but I no longer wear it in the water, just set it on the bike and hit start as I exit T1.
Good to know they will honour it. I just went to quick release and was thinking about this for my Tri on the 19th. I’ve hit it pretty hard trying to knock it loose and it hasn’t, plus I drift left so I usually line up far right and wear the watch on my right hand.
Did you just contact them and explain your situation?
I broke the pin that holds the strap on in early spring in a Run, Bike Canoe tri. Fortunately, the watch just fell into the canoe so I was able to find it. One of my friends lost one in an OW swim too. She did not find her’s.
I just rubber band the Garmin to my arm pad, and put it on just before I get on my bike now.
That being said, I had to do the entire IMC bike course without any speed, distance, HR, or power data. All I had was my Timex watch that I fortunately started when the race began so I could at least know my time. Luckily, I exhaustively analyzed the bike course before the race so I could usually tell at which mile I was at based on the scenery and road. It was very difficult not having any way to pace myself other than perceived effort. I have never done an “effort-based” pacing for a long-distance event before. It worked out fairly well though. The only place I think I went way over my pre-race pacing goals was on the climb to Yellow Lake when that awful headwind was pelting us. Oddly enough, my bike time was almost exactly what I predicted during my pre-race planning (Predicted 6:15, Actual 6:12).