Nurse On The Run

MY review of the Garmin FR-60

This is a handy training tool. For years I was using the Nike + system but it just was not enough for me and I found that it was making my i pod battery deplete more quickly.  I have an old Garmin 205 but it would loose its signal frequently and was large and bulky.  I have very small wrists so I needed something small.  I also wanted more out of my watch.  Just what I wanted I was not sure.  I like to stay minimal if not it distracts from running.  But the right watch could help with training immensely.  So what watch was I to buy.  Spend over $400 and get the latest and greatest or spend time and less money and get something different.  Do I go with a Garmin? a Polar? a Timex?  Luckily the Runners World Magazine had an article close to the time I was buying a watch.  So I considered what the article said and did my own research.  After some time debating I went with the Garmin FR-60.

This has a heart rate monitor and optional foot pod to but as well as I can buy a cadence monitor for my bike.  Huge bonus.  I ordered the watch through amazon and struggled with receiving my order.  DO not order the watch through amazon.  Or really watch what you are buying.  I received half my order and it was the wrong color and it took me over 2 months to get it all straighted out with customer service.

Once I had the watch I needed to figure out how to use it.  It is very user friendly.  Large display but not too large for my wrist. It does not have a touch screen and the keys are a little stiff.  I am sure with more use the buttons will be easier to press.  I also like that it has a back light.  I bought the women’s model which fits my smaller wrist.  But if you are a women with a big wrist you might want to but the men’s model.  I ordered black but received purple- Thanks amazon.  The purple is not a bad color  though,  Just girlie.

The heart rate monitor came with it and I feel is very comfortable.  The strap was a little to big for me so I had to sew it some to make it tighter.  Very easy to do.  I got the foot pod to go with it.  Note if you do not get the foot pod then this watch is just a very nice heart rate monitor.  It does not have GPS so it needs the foot pod to track your runs.  I decided on a foot pod/watch combo instead of a GPS because I can use this watch indoors as well.  If you buy a GPS watch you still need a foot pod to use the watch indoors for example on a treadmill.  Since Nebraska has such great weather, I train indoors more than I would like too.  You can calibrate the foot pod and it will be 99% accurate.  The foot pod is actually the exact same size as the Nike foot pod.  So if you have Nike shoes it will fit.  If not it does have a clip that locks it in place on your shoe.  This lock is easy to use and does not slip but is easy to move from shoe to shoe.

Features of the watch.  Like I said you can buy a cadence monitor for your bike.  I do not have that yet so I can’t comment on this.  Like the other Garmin running devices it has the Virtual Running Partner in it.  You can program time and or distance and a little running buddy appears on the screen and lets you know if you are holding pace.  Nice feature that I loved on my old Garmin.  You can program heart rate zones for all activities and target zones.  The watch will beep and notify when you are in and out of zones.  As well as if you hit a max heart rate.  I have never trained using a heart rate monitor and now that I have this device I love it.  It has helped me a ton improve my training as well as knowing when to back off or pick it up.   It also has an interval feature you can set up to do speed work.

The watch stores workouts and also has the ANT device which with wireless downloads to the Garmin site when it is in range.  I looked at the Garmin site and found it very hard to navigate and read data.  I use Buckeye Outdoors for my training log.  I love it, but I hit a snag.  I have an Apple computer and this device and site do not work together yet.  So for now I manually enter my data.  Buckeye Outdoors hopes to have a way to support Mac soon.  I guess I could give the Garmin site another shot.

This is not just a running watch.  I use it mostly for running but I do cardio/strength workout up to three days a week and I can use the watch for these too.  It will store my time, heart rate and calories burned.  Big plus!!

So far I love this watch and all of the raw data it gives me.  It is such a great training tool.  I hope it will improve my training.  I will let you know after my next marathon!!

Arm Warmers

Is this the 80’s are the 80’s coming back, or are there a few runners lately you have noticed wearing leg warmers?  No not leg warmers, ARM warmers.  Thats right, many elite runners are sporting arm warmers lately.  

After seeing Paula Radcliffe with a pair I was curious.  Hmm can these be efficient.  They will keep my arms warm but what about my shoulders?  I often times can handle some coolness to my lower half, but think if the arms are cold  then my form suffers from stiffness in the shoulders.  So I bought a pair at a local bike shop.  Yep that’s right a bike shop.  I believe it is bikers who cherish this item.  Picture a person on a bicycle trying to take their long sleeve shirt off.  Not possible, they are easy to remove while on the go.

So how often do I use them?  in the fall and spring very frequently.  I can wear capris and a t-shirt but if I need it a quick sleeve to keep me warm.  I have also found in the winter they are very beneficial.  I obvious have very cold cold winter days that I do not go outside at all, but I can’t be on a tread mill forever so outside I go.  And these convenient little things add warmth without bulk.  Most times we add the layers in the winter that are needed for our arms but not our core, causing us to feel too hot, well arm warmers add the warmth to the arms with out the bulk on the core.  You no longer need to feel like Ralph’s little brother on the christmas story.  

So go out a splurge on a pair or arm warmers for your fall running collection.  Like I said try bicycle stores and online shops to find them, they most likely will not be in a running store.

under construction!!

Just so everyone knows my site is not suppose to look like this.  My husband is my tech support and very busy, but I am in the process of installing a gallery and making my page more user friendly.  So be patient and it should be up and running by the weekend!! Any feedback on the site let me know!

Death of my Nike+

So for almost three years now I have used Nike+ to log most of my runs. I found it convenient since I was already using my ipod. My finace` purchased me the system when it came out. This one my dog ate the part that goes into the ipod. Then I replaced it and had 2 sensors. I am sad to report both of my sensors batteries are now dead and I am sensor less. I know I know, I can get a new sensor online for about $10. However, my poor ipod is almost dead as well it only holds charge long enough to listen to about 2 hours of music or podcasts. Its sad no companion on my long run.
But, now the dilemma, what do I do? Replace the Nike+ and get a new battery placed in my ipod? Revert back to my Forerunner 200 system ( yes its the older one) Or use this opportunity to upgrade. I have been looking into getting a heart rate monitor but the big problem I have is some watch bands I am allergic to, something to do with the plastic in them. Currently I am using my old garmin, but its large on my wrist, loses signal often, doesn’t link to my computer and I would still have to bring the ipod and add a heart rate monitor if I want one. Or, get the new garmin, or find some other device. Any suggestions I am up for while I research and save the money. I loved my Nike+ it was easy to use however I don’t always wear my ipod and I have a feeling that the system is why my ipod is already.
Man what did we do before all of these fancy toys and technology?

5 finger shoes?

OK so after a while of thinking about these new Vibram 5 finger shoes I finally broke down and ordered a pair.  My trainer and I have been talking about these things and the concepts and theories behind how they are suppose to be better then our traditional running/ tennis shoes and how they could possibly help your feet and eventually prevent less injuries; who doesn’t want less injuries.  So I joined the bandwagon and invested in a pair of the sprints, my trainer has the classics.  

First impression- they look really cool, kind of remind me of water socks when i was a kid.  but draw back at first they are so hard to get on, its just odd cramming your toe into every little slot of the shoe, and if your like me and running has taken its toll on your feet,  I have some funny looking toes that are not normal.  Finally I got them on and decided to work out in them

first wearing- ok so I did a one hour workout, not too much running in them, more weights and gym kind of work out, at this point my trainer said ” oh man your legs are going to be so tired trust me”   I thought he was crazy I am a marathoner I work 12 hour days on my feet, it can’t be that bad.  Well we did circuit training and my first circuit was 10 minutes total of 250meter row on the machine, 20 kettle bell swings and 10 burpees ( if you don’t know what a burpee is ask me- great cardio workout tool)  OK so that wasn’t too bad next set was with a body  bar, 15 squatting thrusters, 15 sumo squats and a down and back lunge 5 sets.  Pretty good exercises all lower leg work any way, by set three my legs were DEAD.  He was not joking, it felt like I had just done a hard 10 miler or ran up and down stairs for an hour and this was only half way through my workout.  Our next set was upper arms, but I noticed when doing push ups I had better form and my feet could plant nicely, also I could jump rope better because I was more aware or the ground and the rope.  

     So after a total 1 hour workout, no running my thoughts were this:

compared to my regular running shoes and a workout I had better multi-directional movement.  I worked new muscle groups ( well in my opinion I did)  My arches did not hurt at all;which in when wearing my running shoes for a gym workouts my arches usually hurt from push ups and being on my toes for various things.  Lastly I feel I had no issues with pronation, blisters, uncomfortable feeling in my toes, or bunion ( yes I have one eww).

     Then I wore them to walk my dog for a good 3 mile or so walk.  Mind you I live in the Midwest, so its cold out and snow on the ground at this time of year.  Today Sunny and 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  First thought- My new shoes are going to get dirty.  Husbands first thought -I don’t want to be seen with you in those goofy shoes!

Then after walking through numerous water puddles and slushy snow I realized my feet werecold and these are not winter shoes, nor good for cold weather running.   Obviously these are shoes you can’t really wear socks with so that doesn’t help the cold factor.  But, as far as the walking in them, they are very like weight, I felt very use to them, comfortable, like being barefoot.  You can feel big rocks and stuff in them but not little pebbles or sand. 

     I would say not a bad first day in these shoes.  So far I enjoy them a lot, I can see it will take some work trying to run in them.  I know my feet will probably hurt after the first run.  But its just like marathon training and getting those feet nice and hard to withstand the long hours, and blistering your shoes cause.  So far I have a very positive opinion of these shoes and I think for me they can help alleviate some of my foot discomfort and hopefully strengthen my feet to make injuries less likely.

I will keep posting on the review of different activities in these shoes and how the progress is going on these shoes.  Maybe i will be able to make marathon distances in these shoes.

Here is a link to the shoe company website