Don't Be a Tri Nerd!

I have been looking at purchasing a new GPS watch since I lost the charging cradle of my old watch. This time I am wanting to add the HR monitor on to it because I think I would benefit  from training that way. I have read many reviews of GPS watches and done some research on different models. But there is always one person I always talk to before I buy anything triathlon related because I know he will give it to me straight.

We will call him Ted cause that is his. Ted is a very accomplished triathlete and endurance athlete and he is actually the one person that got interested in this hobby many years ago at an 80's party attended by our friends from college! Anyways, Ted has also been a great source of information for me, whether it is about training, equipment or going into a race with the right attitude. So I do value his opinion a lot. So who better to call and get input on the best GPS device than Ted right? I thought so too, so I texted him. Here is our conversation:

Names have been blacked out to protect the innocent.

So after that text message conversation, I really got to thinking. Do I need a new GPS watch or is this just another device I think I need. So I posted that question on the FaceBook page of the Brooks Fanatics and the Target Triathlon Team page. I got a lot of answers ranging from I love my Garmin to, I am a numbers nerd and like the data, to even some people saying they never look at it until after their run, which is hard to believe.

So my conundrum is this, do I need a GPS? What do I really use it for anyways? Honestly, I like it to tell me how far I have ran, and secondly I like to see my pace I am running. However; it can frustrate me to look down and see that I am going a lot slower than I think I feel like I am going. I am not sure the benefits outweighs the cost of buying a new one. Maybe I should just get a heart rate monitor and learn to utilize that while running, or learn to manage my engine as it has been said to me.

So I have been thinking about this and I think I am going to forgo using a GPS and focus on actually running. I trust Ted completely when it comes to training and racing advice, he knows what he is talking about. So I am willing to try it and will look into getting a decent heart rate monitor and start learning to use it, especially for the marathon coming up in December. I will keep you updated!!