Running with the satellites

[Nomen Nescio]

"GPS tells runners a lot -- possibly too much..."

Wall Street Journal article: http://xrl.us/bb5gg

[Phil M.]

nobody@dizum.com wrote:

> "GPS tells runners a lot -- possibly too much..."
>
> Wall Street Journal article: http://xrl.us/bb5gg

Thanks for the link. The author seemed to like the Forerunner 305 the
best. But his complaint is that these gadgets can cause a runner to
over-train by constantly trying to "outdo" themselves. I think most
knowledgeable athletes know that hard training requires adequate rest,
which could mean either very easy running or complete inactivity. In
light of this, I found it interesting that the author refused to wear
the heart rate monitor along with the Forerunner 305, claiming it was
"too much gadgetry." IMO, one of the most important reasons to monitor
the heart is to assist in avoiding overtraining by keeping the heart
rate/exertion level in the proper recovery zone.

--
Phil M., who has been in the recovery zone for the past 5 months

[Doug Freese]

"Phil M." <pmarg@charter.net> wrote in message
news:Xns99FA6F15E5FE5seilogramp@216.77.188.18...
> nobody@dizum.com wrote:
> --
> Phil M., who has been in the recovery zone for the past 5 months

Phil, I'm having a senior moment - what are you recovering from?

-Doug

[Charlie Pendejo]

Phil:
> [author's] complaint is that these gadgets can cause a runner to
> over-train by constantly trying to "outdo" themselves.

I've neither read the article nor set eyes upon one of these wrist-
mounted supercomputer video games, but I'm at a loss to understand how
this criticism isn't equally true of a simple watch. If a runner's
unwavering goal is always to go faster or longer than yesterday, isn't
that about the runner and not the gadget?

[Phil M.]

On Dec 2, 3:58 pm, Charlie Pendejo <Charlie.Pend...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Phil:
>
> > [author's] complaint is that these gadgets can cause a runner to
> > over-train by constantly trying to "outdo" themselves.
>
> I've neither read the article nor set eyes upon one of these wrist-
> mounted supercomputer video games, but I'm at a loss to understand how
> this criticism isn't equally true of a simple watch. If a runner's
> unwavering goal is always to go faster or longer than yesterday, isn't
> that about the runner and not the gadget?

Constant improvement is normally a good thing, regardless of the
device used to achieve that. The implication was that the runner would
try to outdo themselves on a daily basis. The tendency to make every
run a race against yesterday's performance.

[Phil M.]

On Dec 2, 1:00 pm, "Doug Freese" <dfre...@hvc.rr.com> wrote:
> "Phil M." <pm...@charter.net> wrote in message
>
> news:Xns99FA6F15E5FE5seilogramp@216.77.188.18...
>
> > nob...@dizum.com wrote:
> > --
> > Phil M., who has been in the recovery zone for the past 5 months
>
> Phil, I'm having a senior moment - what are you recovering from?

http://tinyurl.com/2kjkf9

--
Phil M.

[Doug Freese]

"Phil M." <pmarg@charter.net> wrote in message
news:156a7332-c3bb-4cf5-9498-7f7e05eb944d@w34g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>> Phil, I'm having a senior moment - what are you recovering from?
>
> http://tinyurl.com/2kjkf9


Ouch! Heal well!!!

-Doug

[Dot]

Charlie Pendejo wrote:
> Phil:
>
>>[author's] complaint is that these gadgets can cause a runner to
>>over-train by constantly trying to "outdo" themselves.
>
>
> I've neither read the article nor set eyes upon one of these wrist-
> mounted supercomputer video games, but I'm at a loss to understand how
> this criticism isn't equally true of a simple watch. If a runner's
> unwavering goal is always to go faster or longer than yesterday, isn't
> that about the runner and not the gadget?

Agreed. Some of these gadgets remind me of Borg connections - tapped
into a RW or Hal Higdon or whomever's running pgm - and the runner has
lost ability to think.

When you see questions like what pace should a warmup be run at, I kinda
wonder. Or when asked how hard they were running, they reply 10 min/mi
(even when specifically asked how hard they were breathing) - like that
conveys any relevant information.

Dot

--
...."the doctor told me I should do one of two tings. One, if I started
to feel extreme muscle damage, I should slow down, or two, I should
train harder to avoid muscle damge in the future. I chose number two." -
Andy Jones-Wilkins (quoted in Trail Runner 49:12, Dec 2007)

[LSmith]

The implication was that the runner would
> try to outdo themselves on a daily basis. The tendency to make every
> run a race against yesterday's performance.
_

Really? I thought it was more so to have a coach and or to indeed
even throttle down - just the opposite of what you elude to. I just
got one of these devices - the Adeo by motionlingo,
http://www.motionlingo.com/index.cfm

$100 for a full blow gps - hope it works - there are reviews out there
- I bought this one for 1 reason - to tell me my speed every quarter
mile or so - in my head like a coach. This time of year in NYC - I
can't see trying to access my wrist whilst I have sleeves and running
jackets on - it's dark late and dark early hence this audio based
system with a single earbud seems like it will let me not be
distracted checking it while I run - but whisper in my ear as I am
running the data I want to know about my run. I hear these things
though are sketchy in performance in NYC's Central Park due to the
trees and buildings - we'll see.

[yk]

"Dot" <dot.h@#duh?att.net> wrote in message
news:4sO4j.192588$kj1.28430@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...
> Charlie Pendejo wrote:
> > Phil:
> >
> >>[author's] complaint is that these gadgets can cause a runner to
> >>over-train by constantly trying to "outdo" themselves.
> >
> >
> > I've neither read the article nor set eyes upon one of these wrist-
> > mounted supercomputer video games, but I'm at a loss to understand how
> > this criticism isn't equally true of a simple watch. If a runner's
> > unwavering goal is always to go faster or longer than yesterday, isn't
> > that about the runner and not the gadget?
>
> Agreed. Some of these gadgets remind me of Borg connections - tapped
> into a RW or Hal Higdon or whomever's running pgm - and the runner has
> lost ability to think.
>
> When you see questions like what pace should a warmup be run at, I kinda
> wonder. Or when asked how hard they were running, they reply 10 min/mi
> (even when specifically asked how hard they were breathing) - like that
> conveys any relevant information.
>

I have been using a gps device for last two years. I really like the
device.
I found myself that I rarely pay attention to the device while running,
except for checking the distance and time occasionally. However, it is
very convenient to record my training. By just connecting it to pc after the
run, you record your all data automatically. It is really nice to be able to
see what/how you did in the past with a satellite photos of your every run
for two years. You can even use the data to keep track the total mileage of
your shoes.
I also like the fact that many people upload gps data to the web site like
mapmyrun. It is so nice that I can find a running route near the hotel I am
staying while on a business trip or vacation.
To me, it is just an accurate measuring and recording device. It does not
dictate how you train with it.
I just wish it were smaller and quicker to acquire satellites. No other
complaints.