garmin forerunner 205

when i initially heard about these gps watches, i was very sceptical. i am all for a running watch with lots of features, and therefore i have very fond memories of a casio running watch i had in the late 80s. my friend scott griffith has been using a forerunner for the last few months, and he has had no complaints about it. after borrowing scott's on a couple of occassions, i was won over. i am really looking forward to the freedom this watch will give me for running, walking, and roller skiing. no more mapping out routes. no more attempting to calculate my pace. no more sticking only to certain trails and courses. i am very excited.

this watch is scheduled to arrive next week. i will be sure to share more about my experiences with it over the next few months. here is the hype:

"Form meets function with Garmin's next-generation sleek and stylish personal trainer, the Forerunner 205. Don't let its good looks fool you: this taskmaster will continually push you to do your personal best. In addition to its new look, the Forerunner 205 features a high sensitivity GPS receiver and new courses, for optimal performance.

Designed for athletes of all levels, this running partner and personal trainer has one goal in mind — a better you. It continuously monitors your speed, distance, pace and calories burned, so you can train smarter and more effectively.

Garmin Forerunner 205 Personal Trainer:

• Tracks your every move with a super-sensitive GPS that even works on tree-covered trails and near tall buildings
• Receive a detailed, post-workout analysis on the PC with included Training Center software
• Sleek, stylish, lightweight design "wraps" the GPS antenna around part of the wrist for a better view of the sky, improving reception during training
• New Features:
• High sensitivity GPS receiver provides faster acquisition times and improves tracking under trees and near tall buildings
• Customizable screens let you view up to 12 data fields on 3 data screens for immediate feedback on the information you need most when training
• Multi-sport capability lets you seamlessly transition between sports without resetting the unit, so you can use it for running, biking, and more
• Easy to use — no calibration required. Just turn it on and go
• Courses Feature: lets you download recorded courses and compete against previous workouts
• Additional Features:
• Auto Pause: pauses and resumes training timer based on a specified speed, so you never have to start or stop the timer
• Auto Lap: records lap data when you reach a specified time, distance or position so you never have to punch the lap button
• Virtual Partner: lets you train against a digital person at a specified time, distance or pace goals
• AutoScroll: cycles through data pages during a workout
• Included Training Center software helps you tailor workouts to meet specific goals and objectives
• Create your own workouts or use workout templates included on the CD
• Interactive analysis tools let you chart performance overlaid on a map
• Data acquired by the Forerunner may also be analyzed with MotionBased.com and TrainingPeaks.com
• MotionBased provides in-depth analysis of your workouts, online mapping and route sharing that will take your training to the next level
• Endurance athletes may also use the Forerunner with TrainingPeaks.com, an easy-to-use web based training system designed to help athletes train for any event

two and a half months into my return to running - and i have already moved onto watch number two. i ought to be set for awhile :)