Peg’s Posts: Ironman Hawaii

In light of Jake’s recent post about seasonal slumps, thought I’d warm things up with a look back at Ironman Hawaii. MotionBased tester and Forerunner 305 user Anthony Cece competed in this ultimate Ironman race held in Kona, Hawaii, on Oct. 11, 2007. I won’t even begin to try to recap Anthony’s grueling 140.6-mile journey. You’ve got to read his story for yourself on the MB log. You can also view detailed data and map overlays for each stage of his race in MotionBased. After reading Anthony’s account, it made me realize the importance of having multiple goals on race day. Typically, for a race I’ve never competed in, I set three time goals. The first one is my “pie in the sky” goal — one I doubt I can achieve but if conditions are perfect, hey, I might get close. Second is my idealistic goal — this is somewhat better than I’ve achieved in a training session simulating the race. And lastly is my “I can live with this” goal. Here’s where you make a pact with yourself that says if race conditions stink or you start to flounder and the wheels fall off (hopefully not literally), you can live with this time. With Forerunner, Edge and our online community, it’s easy to track your training, set goals for race day and analyze your performance after the event.

Want to see highlights from Ironman Hawaii (Ford Ironman World Championships)? Tune in to NBC tomorrow afternoon for coverage.

Jake's Journal: My seasonal speedbump

I need your help. Less than two months ago, I was on a runner's high. I had gone from wistfully wondering what training for a marathon would be like ... to passionately pounding the last few feet of pavement and capping 26.2 miles in Chicago ... to faithfully focusing on pace and discipline in cruising through KC's half-marathon. Then I took a week off as a reward. Then another. And now, although I still run a few days a week and do my Sunday cardio/weight class at the gym, I sense a rut coming on.

Blame it on turkey, sweet potatoes and pie. Mmmm... pie. Oops, sorry. Curse the cold weather all you want, or the fact that it's pitch black by 5:30 p.m. No matter. With my Forerunner 50, indoor training is easier than ever. Yet with my next 5K a little more than a week away and spring marathons coming up on the calendar, I feel like I'm at a crossroads: Accelerate or hibernate.

So what's your advice? Share your winter training tips in the comments below.

Navigating Through the Holidays

If you missed the sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, here's another chance to get a good deal -- a really good deal -- on a nuvi 260.  The folks at GPSLodge.com are giving away a nuvi 260. You'll want to visit their site for all the rules and regs, but the one thing we can assure you is that the nuvi 260 is a great device that will help you navigate through your holiday parties with ease.  The nuvi 260 comes preloaded with maps of the entire U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Plus, it has the text-to-speech function, so it'll say "turn right on Main Street" instead of "Turn right in 500 feet".  The contest ends December 17th, so you'd better hurry!

Roger's Runway: G1000's First Retrofit STC

With the holidays last week, I almost forgot to tell you that Garmin was recently awarded our first retrofit Supplement Type Certificate (STC) for the King Air C90A/GT.  The G1000 equipped C90 will help reduce pilot work load and increase safety of flight while providing continuous weather information.  With the three axis digital GFC 700 autopilot those WAAS approaches will be easier than ever.  The King Air C90A/GT is the first of the retrofit programs that Garmin is offering.  The King Air 200 is the next on the hit list to receive this upgrade. To see if your King Air C90 qualifies for the G1000 upgrade check out the King Air mini site or contact your closest Garmin dealer.   

Jake's Journal: A guarantee for love

One of my favorite parts of my job is hearing from people who love their Garmin products. To see what I'm talking about, go to our recent post from the Chicago Store's first anniversary. But the best feedback is when people don't even know we're listening. Such is the case with a recent blog post that we stumbled across. Here are a few excerpts - see if you can guess which Garmin product is getting kudos.

"First up I will get right to the recommendation. If you are even thinking about buying this device then save some brain power, jump on ebay and just get one. I guarantee you will love it." The accuracy: "Brilliant!" The ability to customize the unit: "You can decide which fields (and there are lots of them) you want on what screen. It's awesome!" Conclusion: "I have lots of cool gadgets and toys. This is my favourite. End Game!"

Is it a nüvi? A zūmo? Maybe a member of the eTrex family or a Forerunner? Take your guess and then click here to read the whole review.

Navigating through Cyber Monday with Garmin

The countdown to Christmas has begun! After the turkey dinner was cleaned up on Thursday, many folks headed to the closest shopping district for the biggest shopping day of the year, also known as Black Friday. And after fighting the crowds and checking out the sales, many shoppers will take to the Internet today and join the Cyber Monday craze - the biggest online shopping day of the year. If you're in need of some retail therapy, and searching for the great Garmin finds you spotted this weekend, have no fear...the Garmin Gift Guide is here! This one-stop shopping guide is stuffed with outdoor, marine, fitness, mobile, automotive, and aviation navigation goodies...perfect for anyone on your shopping list.

While you're giving a Garmin, check our our holiday commercials (posted in the Gift Guide) that depict what might happen if you don't have a nüvi as your co-pilot this holiday season. Look there's a moose... give a, give a, give a, Garmin. Happy shopping!

On Display

Now that Black Friday mania has begun, we thought we'd clue you in as to where you might find some of our great looking Garmin displays. The Pirates display will be dropping anchor at Best Buy and Circuit City. And our Holiday displays will be shining brightly at CompUSA, Fry's, BJ's, Costco, Sam’s, Wal Mart and Circuit City. The displays will feature the nuvi 350, the nuvi 200 and 260, the nuvi 680, nuvi 750, and the StreetPilot c330 and the c340. So whether you're getting a Garmin or giving a Garmin during the holidays, our stylish displays should take a little bit of the hustle and bustle out of the season!

And remember, we're still looking for any action shots of our in-store displays. Grab your camera, strike a pose and send your pics this way! We've got some Garmin giveaways that we'll send to one lucky photog!

Send those pics to Garminblogs@garmin.com

The Garmin Garage: Open for Business

Since we're in the season of giving thanks, we thought we’d treat all of our blog readers by giving everyone a sneak peek into the Garmin Garage. We’ve been busy swinging wrenches these last few months and we’re finally ready to open. The Garmin Garage is where you’ll find all of the latest and greatest icons to really trick out your Garmin. And the best part is – they’re all free! Can’t decide between the rugged Rock Star or the tough Tailgater? Just grab ‘em both!  So be sure to check out the site today and keep coming back for more . . . because you never know what’s going to show up in the Garmin Garage.

The Hunt for Black Friday

The displays are coming! The displays are coming! As Black Friday approaches, more and more Garmin displays will be popping up in stores across the country. Ready to help spread holiday cheer far and wide, the displays are chock full of Garmin goodness. Be on the lookout for our Pirates display and our Holiday display. We’d love to see some pictures of the displays out in the wild, so we’ve opened up the vaults and have procured some vintage (translation: highly collectible) Garmin gear to tempt our faithful blog readers. All you have to do is take some display pics and send them this way. It's probably one of the easiest ways to get a Garmin this holiday season. So keep your eye open and your camera ready! 

Send your display pics to: Garminblogs@garmin.com

Roger's Runway: A Mount for Everything

When a new product comes out, there are always people trying to improve the product or get the product to meet their requirements.  The Garmin portable units are no different and have started a secondary market for mounting options.  Several companies develop everything from suction cup mounts to mounts that fit into your plane’s panel.

Propeller Head Pilot has developed a suction mount that allows you to mount your portable unit within the line of sight. They also have a mount for antennas.  For all you Bonanza pilots with throw over yokes, American Supply has developed a mount using the dash mount that comes with your handheld unit.  The mount can be flipped up when you want to throw the yoke over.  Finally, Air Gizmo has developed a panel mount docking station for your Garmin unit.  If you want to tie your GPSMAP 296/396/496 into your GTX 330 or SL30/40 this option of mounting makes for a clean install.

Not wanting to miss a good competition, I, of course, have to throw my cannonball into the whirlpool -- 18:98, not too bad compared to Jake's 31:02. What's your best shot?

Dave's Docklines: Out to sea at SKA

The fish sure were biting in Biloxi, MS, this weekend! We just wrapped up a great few days at the SKA National Championships and have returned home to reel in the recap for you. In good company, Garmin was one of the four electronic sponsors of this 2-day tournament. With more than 300 boats invited to attend the championship, it is the largest tournament of the year. We joined the fun with a Garmin booth at the Captains Meeting and Welcome Party. We also stuck around for one of the best catches of the tournament...some cool Garmin prizes awarded to the winners. The grand prize winner took home a sweet new boat and trailer valued at more than $100,000, while a few other lucky winners took home a GPSMAP 3210 and a Fishfinder 340C.

And in the perfect recipe of mixing work with pleasure, we had the opportunity to take a ride in a 38-foot center console fountain boat (fully-loaded with the GPSMAP 3210) while visiting Biloxi. Now that's what I call a great tournament!

   

Adventures with Astro

One of your blog editors spent last week putting the Astro GPS Dog Tracking System through some serious tests while quail hunting in West Texas.

The adventure began on the J.D. Patterson Ranch, located near the small town of Aspermont.  We met up with Wade Middleton and shot a TV feature on the Astro that'll appear on Americana Outdoors and Fishing and Hunting Texas in 2008.

Thanks to a very wet summer, Texas hunters are excited about this year's crop of quail -- and the Patterson Ranch didn't disappoint.  Our big-running dogs pointed covey after covey of bobwhite quail -- and there was never any question where our dogs were, thanks to the Astro.  In fact, during a particularly windy hunt, one dog got turned around and wandered more than 1,000 yards away.  Tracking her down was simple -- just follow the direction of the arrow and watch the yards count down.

Jake's Journal: I'm sunk

  I have to admit that when I first saw the top score on Battle of the Maelstrom, I was optimistic. If you haven't checked out the minisite for At Map's End, home of our "Pirates of the Caribbean" promotion, you should join the fun. In a nutshell, it's all about sinking ships.  If you enjoy rocking the boat, try your hand at Up is Down. But if you're someone who loved doing cannonballs in the pool when you were little, Maelstrom is your game. The goal: Use your cannon to sink 10 schooners as quickly as possible.

So the magic number, as mentioned below, was 9:54. No problem. I used to play Duck Hunt on my buddy's Nintendo all the time. And boats are much bigger than birds. So I gave it my best shot - or my best several shots, as it turned out. In the end, I was humbled to find out that the top score wasn't measured in minutes, but in seconds. And with my 31:02, buccaneers everywhere are breathing easy. How fast can you fire?

ThanxGiveAway

If you're like this blog editor, Thanksgiving dinner induces a turkey coma that's second to none. But this year you're going to have to keep at least one eye on the TV as you snooze on the couch because Comedy Central is having its Thanxgiveaway Wiikend.  Watch Comedy Central all weekend and keep track of the 48 unique hourly codes you see on air.  Enter your list of codes on their website and you'll have a chance to win one of many prizes, including the nuvi 200. You don't want to miss this opportunity because the nuvi is a must-have item for the holidays. It'll help you find all of those holiday parties with ease. And of course, if you already have a nuvi, there's always regifting, right?!

Due South

As autumn settles in around Kansas City, most residents turn their attention to football season, backyard barbecues or other cool weather activities. For me and a few of my friends, it’s the perfect time to saddle up and point our motorcycles south for the weekend in search of some of the finest roads in the Midwest.

Several hours south of KC, you’ll find motorcycling nirvana. With enough turns, twists and kinks to make a chiropractor cringe, the roads of Northwest Arkansas offer mile after mile of gasoline-fueled excitement. And to make sure I made it there and back, a zumo 550 would be leading the way.   

Ship-sinking Monday fun

Having a case of the Mondays?  With Thanksgiving just around the corner (and hopefully a shortened work week for everyone out there) this Monday might be a bit tougher to get through than the last. But have no fear... we have found the perfect procrastination temptation that promises to pass the time. Remember all the pirate talk that graced the blog a few weeks ago?  Well thanks to the "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" Garmin promotion, a whole slew of pirate's plunder has emerged. One of our favorites...the Battle of the Maelstrom game. The current leader, with a time of 9:54 (see photo to the left for proof), has almost mastered the art of sinking ships during his lunch hour. If you think you're up for the ship-sinking challenge, post your score below. Heck, maybe we'll even bring Jake, Peg, Roger and Chet in on the fun for a little friendly competition! Good luck, and let me warn you... it can be very addictive!

For more Garmin/Pirate's fun (including a chance to win some cool prizes ), visit the microsite. And don't forget to check out the Pirate's Plunder displays at your local Best Buy or Circuit City on "Black Friday" while you're picking up a nüvi for that special someone on your shopping list.

Dave's Docklines: XM, rain or shine

So, you ask..."How’s the weather?" Well thanks to this collaboration between XM and Garmin, now you know. XM, the official weather prognosticators for the Ft Lauderdale boat show set up several weather kiosks around the show with live weather courtesy of our GDL30 XM weather receiver showing on Garmin 5212 displays. Customers were able to see live, up-to-the-minute forecasts of local weather conditions as they walked about the show. The hard-working staff at XM and WeatherWorks manned the kiosks the entire show and were able to show customers what was in store for them. Of course they were also able to entertain the customer with over 150 channels of audio...just like Garmin customers are able to do when they purchase a GDL30A and connect the audio out cables to their on board stereo system.  All you need is a stereo with "Auxiliary Inputs"; the installation could not be any easier. Imagine that...you are cruising offshore with your crew safe in the knowledge that you can see thunderstorms popping up before they get too close and at the same time listening to your favorite XM audio channel. Nice. 

Peg’s Posts: updates made easy

Want to know the best way to keep your Garmin unit happy? Fresh, free and fast software updates. Our engineers are continually improving and refining software, so an update could add improved features and make your Garmin device happy all over. Kinda like when you spring for a new pair of kicks … only much cheaper … as in free. And now, updating your unit software is easier than ever with our WebUpdater application. Just download this free app to your PC or Mac and you can check for and install software updates without using your web browser. WebUpdater works for most products, including fitness, handheld and automotive units. Find out more here. What’s the photo of Peg and the big G have to do with updates? Absolutely nothing. Just giving you a peek at our new signage gracing our corner of the world at N 38 deg 51.333 min
W 094 deg 47.941 min

National Geographic Adventure Magazine honors nüvi 770

  Thursday night, out in Washington, DC, a familiar face was in the spotlight as one of National Geographic's guests of honor. Dressed to the nines in black and silver trim - and showing off the worldly charms that come with North American and European mapping - nüvi 770 proudly was awarded 2008 Best of Adventure Gear by the editors of National Geographic Adventure Magazine.

And we couldn't be happier. You see, nüvi 760 (a fraternal triplet, along with 750) has received much well-deserved praise. PC Magazine and GPS Magazine each selected 760 as an Editor's Choice (the latter even called it "the best nüvi yet"). So, yeah, there's some sibling rivalry going on. But nüvi 770 is enjoying its time in the limelight, and it will be hitting the road as part of the Adventure Travel Expos that run through March 2008. And knowing nüvi and its route planning, it will be guiding the way!

Jake's Journal: Just how sensitive is it?

Went out for barbecue the other night with a friend who was in town on an Ohio-California road trip. Turned on nüvi 760 to show him a few of the features, and he could tell I was amazed at how quickly nüvi acquired satellite signals. Now normally, I'm hard to impress. After all, with a high-sensitivity receiver built in to its slim design, nüvi 760 always makes short work of finding satellites orbiting in the skies above. So why was I so astounded? We were sitting at our table. Inside the restaurant. And still nüvi found a window, peeked outside and worked its magic.

That's all for now. Leftovers are calling my name.

Dave's Docklines: Grady White 33

Don’t let the rain fool ya….this boat is hot! Check out this brand new Grady White 33 with twin Yamaha 350’s... but what gets US really revved up is the twin Garmin 5212 multifunction displays.

The boat is one of the first in the country with the new 24” GMR24 dome. That is 4000 watts of power to burn through the rain and a narrow 3.6 degree beam width to look all the way out to 48 miles. The boat also has the new digital sonar box (the GSD22) to keep the skipper out of the skinny Western Florida waters.  The XM weather will help the captain avoid some of the rain showers.  Also installed is the Garmin TR-1 autopilot that will drive the boat straight to the captain’s favorite fishing hole and then drive the boat in a variety of trolling patterns to keep the boat on the fish.  What a great combo...the Grady White 33, twin engines and twin Garmin displays!
   

And click here to read about our newest marine products!

Leno loves it: Download E85 stations at Garmin.com

  Black Corvette, red interior, green gas. Today, Jay Leno’s E85-powered C6RS Corvette went on display at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens to the public Friday. You'll recall from Jake's SEMA blog entries last month that we hooked Jay up with a special database of every E85 gas station in the U.S. so that his nüvi would list them as custom points of interest. We hear that it's already come in handy in Jay's quest for ethanol!

Now you can join Jay in going green with Garmin. We're making the extensive list of E85 gas stations available as a free download on our page that features custom points of interest. Click here for details on downloading to your compatible Garmin device, and be sure to check out our other downloadable points of interest. If you want to see more of Jay's Corvette (with the nüvi 680 on the windshield), click here.

Roger's Runway: Making the Most of Tailwinds

As you might already know, everyone here on the Garmin blog loves the outdoors and we try to enjoy it whenever we can. This past weekend a friend invited me to join in on opening weekend of firearm season for deer in Missouri. We flew his SR-22 to southern Missouri where the hunt was going to take place, which is normally about an hour flight. However, using the GPSMAP 496 and XM Weather we were able to see that the winds at 12,000 feet were blowing 35 knots giving us a huge push if we climbed to 11,500 feet. The trip took less than 45 minutes and we had a ground speed of 212 knots. What is the moral of the story? If you have a GPSMAP 396/496 with XM Weather, make sure you use all the available information that you have at your finger tips. You’ll be surprised how it can affect your flight.

Chicago Store celebrates 1-year anniversary!

Yesterday marked the 1-year anniversary of the World's first and only retail outlet dedicated to GPS Navigation. That's right, the Garmin Chicago Retail Store located on the "Magnificent Mile" at the corner of Erie and Michigan Avenue in Chicago, celebrated a great first year yesterday morning, as they acknowledged the 1-year anniversary of the employees and welcomed the addition of eight new Chicago-team members. This three-story, 15,000-square foot showcase for Garmin products and technologies offers a hands-on high-tech experience to all that pass through.

In case you don't have a chance to walk the Magnificent Mile this holiday season, here's a look at the new window displays on Michigan Avenue. And to celebrate here in Kansas, we're throwing in a little something extra. Be the first few people to leave a comment below this post, telling a story about why you love your Garmin, and we'll send you a commemorative Garmin Store opening geo coin. Along with your story, please send your name and mailing address to garminblogs@garmin.com. If you're interested in seeing the hype around these coins, don't take our word for it... just check eBay. Happy Birthday, Chicago Store... thanks for a great year!

nüvi 760 scores 4.5, earns PC Magazine Editor's Choice

The nüvi has done it again! Recently reviewed and awarded the coveted PC Magazine Editor's Choice Award by a panel of PC Magazine editors and leading industry experts, the nüvi 760 earned a 4.5 Stars Rating. With the new features and functions of this nüvi all-star, it is certainly worth bragging about. The PC Mag's in-depth review takes a look at everything (and I mean everything) from top to bottom to show readers why this nüvi is their nü favorite. On the road, this nüvi continued to perform with the shortest/fastest routing capabilities and, to keep you extra safe on the roads, a speed-limit sign will pop up on major streets and highways. The review also highlights the 760's multi-destination routing, the "Last Position" feature, hands-free calling, traffic alerts and other premium features you've come to love and expect in an awarding-winning nüvi like this.

"If you're in the market for a 'wide and loaded' navigation device, the nüvi 760 is an excellent choice."

Dave's Docklines: More boat show gear

Check out this go fast boat from Cigarette that was spotted at the Ft. Lauderdale boat show.  Driver and Throttle man both with a 5212 Multifunction display! When you are running at 100 mph you want information at your fingertips and you want it easy to use. Well it does not get any easier than the touchscreen interface on the 5212... talk about fingertip control. Fast, smooth and sexy... and the boat is not that bad either!!!   

Peg’s Posts: Run away from home

Nothing reinvigorates your training like running away from home. On a recent trail run/hike on the Colorado Trail, I was a million miles away from the stresses of life and I was right in step with everything I love about the sport … enhanced with new sights, new smells, new everything. Last weekend, I tagged along with my husband on a biz trip to Durango, Colorado. I do believe Colorado can rightly lay claim to the title of God’s Country. Just minutes after we landed at the tiny Durango airport (bag claim’s a breeze at a 4-gater), we hopped in a rental car, turned on our nüvi 260 and took a short drive to Pagosa Springs, home of bubbling mineral springs. We skipped the spas and used nüvi to look up lunch options as we neared the town. This newest nüvi in the 200 series adds text-to-speech, so it announces streets by name. Not that there are many streets to cause confusion in Pagosa, but still a nice option regardless of where you travel. The 260 has the slim, trim figure of the 200 series and an incredibly sharp display. Even in the bright Colorado sunshine (which we basked in for 3 days!), the 260 screen was always easy to read.

Modern Mapping with RV Trade Digest

Our friends at RV Trade Digest have this navigation thing all figured out. Garmin is the featured article on their site this month, and they wrote a nice review highlighting some of the features. With custom programming and all the other bells and whistles available (such as traffic, gas prices, ATM locations and more), a Garmin GPS can be a very meaningful road-trip addition to RV lovers everywhere. Check out what the RV Digest crew had to say about the modern mapping marvels, and make sure you take a picture of yourself on the road. After all, many of the common road-trip activities might get you qualified for Epic's "Get Out!" challenge, where you can win some fabulous Garmin gear.

Giving the Gift of Garmin

With the holidays right around the corner, now is the perfect time to start gathering gift ideas for family and friends . . . and also get a few ideas for yourself! So to help you take some of the hustle and bustle out of the holiday season, we’ve just launched our Garmin Gift Guide. It’s full of great gift ideas for anyone and everyone on your shopping list. Searching for someone who is always on the go?  The nüvi 200 makes the perfect travel companion. Or perhaps you’re doing a little shopping and hint-dropping for yourself. Well, the nüvi 680 is ideal for guiding your sleigh all year long! You’ll find both of those great gifts in the Garmin Gift Guide along with many more. So start making your list and checking it twice, it’s going to be a great holiday season to give a Garmin or get a Garmin!

Garmin is Backpacker's best

So what kind of outdoors enthusiast are you? Hardcore mountaineer? Casual camper? Well, we enjoyed a sneak peek at Backpacker's December issue, and they suggest the best GPS device for every type of activity. The all-around champ? Our GPSmap 60Cx. Praised for its 2.2-inch color screen and ample memory, the GPSmap 60Cx "locks in fast and holds a connection where lesser units fail."

Garmin products nabbed top honors in four other categories. Our eTrex Vista HCx was the best for less, helping hikers wanting to spend less than $350. At an even lower price point, the eTrex Venture HC was a no-brainer for "Give me power, hold the frills." And for those who equate being outdoors with working up a sweat, the Forerunner 305 is the runners' choice and the Edge 305 has cyclists psyched.

So get a Garmin, go outside and then enter the contest below!

Roger's Runway: Database changes

This past Monday, Independence KS airport started operating a control tower and Class D airspace. With all the new Cessna’s flying around Independence, it was quickly becoming the Kansas version of O’Hare Airport during the evening rush.  At the end of last month there was a major change to the Phoenix Class B airspace redrawing the vertical lines that make up the airspace.  Changes within the electronic databases that help our units navigate are away of life.  Portable units are not required to be updated but when you depend on them major changes like the ones that I have mentioned can have an effect.  Panel mounted units if you are using them for IFR should be updated every database cycle because you depend on these units for navigation.  While many changes to the national airspace are known several months in advance changes are usually made by the next data cycle. However, sometimes based on when the change is made and how big the change is that it may not be in the next cycle but the following cycle. 

Grab your Garmin gear and "Get Out!"

If you love the outdoors as much as we do, here's your chance to prove it! Epic Magazine (the on-line magazine for The Northface) has a contest that will put your outdoor enthusiasm to the test. It's simple; all you have to do is get photographed participating in four of the 15 "Get Out!" outdoor activities that are outlined by Epic, and then post your snapshots to the forum.

Show off your endurance/running stamina by running a sponsored race, or participating in a multi-sport event (any distance, triathlon, durathalon, adventure race, etc.). Or maybe climbing is your thing - climbing at a climbing gym, outdoors or belaying inside or out. Then show us what it takes to live in the great outdoors by camping or hiking in a national or state park, and let us see the meal you prepared in the wilderness or at a campground. Have a green thumb? Take a picture planting a tree, picking up garbage or hanging up clothes to dry - we could all use more of these environmentally-friendly activities in our lives. And if you've run out of outdoor activities, there's always kayaking or canoing, mountain or road biking, finding a geocache site, or an activity that we're pretty familiar with - using a GPS device to tackle the great outdoors. Just pick four of the above outdoor activities and you'll be on your way to some fabulous prizes.

All entrants will qualify for a random drawing for some great outdoor gear. Several winners will receive camping, hiking and biking packages and one grand prize winner will receive the ultimate "Get Out!" package - including one of our favorites, the Forerunner 305. You better get to exploring; the "Get Out!" challenge ends Dec. 15.

FR305 + 26.2 = NYC PR

  Nearly 40,000 runners flooded the Big Apple on Sunday for the New York City Marathon, and success stories are streaming in. Topping the feel-good stories, Paula Radcliffe was the women's winner after taking time off for the birth of her 9-month-old daughter.  On the celebrity front, Lance Armstrong improved his time and Katie Holmes finished using a pseudonym.

As for us, we're thrilled to say that Forerunner enthusiast Tommy Wong, a member of the New York Road Runners Club, set a personal record in the race. Tommy, who has been using the Forerunner 305 and MotionBased.com during his training, shaved 10 minutes off his previous best to finish in 3:29:20. And judging by the traffic at the Garmin booth, more people will be improving their times in the very near future. The national debut of the Forerunner 50 helped generate record sales at the expo booth.

Click on the jump below to read Tommy's recap of his memorable 26.2 miles.