With its release at the Boston Marathon and arrival at running stores, the Forerunner 405 has raced to the top of wish lists everywhere. And today only (May 7), you can win a free Forerunner 405 from Women's Health magazine. Click here for details and to enter the Women's Health contest.
And with Mother's Day coming up this weekend, Shape magazine says the Forerunner 405 is the perfect gift for active moms. "Speedy moms who still sign up for marathons, races or triathlons, one after the next, can better track their mileage, times and trails with the Garmin Forerunner 405," explains Shape's gift guide. "Near buildings or under trees, no matter where she strides, this gadget will track your mom's distance, elevation, calories burned, pace, and more." Click here for Shape's complete Mothers Day Gift Guide.
If you were unable to visit the Garmin booth during last week’s Boston Marathon and become one of the lucky folks to be the first to own the Forerunner 405, visit (or call) the Garmin store in Chicago! We have both the black and sage green color options of the 405 with the heart rate monitors in-stock and available for purchase. Unfortunately, if you want the versions without the heart rate monitors, you will have to wait a few more weeks before they are available. The store is offering group training sessions on the Forerunner 405 every Saturday morning at 11am after the weekly Garmin Running Club.
The Garmin Running Club meets at the store every Saturday morning at 8 am and leads groups of runners on either a 3, 5, or 7-mile run along Chicago’s lake front running path. Runners can trial Garmin Forerunner products on a first-come, first-serve basis, as well as enjoy light refreshments after the runs. All runners of all levels are welcome to participate. See you there!
Forerunner 405: Get up to speed with hands-on demos
Must-have sport watch meets must-see TV in these brief training clips featuring our own blog editor and running expert, Jake. He’ll show you the hottest features of the new Forerunner 405 and teach you how to use the innovative touch bezel. We’ll be posting a whole series of these videos at this site. Catch a few now, come back for more clips later, including a segment where Jake goes head to head with Forerunner’s digital Virtual Partner. For all our customers who’ve been patiently waiting to get their hands on our newest GPS-enabled sport watch, we’re happy to say the 405 is now in stores, including our Chicago Store on the Magnificent Mile, and it's going like hot cakes.
For the mariners here in Chicago, today is more than just the day their taxes must be filed with the IRS. The 15th of April also signifies the unofficial start of boating season for the Windy City crowd. Most of the major harbors here in Chicago are owned and controlled by the Chicago Park District, and they are not open year-round. So while the "Official" opening of the Harbors isn't until May 1, the Park district allows many boaters to access their slips starting April 15. There are four major harbors near the Garmin store on Michigan Avenue: Monroe Harbor, DuSable Harbor, Diversey Harbor, and Belmont Harbor. Those of you familiar with the former Meigs Field may remember DuSable Harbor, which sits between the former lakefront airport and Lakeshore Drive. With all of the harbors and breakwaters around the Chicago shores, a high-tech Garmin Chartplotter - such as the new GPSMAP 5215 - will certainly help you find your way. For those of you without charting for Lake Michigan, grab region 2US016R in either regular Bluechart format or on a pre-loaded G2 card, and you'll be navigating in no time. If you need a Garmin datacard loaded or need to update your pre-loaded chartplotter, we have the capability to do that right in the store. If you're in the area and would like to have this done, give us a call here at the store and we'll be happy to assist. Happy Boating!
Special thanks to all the runners who helped make the kick-off to the Garmin Weekly Running Club a success! We were joined by a special guest, Mark Buciak, who presented the "Top 11 tips for starting off on the right foot." Mark has completed 51 marathons, including 28 consecutive Boston Marathons with a personal best time of 2:30. He is also the program director for The Road To Boston Training Program and a writer for Chicago Athlete magazine. In addition to Mark’s presentation, enthusiastic runners had the opportunity to play with the new Garmin Forerunner 405, and eight lucky runners won entries into the Shamrock Shuffle.
The Garmin Running Club offers multiple running routes with product trials and clinics, and guest speakers help you stay on track with your running goals. Starting this year, we will target one race per month where you will have the opportunity to win an entry into that specific race. The next race is around the corner, so we hope to see you at the Garmin Chicago Store at 663 N. Michigan Avenue this Saturday, at 8 am, for a 3, 5, or 7-mile run on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile.
Whether you're a diehard Wheel Watcher or a casual channel surfer, we're hoping you find time next week to join Pat Sajak and Vanna White as three lucky contestants try to spin and solve their way to the big money on Wheel of Fortune. Tune in early to see the first two toss-ups - and then the fun begins when a special Garmin prize is added to the wheel on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. And anyone who has ever used a Garmin knows that it's far more helpful than a Wild Card in Wheel's bonus round. (Because really, beyond R, S, T, L, N, E, an extra three consonants and a vowel, how much do you really need?)
So have your Spin ID number ready, buy a vowel if needed, try to avoid Bankrupt and get ready to win with Garmin and Wheel of Fortune.
...set to get a limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin this weekend. What, did you want me to announce the actual winner in this post? That would be too easy. If the Oscars and politicians can draw out the drama, we can't be blamed for wanting to do a little something special for our first winner in the weekly Wherigo Builder contest.
What I can tell you is that Brad and I have spent the past week downloading the cartridges that all of you built (as long as you sent us an e-mail to tell us about them) and playing them on the Colorado 400t. If you click on the jump below, I've included links to some of our favorites (in no particular order). And because our weekly contest starts anew every Tuesday at noon Central, we're well into the second round of contestants. So go to Wherigo.com and learn about the Wherigo Builder program. Build a cartridge and upload it to Wherigo.com. Send us an e-mail with a brief description and link to make your entry official. And you could join this week's winner in being the proud owner of a Colorado/Wherigo geocoin. That's all for now. I have to go play ... I mean, work.
Join us at the Garmin Chicago Store this Saturday, March 15, at 8:30 a.m., to celebrate the kick-off to the 2008 season of the Garmin Weekly Running Club. In addition to showcasing the new Garmin Forerunner 405, this week we will also be raffling off entries for the Shamrock Shuffle. There is no cost to participate in the weekly Garmin Running Club, and the event is open to runners of all levels (walkers are welcome, too). So dust off those running shoes and join us every Saturday morning for a 3, 5, or 7-mile run on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile!
At each stop on our recent Colorado/Wherigo tour, I've played equal parts Santa and Grinch. I was welcomed with open arms when I was explaining the Colorado 400t and its preloaded topo maps, paperless geocaching and wireless data transfer. I really became the star of the show when I was announcing the winning raffle numbers and handing over a limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoin. But then I was the bad guy when I explained a few ground rules. 1) You can't get these geocoins by trading with me. 2) One person, one coin. 3) When my pockets are empty, the raffle is over.
But now I'm loosening the pursestrings. We're going to give away a coin a week to the weekly winner of our Wherigo Builder contest. The rules are easy. Build a Wherigo cartridge at Wherigo.com and send an e-mail to garminblogs@garmin.com with a brief description to let us know it's there. (Click here for detailed rules.) I'll team up with Brad the Engineer (the brains of our dynamic duo) and pick a winner each week until further notice. And that's just the beginning.
Many of you have been wondering about, well, a lot of things. We wanted to give you one easy place to turn for answers. So every Monday, we're bringing you a new feature: Ask Garmin. Just send a question to garminblogs@garmin.com with Ask Garmin in the subject line, and we'll track down an answer.
Today's question: When can I buy an Edge 705 or a Forerunner 405? OK, we're kind of cheating here, because this is a combination of two of the most common questions since we introduced these revolutionary fitness devices. And we have great news - the Edge 705 is shipping to stores as we speak! So check with your local bike shop, and get ready to lose yourself in the ride.
As for the Forerunner 405, we could tell right from the get-go that this powerful fitness watch doesn't shy away from the spotlight. So it only makes sense that it would hit the streets going stride for stride with the world's best runners. Look for the Forerunner 405, with its touch bezel and wireless data transfer, to hit the ground running at the Boston Marathon. Where it goes from there is up to you.
We wrapped up the final weekend in February the same way we began the month - greeting geocachers and giving them the chance to get their hands on a Colorado. And once again, they were pleased with what they saw. Nearly a hundred midwesterners took advantage of a mild Saturday in Chicago and joined us on the second floor of Garmin's flagship store on Michigan Avenue.
Participants were welcomed by Jeremy Irish, president of Groundspeak, who talked about the history of geocaching and creation of Wherigo. Then Shauna, also of Groundspeak fame, took tutorial groups outside to play and learn. Once they returned, any feedback and questions were gladly taken by Brad, Tom and Jerad, Garmin engineers who made the trip to hear people's thoughts on the Colorado. Big thanks to geocacher Amy D. for sending us her pictures! To learn more about the Colorado, click here. To get the latest software for the one you own, click here. And to find out how you can get a Colorado/Wherigo geocoin (just like the people who showed up Saturday), keep checking the blog!!
Jake's Journal: Update your Colorado, join me in Chicago
At each of the stops on our Colorado/Wherigo road trip, we've made the same plea for feedback on the Colorado. Tell us what you like, tell us what needs work, and we'll do our best to make a great product even better. Just released this week, this free, downloadable software update is a perfect example because it: 1. Displays caches on the map. 2. Double the numbers of caches - to 2000! 3. Adds the ability to log caches as found. 4. Provides support for Colorado Field Notes, which allows you to auto-generate logged caches by sending a file from the Colorado to geocaching.com.
And don't forget that buying and registering a Colorado gives you access to a free trial premium membership to Groundspeak's geocaching and Wherigo sites. To learn more about the Colorado and Wherigo, join us on Saturday at the Garmin store at 663 N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago. Sessions begin at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. I'll be there with limited-edition geocoins!
Attention geocachers and outdoor enthusiasts! If you missed the chance to join Groundspeak and Garmin during their Winter Wherigo Tour, you now have the opportunity to meet up with them in the Midwest. This Saturday, February 23, Jeremy from Groundspeak and Jake from Garmin will be hosting a special geocaching event at the Garmin Store in Chicago, where you will be able to experience the Colorado handhelds and the new Wherigo activity firsthand. The event will consist of three sessions, and each will have a presentation preceding tutorials on Wherigo.
We invite you to attend one of the following sessions: ▲ 10:00 am ▲ 1:00 pm ▲ 3:00 pm
Limited-edition Garmin/Wherigo geocoins will be awarded at all three sessions. We hope to see you this Saturday!
Ladies, no longer is GPS technology strictly for the men in your lives! For all of you fashionistas out there, Garmin has designed a product specifically for you. The newly announced pink nüvi 200 demands class with a feminine flair—just like you! Small enough to fit inside a Coach wristlet, yet big enough to read while driving, the pink nüvi 200 fits all your needs as it navigates you in style. Whether you are using it for business in New York City, or finding a boutique on Rodeo Drive, it’s useful for all your everyday activities. This is one accessory you’ll never want to leave home without. After all, Valentine’s Day is quickly approaching. So be direct: hint to your significant other to step up this year’s gift. Tell 'em to skip the usual flowers and candy and give you something that won't die off in a week, but instead, will last you for years to come. But hurry... Valentine's Day is less than 48 hours away! Visit or call the Garmin Store in Chicago, or stop by a Best Buy near you to pick up the pink nüvi 200 and always arrive fashionably early!
Super Bowl XLII was the most-watched Super Bowl ever, and the ratings for those companies who had a spot during this advertising mecca are still coming in. That aside, many of you are still wondering what the French lyrics to Garmin's Napoleon commercial translate to. While there have been many guesses, one one has quite cracked the code. So before you go booking a flight to Paris to ask one of the locals, we'll let you in on the translation instead. Thanks to everyone who attempted to translate the lyrics, and for all the kind comments we've received since the spot!
"Under the sun, it's perfect, with my friends we drive, on the highway to paradise - alright - let's go in my car - the life before us is a beautiful sight, oh baby, here we go, let's go to paradise - alright - Garmin-Garmin-Garmin!"
As you can see from the posts below, we've had a pretty busy week around here! And since it's Friday (and just days away from the big game) we've decided to keep the fun going in full force. So in true Garmin-Blog fashion, we're sweetening up our SB commercial announcement for our blog readers, with a little extra incentive. Be one of the first few people to translate the lyrics to the 30-second commercial, and you'll score some sweet Garmin schwag. Watch the spot, and the making-of as many times as it takes here. Then post your English translations below and we'll let you know how you did come Monday after the commercial makes it's television debut. Good luck!
(Sorry over-sea's bloggers, this schwag giveaway only applies to our readers in the States)
Good, because we've got even more behind-the-scenes takes from the shooting of the SB commercial. With three teasers down, do you think you have an idea of what's to come? Stay tuned to see where we'll take you next...
And, what would another teaser clip be without some more behind the scenes footage? Here's a few more pictures to tantalize your senses as the big game quickly approaches. Have a look and keep checking back for even more clips and tips!
Envious when you watch Jake’s demonstration video on the Garmin Colorado handheld? Can’t find the Colorado at your local dealer? Getting dizzy clicking back and forth between the minisite and Garmin's big game day teasers? Visit the Garmin Chicago Store today to experience the full line of Colorado units available. Not only do we have the Colorado 300, 400t, and 400c models in stock, but we also have a full assortment of accessories and maps to complement your Colorado. Feel how easy it is to navigate the menus with the Rock n’ Roller Wheel. See how the 3D topographic maps pop out of the large screen. Purchase one from the store and you’ll receive a free one-hour tutorial from one of our very knowledgeable and helpful product experts as part of our Chicago GPS Academy training program. Keep it tuned here for details on our upcoming Wherigo event in February.
In addition to the minisite's teaser clips, here are some behind-the-scenes takes from the making of Garmin's Super Bowl commercial. We'll keep 'em coming as the days pass, but in the meantime, stay tuned to the blog for your next sneak peek at what's to come during the big game!
Hundreds of geocachers and outdoor enthusiasts found shelter from Seattle's snowflakes and raindrops on Saturday, only to eagerly head back out into the elements. Such is the draw of Wherigo and the new Colorado 400t. Continuing what we first saw in Vegas and hope to experience next weekend in San Jose, More than 300 curious cachers came to REI to test-drive Wherigo and the 400t. As a bonus, Garmin and Groundspeak (the geocaching gurus) brought a few limited-edition Colorado/Wherigo geocoins. About 20 lucky winners heard their numbers called during the raffle. Everyone else was encouraged to keep an eye on the Garmin blog and Wherigo.com for more special events and promotions. And before you know it, a coin might show up unannounced at a cache near you. Stay tuned, and enjoy these scenes from Seattle.
If you're a runner in need of a New Year's resolution, you're in luck. Bart Yasso, the endurance aficionado at Runner's World, has written a book about his global adventures and memorable experiences as a distance runner. As someone who has had the pleasure of meeting and running with Bart, I can't wait to pore over "My Life on the Run" and enjoy his worldly chronicles.
Last summer, Bart met with the Garmin Running Club at our Chicago store and shared tales of races that took him from one end of the Earth to the other. He answered as many questions as we could throw at him, and he stuck around to talk to everyone who had gathered. And when I needed an accelerated training schedule for my first marathon, he crafted a custom plan that perfectly fit my needs. The stories he tells of his extraordinary career are equally inspiring and entertaining, and the only reason you're likely to put down the book is to put on your running shoes.
Anyone who has seen our holiday ads knows how much we love seasonal songs. So we were thrilled when a quartet of carolers dressed in Dickens-era costumes sang to customers in the Garmin Store in Chicago for an hour Saturday afternoon. The best news? They're making an encore appearance this Saturday, Dec. 22, from 3 to 4 p.m. If you're lucky, they just might sing about your favorite moose or the ever-popular unibrow. And others are taking notice of the positive vibe at 663 N. Michigan Ave. A local concierge who was on assignment recording holiday hours for Michigan Avenue retailers said that Garmin's atmosphere was the best around.
So come check it out for yourself. If you're still undecided about which Garmin device is perfect for each person on your list, you can ask our helpful store associates and even try them out for yourself. Whether you're shopping for a runner, a hiker, a fisherman, a cyclist, a hunter, a pilot, a geocacher or just anyone who spends any time on the road at all, it's always a good plan to give-a, give-a, give-a Garmin.
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!"
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!
Don't be fooled...Jake wasn't the only one staying busy in Chicago this weekend! Although we were definitely excited to have Jake make his second Chicago Store debut, we had a few other fun things up our sleeve as well. While in the windy city store, folks could check out all the marathon essentials (upstairs and down) while demoing the latest and greatest of everything nüvi. While the expo booth was selling out of Forerunner 205's and Forerunner 305's, we were staying busy at the store. On Saturday, we saw over 2,500 visitors and had a record breaking day in sales. Aside from all of the product hype, store goers could also head to the second floor to view the trailer for the Chicago Marathon movie, Spirit of the Marathon, that takes viewers through the emotional and physical training process of five marathon runners. Meanwhile, customers kept busy (and in shape) by trying out the new Forerunner 50Foot Pods on the treadmills at the front of the store.
Stay tuned for more Chicago news coming up. It was a great weekend to start off the holiday shopping season that's arriving fast. Make sure you stop in and get your Garmin wish list started early!
After looking at the 25 predictions posted for our Chicago Marathon contest, I knew I had my work cut out for me. The fastest time, aside from Pete's overzealous 1:59.59, was posted by my optimistic wife. Jocelyn had originally submitted a time of 3:48, but in trying to be supportive, she changed it to 3:13. From there, the times spanned all the way up to 3:57.45, giving me a good-sized window for my first marathon. Of course, as I ran along in the sweltering heat, I realized that breaking four hours wasn't a given.
Fortunately for me, I had help. First, by the time my group reached the starting line, Springsteen's "Born to Run" was blaring over the loudspeakers. Second, I met up with two guys who were also doing their first marathon and had a similar goal. Third, the people of Chicago lined the course and never tired of yelling, "Go Jake Go!!!" Seriously, they loved me.
With its release at the Boston Marathon and arrival at running stores, the Forerunner 405 has raced to the top of wish lists everywhere. And today only (May 7), you can win a free Forerunner 405 from Women's Health magazine. Click here for details and to enter the Women's Health contest. 
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