So what does Deena love about her Garmin? Depends on which one she’s wearing that day. When training with the GPS-enabled Forerunner 405, Deena appreciates the same information that benefits runners of all age and speed – knowing exactly how far and fast she’s going at any point during the run, no matter where she is in the world. And then there’s that flash of pink on her wrist at Chicago, the limited-edition Garmin FR60 that was launched along with its blue counterpart this week in New York. Deena told us how she showed her FR60 to a fellow Garmin user this week at a charity run, and the new fitness watch was quickly added to the woman’s wish list. She’s not alone. With FR60 joining the multisport Forerunner 310XT and calorie-counting 405CX in our booth at the expo, hundreds of Garmin gifts were purchased for (or by) runners from around the globe. Guess I’m not the only one having a great week.
Same city, same route, such a different race. Sunday I returned to the streets of Chicago, the site of my marathon debut two years ago. Back in 2007, I found the stifling heat a bit much as I backed off from my goal of 3:30 about 16 miles in. Over the final 6.2 miles that day – what most runners call “the second half” after the first 20 – I felt like I walked more than I ran. Yet I was still thrilled when I crossed the line in 3:49.28.
Two years later, I’m back in Chicago, now my fifth marathon with a PR of 3:31 on the rolling hills of Kansas City. In the weeks leading up to Chicago, I knew again that my training wasn’t ideal. A nagging knee injury kept me from going farther than 14 miles without walking, and even with breaks I never topped 18. But two things were in my favor that weren’t in 2007. The weather was 40 degrees cooler, and I was a smarter runner. Granted, I can’t take credit for either of these things. The first was out of my control, and the second is thanks to my running partner Josh and my Forerunner 310XT. Josh built up my miles, Forerunner tracked them and gave me real-time feedback on lap pace, average pace and distance covered. But without Josh beside me, I was counting on Forerunner.
It seemed like the perfect plan. Two college friends and I agreed to join forces in Chicago to qualify for Boston. Knowing there's strength in numbers - and that I need someone to chat with for 26.2 miles - I was thrilled that the planets were aligned, seeing how Chicago is famous for being fast, fun and flat. But alas, even the flattest road has speed bumps and potholes.
The first bump in the road came on August 15, when I was nearly 13 miles into a brisk 16-miler. First my left knee felt tired, then like deadweight, then the ice-pick sensation struck. Being a not-so-smart person (who happened to be 3 miles from his car), I ran through the pain. Two weeks later, another 16-miler was cut short - this time after only 7 - when the ice pick returned with a vengeance on the side of my knee. After resting, icing, compressing and elevating for a week and a half, I sought medical help. After just one visit to Dr. Sarah - and paying close attention to my Forerunner 310XT's lap pace so as not to push too hard - I was able to do 18 miles in the first leg of our 9-hour, 11-minute relay on Patriot's Day. I was cured! But three factors loomed large: 1) My knee still gets tired faster than the rest of me. 2) I lost a pivotal month of training. 3) My plan for Boston qualifying was falling apart. So I've adjusted, and I call my new plan "Ignorance is Bliss, but Stupidity Really Hurts."
“This is it. This is the one we’ve been waiting for.” Spoken by a professional triathlete and echoed by hundreds of others visiting the Garmin Interbike booth, this type of praise has been the consensus reaction for our newly announced Edge 500 cycling device. At half the size and half the price of the popular Edge 705 – yet still packed with features such as ANT+ power compatibility, high-sensitivity GPS and customizable data fields – Edge 500 has been a hit with retailers, athletes, window-shoppers and journalists. Within the first half-hour of being in the booth Thursday, I had already done three on-camera interviews about the Edge 500 and its cross-training cousin, Forerunner 310XT. And though its official launch is in December, Edge 500 made its racing debut this week at the USA Crits Finals here in Las Vegas. Garmin’s own Karsten Hagen, our west coast fitness sales manager and cycling specialist, shook things up in the Industry Cup. With 10 km left, Karsten was leading the peloton and two laps left was part of a break that looked like it had a chance. In the end, the race was decided by the sprinters and we cheered Karsten’s strong showing and studied the stats (above) on his Edge 500, including an average speed of 29 miles per hour.
Edge 500 hasn’t been the only star of this show, as the pros of Team Garmin have had a chance to meet fans and sign posters, shirts and jerseys. Christian Vande Velde, Dave Zabriskie, Will Frischkorn and Danny Summerhill were busy Wednesday afternoon in our booth and also spent time with Felt, Pearl Izumi, CamelBak and Shimano, our partners in the peloton. It all added up to five frenzied days in the sand and in the Sands, packed with savvy salesmen and curious customers telling glory stories of Garmin-enabled adventures and looking forward to getting the Edge 500 into their shops.
Everyone noticed the shoes. I knew I would be the only one wearing them for today's Interbike media ride, yet I also didn't think I would stand out as much as I did last year during Sea Otter when I wore track pants and running shoes on an industry ride with everyone else in full kit. And yet, despite my argyle Team Garmin kit and my brand-new Edge 500 secured to my featherweight Felt AR2 loaner road bike, they still noticed the shoes. Because instead of top-notch cycling shoes that maximize your efficiency while you ride, I was proud to be wearing my trustworthy Tevas. That's what happens when you're a runner out for a ride with top cycling pros Dave Zabriskie, Christian Vande Velde and Will Frischkorn, and you've invited top tech journalists to join the fun.
And it was indeed fun. On a cloudless day around Lake Mead, we were able to forget the hectic days that lie ahead at Interbike in already-crazy Las Vegas. The journalists put their deadlines on the back burners, and the pros took it easy on what would normally be a quick warmup distance. And Karsten and David, my Garmin fitness colleagues, joined me in great conversation with all of them. Then with about 5 miles left, something felt funny. Keep in mind that I'm used to piling up miles on two feet rather than two wheels, so much of it felt funny. But this felt, well, squishy.
Here's hoping that what happens in Vegas next week doesn't stay in Vegas. That's because we're going to be at Interbike at the Sands Expo Center showing off a wide range of new Garmin products that suit every type of cyclist on every type of bike, regardless of whether you're a pro in the peloton, an occasional commuter, an off-road explorer or a weekend wanderer. The headliner is the brand new Edge 500, weighing in at just 2 ounces and bringing ANT+ power compatibility to the masses with a lower price tag. And of course, the Edge 705 and Edge 605 are popular choices for two-wheeled navigation, especially with the new cross-country and commuter options we unveiled recently. You can now get Edge 605 with City Navigator's preloaded points of interest and turn-by-turn directions, or you could choose Edge 705 with topo maps for those hitting the trails. And be sure to watch our online video tutorials to get the most out of your Edge.
But our bike options extend far beyond the Edge series, as our outdoor handhelds are compatible with Garmin bike mounts. Dakota offers a touchscreen interface in a compact, rugged handheld. Dakota 20 features a barometric altimeter for more precise elevation data, and the Dakota 10 is available in a hike and bike bundle with topo maps and a bike mount. Learn more about Dakota at Garmin's Buzz site. If you want to capture memories of your ride, you can opt for the touchscreen Oregon 550 or Oregon 550T (preloaded U.S. topo) with built-in waterproof 3.2MP digital camera. All of your photos are automatically geotagged so that you can navigate back to the site and relive the good times.
I could go on and on - Forerunner 310XT is power compatible, Forerunner 405CX has advanced calorie computation, etc. - but you should just find time next week to stop by the Garmin booth #2630, where Team Garmin'sChristian Vande Velde and Dave Zabriskie will be meeting fans and signing autographs Wednesday from 2-3 p.m. Hope to see you there!
Team Garmin-Slipstream's Dave Zabriskie, a favorite of fans of all ages, has done a lot of things in his cycling career. He's captured a stage at all three grand tours - Italy, France and Spain - and is the only American to do so. He's won five U.S. National time trial championships - including his most recent, which was his fourth in a row. He's a businessman and philanthropist, launching "Yield to Life" to promote safety for cyclists. He's a superhero, morphing into Captain America for every time trial to embody just one of the comic-book figures he loves. But until today, he had never won a stage race. Notice we said: Until today.
In front of thousands of fans gathered in downtown Kansas City, Dave and his Team Garmin crew controlled the seven circuits of the final stage of the Tour of Missouri, and in the end, Zabriskie was the champion of the race that teammate Christian Vande Velde won last year here in the heartland. While Christian's victory tour began in Kansas City, Dave's finished up here in the backyard of Garmin International's headquarters, to the delight of the many Garmin employees who came out to cheer the argyle armada. And even though Christian broke his hand in the opening stage and could have supported Dave by being here in spirit, he was here in person - meeting fans near the finish, taking pictures at every turn and in the end, honoring Dave on the podium with a bottle of wine that looked pretty heavy even for two healthy hands (so we assume Christian is healing nicely). The highlight was, as Christian put it, when "he kissed me podium girl style."
And although Dave, Christian and the rest of the Garmin crew have finished their work in the Midwest, they're sticking around for an extra day. Tomorrow, just as they did last year around the Tour of Missouri, they'll meet the Garmin employees who dream up, create and market the products such as the Edge 705 used on Team Garmin's bikes. And when they're done with a meet-and-greet and casual Q&A, Team Garmin will kit up and go for a 20-mile ride with their extended Garmin family (those of us more used to PowerPoint than a peloton).
We keep our video crew very busy. And sometimes we even let these super-talented in-house filmmakers get out of the house. While they excel in doing instructional video tutorials with our blog team teaching about various products, the video team tends to have a little more fun on the run. So we sent them to St. Louis as Team Garmin's all-American roster prepared to tackle this year's Tour of Missouri. Defending champion Christian Vande Velde shares a few thoughts as our cameras captured the sights and sounds of Garmin's home-turf tour.
One day after his teammate Ryder Hesjedal finished second at the Vuelta and VeloNews published a tally of Team Garmin-Slipstream's successes and near-misses over the past two years, American sprinting sensation Tyler Farrar flew through the finish for his first stage win in a grand tour, and Team Garmin's first grand-tour victory since last season's Giro d'Italia team time trial.
The online outpouring of support was instant on VeloNews' live tour tracker, with comments coming from cubicles: "My neighbors have no idea what I'm yelling about...nice job, Tyler!" and crowds: "Everyone around me was looking at me funny when I started pumping my fist in the air." and cars: "I parked my car at a yield sign, cars were driving around me. I rarely cheer online updates, but this was one. "
Peg's the perfect choice to walk you through the FR60. Like the FR60, Peg excels in cross-training with running and cycling, and she feels right at home both at the gym and on the trails. Both Peg and the FR60 have the endurance to stretch their workouts for hours, and both prove that big power can come in small sizes. They're both great training partners, as Peg pushed me to success at the Kansas City half and Hood to Coast the same way that FR60's virtual partner helps you reach your goals. They're both fashionable - the limited-edition pink FR60 perfectly matches Peg's Girls on the Run gear - and they're both easy to understand (FR60 with its intuitive interface, and Peg with her articulate blog posts). And while they're both sophisticated and smart, Peg leaves the automatic wireless data download to the FR60 (she still has to type the blog posts, at least until ANT+ learns to read her mind).
Jake, Peg and several other Garmin associates recently took part in an on-site study developed by Garmin engineers and our fitness partners to evaluate the calorie calculations in fitness devices and gain data that will ultimately help us continue to design accurate products for our customers.
PEG: When it comes to focus group or "field study" participation, there are generally two types I'll raise my hand for: ones involving food* or sweat. *Except for a recent lunch outing for Indian food, where I opted to skip the goat meat. So when Garmin engineers asked for volunteers to participate in a little on-site study to test the calorie crunching power of several fitness devices, I couldn't get my hand up fast enough.
JAKE: All I knew was that this “fitness testing” would involve a treadmill. I actually like treadmills, having trained for three of my four marathons almost exclusively indoors. But then I heard something about a mask. I don’t have anything against masks – on Halloween – but the last time I wore something that intentionally quarantined my nose and mouth was my Spider-Man ski mask in elementary school. And that thing had a funny smell and taste after awhile. But what the heck, I’m game.
PEG: I was one of several Garmin associates of various fitness levels and body types performing a VO2 test during a brief workout on a LeMond spin bike. The test was done through one of Garmin's training partners, New Leaf Fitness, and it would basically give a picture of how efficiently my body uses its resources during exercise. Like my calorie burn rate at different heart rates and the periods I'm burning fat vs. carbs.
JAKE: Our group was split in two – Peg and the cyclists, and me and the runners. If you do an online search for “VO2 treadmill test videos,” you see arms flailing and legs buckling in what look like near-death experiences. This thing just got more interesting. Making things more comforting – but a little less interesting – was knowing that we had a real pro administering our test and explaining every step. He was going to start us off slowly, gradually build our speed and resistance (which on a treadmill means more incline) and then stop us when we’ve maxed out. Sounds easy enough.
A few weeks ago, I noted that my Chicago marathon training had hit a bit of a wall. I needed inspiration ... or peer pressure. Now I find myself back on track after a week that included 15 miles on a sweltering Saturday of sweating buckets (thank goodness my Forerunner 310XT is waterproof!), an invigorating 8 miles of treadmill Tuesday at a 7 min. pace, my first Thursday track workout since spring and a 16-miler planned for this weekend. But I couldn't do it alone. In addition to my running partner Josh here at Garmin and my East-coast friend Chris who is doing Chicago with me, my motivation has come from around the world through the Garmin blog, Garmin Connect and Twitter notes to @JakesJournal. Here are just a few of the notes from my fellow runners that help me put one foot in front of the other.
@tri_guy I did my 14 mi run this AM as my kids have a tri on Sat and I am volunteering as bike course capt at an all womans tri on Sun
@abu_el_banat
16 miles Saturday, Greenock to Langbank (&back) (west coast
Scotland) Training for NYMarathon. Garmin 405. New shoes. All good.
John: I'm running the Portland marathon in October and would love some virtual partners. It's my first and I'm shooting for a Boston qualifying time. My 405cx has already motivated and improved my training. Makes it so much easier to training with specific goal paces. My small cadre of running partners all where them now.
From the moment the first cyclist embarked on the opening time trial in Monaco to the time when the final man crossed the finish line along the Champs-Elyees in Paris, free time was few and far between for three weeks as Team Garmin, its entourage and the rest of the peloton traveled around and across France. But on the mornings of three of six stages during my first week there, I was able to dodge the temptation of the snooze button and get up for a run. I'm always telling people at races and trade shows that one of my favorite features of Garmin's GPS-enabled Forerunner family of fitness watches is the "Back to Start" feature, which helps you back-track your route so that you can explore a new city - in a new country! - and return to where you began. Back to Start came in extremely handy in Monaco (click here for the Garmin Connect link) as I ran across the shoreline but wasn't quite sure where to wind my way back to the hotel. (The extra bit at the end is when I wanted to run a little more to hit the 10km mark.) But once we left Monaco and started staying in a different hotel each night, I tapped into other navigational aids on my Forerunner 310XT: Save Location and Go To Location.
While in Girona, Spain, I thought I was just going to go out for a quick stroll through the city. But when I stepped out of the hotel, I bumped into Versus commentator and former peloton pro Robbie Ventura. Knowing how much Save Location and Go To had helped a couple days earlier when Team Garmin's Toby Watson and I rambled through the winding streets of Saint-Maximin-La-Sainte-Baume, I quickly pressed Mode, GPS and Save Location. Within moments, Robbie and I were running through the streets of Girona with my 310XT tracking our real-time pace, distance, time and location. A few miles in, we bumped into former pro cyclist Marty Jemison, who guided us to a historic wall surrounding the old town. At this point, Robbie had to head back to the hotel and wondered aloud where it might be. A quick scroll through Mode, GPS and Go To Location, and I was able to tell him that it was .31 miles away in a specific direction. Robbie, who recently completed an Ironman and trains with the Edge 705 and Forerunner 405, just smiled and commented that he picked the right running partner for a morning when his schedule was tight. With Robbie and Marty (who says the 705 is ideal for his cycling tours) headed back on their respective paths, I took off along the wall's trail and later guided myself back to the hotel using 310XT's compass screen. But my navigation wasn't limited to the 310XT - or just to my workouts. My final days of July were spent strolling around Paris. Again, I marked the hotel location, but this time on a Forerunner 405CX, which has a touch bezel and sleek look that help it fit in as an everyday watch suitable for Parisian style and cultural hotspots such as the Louvre, Orangerie and Orsay museums. It's easy to fit in and feel confident exploring when you have a high-sensitivity GPS that's as low-profile as your watch. Especially when you don't have time to get lost.
Look at any map of Paris, and it's easy to see why the glossy eyes of visitors bounce rapidly from the amazing landmarks to the cryptic pages of their guidebooks. With angled streets, six-way intersections, spacious boulevards, streets that change names without warning - and a river running through the heart of it all - this breathtaking city that attracts so many visitors sure doesn't make it easy on any of them. Until now.
The last time I was in Paris was for a weekend 10 years ago while studying abroad. I remember carrying two paper maps, cross-referencing them while dodging scooters and trying to take in the sights the whole time. For this trip, though, all I needed was nüvi 1370T and cityXplorer for Paris. Recently announced as a low-cost way to provide enhanced pedestrian mode, cityXplorer was perfect for this trip. If you're not familiar with cityXplorer, it's a download that offers a city's most valuable information - turn-by-turn directions, preloaded points of interest, mass transit schedules and locations - all for less than $20 for compatible nüvis. And if your nüvi doesn't have European maps, you can get coverage for select cities for much less than the cost of regional mapping. My wife and I still did a little homework before we left - using library books and travel sites to find can't-miss eateries, then finding them on nüvi or using the send-to function from Google Maps. It all paid off once we landed in Paris. By tapping "Where to" and "Favorites" on nüvi, we were able to see which of our saved hot spots were closest at any given time, set up efficient routes around town and get around without any frustration. As cityXplorer calculates the best routes based on mass transit and pedestrian options, our choices always included times, distances and directions for the fastest route, the route with least walking and a route with all walking. In order to justify the many visits to the patisseries, cremeries, boulangeries and chocolateries, we usually walked. If we saw on nüvi's map that another hot spot was nearby - which was often the case - we could veer off course, navigate to a new destination, recalculate our original route and be back on track without getting flustered. Because even though paper maps may have all of the landmarks and museums, there's no "You are here" marker following you around. And because nüvi is small enough to fit in your purse or pocket - even the widescreen 1370T fits easily in jeans - you don't have to bury your nose in a guidebook. So there's no "You are a tourist" marker following you around.
To see their smiles, you'd never guess they'd just covered 2,175 miles (3,500 kilometers) in just over three weeks. With only two rest days during their trek across France (and a handful of other countries), Team Garmin and the rest of the elite pros in the peloton averaged more than 100 miles on each of their days in the saddle from Monaco to Paris. And when all was said and done, the argyle armada put two cyclists in the top eight - Bradley Wiggins, the revelation of the race, finishing fourth; and Christian Vande Velde, a model of consistency in eighth place overall after finishing fourth last year and suffering five fractured vertebrae just weeks ago.
But the aches, breaks and bruises were nowhere to be found among the argyle armada just moments after delivering American sprinting sensation Tyler Farrar to yet another top-three finish along the famous Champs-Elysees. In doing so, Team Garmin completed the grueling race with all nine riders (an impressive feat in itself) and wrapped up second place in the overall team standings. So it's no surprise that laughs, hugs, pizza and cold drinks replaced the typical post-race recovery of massage, hydration bottles and Allen Lim's rice cakes and stir-fry. David Millar - who I'd last seen in person the day he wowed hundreds of thousands of fans along the roads to Barcelona with his solo attack - was beaming as he signed autographs and took pictures with every fan who asked. Julian Dean, the leadout man who helped Tyler reach the finish line in proper position, embraced team founder Jonathan Vaughters after another successful July. Ryder Hesjedal, the lone Canadian in the peloton, showed off his new aerodynamic racing stripes shaved in his head. Dave Zabriskie, Danny Pate and Martijn Maaskant were greeted by the best fans in cycling, all of which know that every man on the team - and every person on the Garmin-Slipstream staff - played a pivotal role in putting Wiggo and Christian in the top eight. The evening ended with the ceremonial procession down the Champs, the cyclists literally riding off into the sunset, reminding us of the amazing accomplishment we all just enjoyed and the amazing opportunities still to come for Team Garmin.
Bradley Wiggins has been called many things this month. Wiggo. Twiggo. A surprise. A comic. A fluke. (Though that last one didn't last beyond the first week.) But the unexpected leader of Garmin-Slipstream's efforts in France secured a legacy on the way up Ventoux: As an inspirational model of resilience.
From the prologue in Monaco - where Wiggins thrilled the crowd and surprised the experts by grabbing a spot on the podium - to today's epic climb, Wiggins has shown he can shine in the spotlight and live up to the pressure. No stranger to success on the track (with multiple medals to show for it), Wiggo was just recently making a name for himself in mountainous stage races. And now he's given us reason to celebrate tomorrow in Paris.
In Thursday's pivotal time trial, Wiggins flew through the checkpoints, setting new times to beat along the way until merciless cramps marred the final 5K. Wiggo, who has turned heads throughout July, fought to the finish and placed sixth on the day - one spot behind teammate David Millar. With the gutsy effort, Wiggins was able to gain time on key rivals in the overall standings to go into the penultimate stage just seconds off the podium. Then today on Ventoux, a legendary mountain that makes champions and breaks contenders, Wiggins was in the right place at the right time. Helped to the front by his Garmin teammates and protected by Millar and Christian Vande Velde until the closing meters, Wiggo stayed strong every time a pundit claimed he had been dropped. And even when the leaders managed to pull away at the top, Bradley used every ounce of energy to keep his grip on fourth place overall by 3 seconds. For a man said to be still learning the nuances of road racing, Bradley Wiggins has proven emphatically that he's on the right track.
But occasionally during my first week with the team, there were a few moments of free time - or at least a chance to look around and appreciate the scenery. In Monaco, I went for a morning run along the Mediterranean and lost myself in the sun-soaked shoreline. (OK, I didn't really lose myself - Forerunner 310XT clicked off the miles and guided me back - but you get the picture.) After Stage 2, we stayed in a 13th century convent. Stage 3 began in Marseille in the shadows of a ferris wheel. Stage 4's team time trial kicked off amid the art and architecture of Montpellier's Place de la Comedie. The final meters of Stage 5 were contested along arched bridges of Perpignan. In Girona, the European home of Garmin-Slipstream, I enjoyed a scenic run through old town with Versus commentator Robbie Ventura and finished off the morning miles atop the stone wall that encircles (and towers over) ancient buildings and places of worship. There's something magical about striding around a city 50 feet above its streets on a two-foot-wide path. From Girona, we followed David Millar's inspirational Stage 6 breakaway to Barcelona and reminders of the 1992 summer games. And with less than a week left before the peloton reaches Paris, there's still time to enjoy the sights and sounds of this epic race.
This won't come as a surprise, but I consider myself a people person. I enjoy making new friends, swapping stories, sharing laughs, learning life lessons - and it's an unbelievable bonus when the backdrop happens to be one of the biggest sporting events in the world. So as Team Garmin and the pros in the peloton powered through Monaco, France and Spain in the first week of July, my appreciation grew not only for the elite cyclists in the race, but also for the supporters (and reporters) joining me on the sidelines. Here are just a few of those friendly faces.
I've enjoyed conversations with Julian Dean ever since he took a tumble on the second stage last July and said to me later that day in passing, "The nice thing about a three-week race is that all of this will be healed by the time we hit Paris." So I wasn't surprised that a guy so impervious to pain thought nothing of his eyes being gouged and cheeks being stretched - by the youngest member of his family. Carole Dean and the kids were some of the many family members to join us in Girona, home to many of the Garmin guys. Two of my favorite trailing companions were Jim and Diane Felt. If that name sounds familiar, it's because you've seen it written on the Felt bikes that Team Garmin rides in every pro tour. The Felts aren't just the name on the bike, though, they're the brains and personality as well. Two of the nicest people I've met, Jim and Diane were in constant motion everywhere we went. Jim was always studying and seeking feedback on the bikes; Diane was chronicling the events with her great photography (some of which you can see at Garmin's Flickr page).
Now that I'm back in the States, watching Team Garmin on Versus and tracking each stage on Twitter, I'm appreciating just how far the excitement for pro cycling's biggest event stretches beyond the roadsides of France. Though I'm sitting in a cube in our office instead of a team vehicle in the caravan, I can still get unbelievable access to this exhilarating event. So when Tyler Farrar stormed uphill to the line in Saint-Fargeau and scored his second consecutive top-three stage finish, I was cheering the Versus telecast along with everyone updating feverishly on Twitter. Finishing less than a bike's length behind the stage winner, Farrar racked up his fourth top-five finish this month, and he's now tied for third place in the overall points battle. Tyler's teammates also continue to impress as Dave Zabriskie, Danny Pate and Julian Dean make the right moves to put him in place for success while Bradley Wiggins (5th) and Christian Vande Velde (8th) hold their spots in the overall top 10.
We all know it takes guts, experience and a ton of training to pull off a performance like Millar’s stellar stage 6 ride in yesterday’s TdF. But for those of us not lining the rain-soaked roadsides in France or streaking by in our skivvies, we’re a bit removed from the true race experience. Just how fast was Millar going on the downhills? What was his max speed? Average speed? And just how long does it take a pro to ride 112.2 miles? You can see these stats and more thanks to the data collected by the Garmin Edge 705 that guides David and all other members of Team Garmin. Check out Millar's stage 6 ride in Garmin Connect. The Edge 705 is the only GPS-enabled bike computer that combines GPS positioning, maps, speed/cadence, heart rate, power compatibility and more on one display. And the same technology used by the pros is available to you. Already have the Edge? Check out our latest Edge training videos that Jake and our video team here at Garmin have been cranking out. These short, topical videos can get you up to speed quickly on the top features of the 705. Some may say the Edge’s so intuitive a child could use it, but since Jake likes to talk and our customers like to listen, we aim to keep everyone happy, so we'll keep cranking them out.
If you’d been following the TdF news today and heard all but the final results, one look at these pics of Team Garmin’s David Millar could fill in the last words. He gave his all in a valiant fight for a stage victory, and in the end, his spent body couldn’t keep pace with his spirit. For today’s 181.5k stage, Millar rode into a main breakaway at the 50k mark and was hailed “the virtual yellow jersey”. He then surged for a solo attack 29k from the finish, but was caught in the final two kilometers. Tomorrow, Millar will wear the prestigious ‘red-on-white’ numbers to distinguish him as the most aggressive rider for the day. Be sure to watch the stage 6 highlights video and tune in for more TdF highlights when Jake returns from his overseas adventure.
Incidentally, when the bloggers back home saw these finish line pics of a Forerunner-decked forearm ready to wipe David Millar’s brow, we were sure it was Jake in action. He assured us it was not, but that the entire Team Garmin crew (staff and riders) have been training with the Forerunner 405CX and are learning their fav features.
In the end, it came down to a matter of seconds in Montpellier. Team Garmin-Slipstream rolled out of the starting chute on a mission. With three times behind them in the starting order of the team time trial, they had to top the times already on the board while setting a standard that would truly test those yet to ride. The argyle armada did just that, posting the fastest time at the halfway point and getting to the third checkpoint 31 seconds faster than the previous best split. The key to the team time trial is getting your five fastest guys through the course as quickly as possible, and the clock stops when the fifth man crosses. So the crowd was cheering wildly as Christian Vande Velde, Bradley Wiggins, David Millar, Dave Zabriskie and Ryder Hesjedal flew through the final stretch of the 39 km course. After finishing second by 19 seconds, Team Garmin has four in top 12: Wiggo 7th, Zabriskie 9th, Millar 10th, CVV 12th. Visit our team page for more Team Garmin news and stage videos and for up-to-the-minute posts of the TdF action through the weekend, follow Jake on Twitter. Don't miss Jake's guest post on social media.
Team Garmin's day began in muggy Monaco with Bradley Wiggins in the green jersey and third place overall, and it wrapped up in balmy Brignoles with Tyler Farrar following a beautiful leadout by Julian Dean and Danny Pate to finish second on the stage. As the vast majority of the peloton finished together, the top of the general classification didn't change. Wiggins still sits in third place, just 19 seconds behind the race leader. And though Tyler didn't quite take the stage win Sunday, he was a popular pick to win and turned heads with his strong finish. Check out VeloNews to read about his stellar sprint, and you can also follow his progress in his own words as he and other Team Garmin cyclists post rider diaries on various sites. We'll highlight more over the next few weeks, and you can always find links at the newly redesigned Team Garmin site.
On a muggy day in Monaco, the ice vests used in Team Garmin's warmups really had their work cut out for them. And on the tricky 15.5 km prologue that started with a 7 km climb, Team Garmin kept its cool while placing four cyclists in the top 17 finishers. Bradley Wiggins sparked an ovation among the argyle armada - all of which were outfitted in special Fourth of July T-shirts - when he flew through the finish and set a new time to beat. Even though Wiggo's time would be topped before day's end, seeing one of our stellar time trialists take his place on the podium set the tone for the rest of the Tour.
Team Garmin prides itself on its depth and consistency. So it wasn't a surprise to see Wiggins (3rd), Dave Zabriskie (13th), David Millar (14th) and Christian Vande Velde (17th) all finish within a minute of the stage winner. And the crowds around the bus - of both fans and media - reminded us just how much people love showing their argyle affection. ESPN, The New York Times and the Versus crew were fixtures at the team bus where our guys would emerge throughout the day to work up a sweat on their trainers before heading out on the streets. Versus even had a camera mounted in the Garmin chase car to capture the action as it happened. And Joe Lindsey of Bicycling magazine even found a way to be in two places at once, interviewing David Millar at the bus while sending a mini-cam with me in the car following Martijn Maaskant. And I can attest to the difficulty of the course. I wasn't even cycling - just along for the ride in the car - and I had trouble keeping my balance. Of course it may have been because I was taking pictures, shooting video, drinking water and updating Twitter amid the excitement. Well, the action continues tomorrow (Monaco to Brignoles) and the next day (Marseille to La Grande-Motte) before things really get interesting at the Montpellier team time trial. If you want updates, candid photos and behind-the-scenes access, be sure to follow me on Twitter (@JakesJournal) and check the Team Garmin site. The fun is just beginning.
Neither jet lag nor lost luggage could dampen my mood right now. Plopped down on a lobby couch, looking at Team Garmin physiologist Allen Lim's Forerunner 405CX data and chatting with Kozo Shimano (yes, that Shimano), I was in mid-sentence when a figure strolled up decked out in orange and blue argyle from his smiling face to his lightning-quick feet. You'd never think that someone could bounce back so quickly from fracturing five vertebrae, yet here stood Team Garmin leader Christian Vande Velde looking like he could conquer the world. First stop, Monaco.
Even though bicycling's biggest race doesn't start until Saturday, this tiny shoreline nation is buzzing with excitement as the world's top cyclists, their just-like-clockwork staffs and top-tier sports journalists gather for the 96th running of this epic race around, outside of and across France. After chatting with Christian a bit, I talked with Martijn Maaskant and Dan Martin just as the news was breaking that Dan's nagging knee injury meant that Martijn would take his place. Handling it with more maturity than his 22 years would suggest, Dan wanted what was best for his team and his own long-term health. Then came the U.K.'s dynamic duo, David Millar and Bradley Wiggins, whom I last saw at training camp in Boulder. David paused for a Twitter picture, and Wiggo explained that his buzzcut was all business. "This is the Tour, man, no time for a rock star."
Well you wouldn't know it from looking around the busy streets. Larger-than-life banners cast shadows on ornate team cars, and cameras and microphones are as prevalent as the lean cyclists themselves. Seems we're surrounded by cycling's rock stars, and they're ready to perform on the world's biggest stage. Stay tuned to the Team Garmin blog and my @JakesJournal Twitter feed for updates.
Whether you're a diehard cycling fan, new to the sport or just want to learn more about it, we have a can't-miss film for you to watch. Documenting Team Garmin-Slipstream's 2008 debut in France at cycling's biggest event, Nick Davis Productions’ movie, “Blood, Sweat + Gears,” will premiere on the Sundance Channel on Monday, June 29th at 10:30pm ET and will show throughout the month of July.
Starring David Millar, Christian Vande Velde, Jonathan Vaughters, Magnus Backstedt, Mike Friedman and the rest of the argyle armada, the documentary features behind-the-scenes footage of a team racing for all the right reasons. From the scenic European landscapes to the punishing pace of the peloton, Davis captured it all. To give you a quick glimpse, we have the trailer here for a sneak peek. And be sure to check the newly redesigned Team Garmin site and Jake's Twitter updates for more news and views from France this July.
My virtual partner is bound to take this the wrong way. It's not that the little man inside my Forerunner hasn't always been there for me. He pushed me through the streets of Chicago, Kansas City, New York and San Diego, 26.2 miles at a time, never wavering from our agreed-upon pace even when I was surging or struggling. And now that he's joined forces with my Forerunner 310XT's vibration alerts, I get encouragement as often as I want during a race or training run. But I want more. That's where you come in.
Now that I'm set on running the Chicago Marathon in October, I need more training partners. Because even though Virgil (my virtual partner) keeps me honest while I'm running, I need motivation before and after. I already have one person on board. Chris, a good friend from college, is also training for Chicago with his Forerunner. And though he lives on the East coast, the sheer potential for smack talk if I can't hang with him come October is enough to get me out the door in the morning. Now we just need more company, more sources of that second wind. If you're running the Chicago Marathon - or New York, Marine Corps, KC or any of those great fall races - and you want to join our little support group, post a comment below or shoot me a note on Twitter at @jakesjournal. We'll share success stories via Garmin Connect, swap secrets for getting through the rough days, and we'll all have a little more fun in the process. And maybe I can even drum up a Garmin running tank for you to wear in your race. We'll start with the first dozen or so people to send me a note, and see how things go from there. To be honest, I'm just making this up as I go. The idea came to me this morning when I was hitting the snooze button repeatedly while Virgil was getting impatient downstairs.
Forget ties, tees and hats that only look good on motionless mannequins. Garmin has the gift for active dads that he can wear every day — the FR60. This versatile fitness watch can mind the miles, heart rate and calories burned for dad’s morning jog, keep him on time through the day, then track more data for a bike ride after work. Since FR60 is non-GPS, some models come with a tiny foot pod to count steps and measure distance, indoors or out. And it can team up with ANT+ accessories like the speed/cadence sensor for detailed feedback when cycling. Best of all, FR60 features wireless uploads to the computer, so dad’s data zips to our Garmin Connect site when he’s in range of the computer. No wires, no downloads, no sweat. Garmin Connect is an easy way for dad to analyze, store and share data and even create and track his fitness goals. What dad wouldn’t love that? So easy, it doesn’t even need an easy button. Come winter, when dad trades trail runs for gym time, FR60 becomes an indoor training partner. It will even work with compatible fitness equipment like spin bikes and treadmills to display and record data. Make dad’s day with a gift that will really move him — FR60.
Today is a good day. Scratch that, an excellent day. Two years ago, on June 18, I walked into Garmin's headquarters on my first day of work ready for a new adventure. A big reason I was hired is because of my fondness for fitness and the outdoors. Since June 18, 2007, I've completed my first marathon and finished three more in the past eight months. I've hiked the Rockies of Colorado and the hills of Cinque Terre in Italy. I've ridden the California coast with some of the brightest minds in cycling. I've raced in two events on opposite coasts, finishing by wading into different oceans a week apart. I've done it all with the best GPS technology available, and the adventure is still just getting started.
On June 18, 2008, I was honored to be the one announcing Garmin's title sponsorship of the Slipstream elite cycling team. Since then, I've been with Team Garmin at the finish line for victories, in a helicopter above the peloton in France, in casual conversations with champions from countries near and far, and proud to be a student of an amazing sport with the best teachers imaginable. And the education continues next month when I spend time in France with Jonathan Vaughters, Matt White and the argyle armada that makes us proud every time they hit the roads with Garmin on their chests and the Edge 705 on their handlebars. And I'm going to be looking for suggestions from you as to what I should ask them, which pictures I should take and what you'd like to see on the Garmin blog from France. Shoot me a note on Twitter - I'm @jakesjournal - and I'll take everyone's suggestions with me across the ocean.
So how is this June 18 measuring up? Not too shabby. I joined a friend for 8 miles this morning with temps in the 80s, and there's a department picnic after work. And while it may not go down in my personal history books like the past two years, I sure do like barbecue and badminton. I can hardly wait to see what happens next year.
I finally had a chance to get out for a decent run using the XT. WOW. The XT is better than anything on the market by a factor of 10. In my view, it’s better than any other Garmin product by a factor of 5. For the first time in YEARS I was able to run with only one piece of equipment on my wrist.
As a run/walker – and someone who has promoted run/walking in my books and training schedules – the interval training workout was FANTASTIC. And, as someone who uses the strategy in races the fact that the unit vibrates at the intervals is BRILLIANT! You have created as close to the perfect training companion as I can imagine. There’s nothing about the unit that I would change. Thanks.
Thank you, John. And thanks to everyone at Runner's World, which showcased Garmin's fitness watches in the July issue. You'll see the FR60 on the cover, and the inside feature on training technology features the FR60, Forerunner 405, Forerunner 50 as well as the 310XT. Get your copy and start training with Forerunner today!
It's a good thing that keeping an eye on Team Garmin is part of my job because it's hard work tracking cyclists in various countries and time zones, staying on top of injury updates and roster news, all while getting ready for a busy month of July when the world focuses on France. OK, it's not "hard work" but that's what I tell the boss so play along. Here are the headlines from yet another busy and successful week with the argyle armada. >> Winning bidder secures spot at finish in Paris: Last night we were honored to join a group from the University of Missouri-Kansas City to watch the final hour of bidding on a VIP package that sends four people to Paris for an all-access weekend with Team Garmin. And a flurry of activity in the closing minutes of the auction resulted in a hefty sum of money being raised for UMKC's Bloch School of Business and Public Administration. I'll share more details later as I learn more about our winners. >> Vande Velde to race in Tour de Suisse: Yes, Christian will be at the start line Saturday in Switzerland after bouncing back quickly from his Giro crash that left him with seven fractures, including five vertebrae, one rib and his pelvis. "Less than a month ago he was in a hospital bed in Italy," Jonathan Vaughters said. "To come back this quickly is truly a testament to his character." >> Millar third in Dauphine time trial, high in GC: Showing great form in the Stage 4 time trial, David Millar (above) was the fastest from the middle time check to the finish, placing him on the podium at Dauphine-Libere. "I had a lot of fun though," David wrote in The Millar Diaries. "It’s been a long time since I’ve gone that fast for so long on a bike, for about 10km on the way back I was well over 60km/h." And proving once again that he's far from a one-trick pony, David entered the weekend in the top five of the GC.
>> New Team Garmin site unveiled: You can find the latest team news, learn more about the sponsors and their innovative technology, share your pictures and videos in the fan zone, get connected with me and the teamon Twitter and - we saved the best for last - enter to win some amazing prizes in the Tour with Team Garmin Sweepstakes.
One common question we get as runners and cyclists embark on new training programs is, "How do I set up intervals and workouts on my Garmin?" Fortunately for you (but maybe not for your legs), we've made the set-up for interval training and pre-programmed workouts the easiest part of your exercise. Whether you're using an Edge 705, Forerunner 310XT or Forerunner 405, you'll want to access the menu, then select training and workouts. You'll get a few options - Simple, Advanced and Interval. For Simple workouts, the Edge lets you choose two of three factors - distance, time and speed - and Forerunner sets up the workout based on either time, distance or calories. Interval training allows you to set up your workout based on distance and time, and then you determine your rest time/distance as well as the number of repetitions. You can also set up alerts (including vibrations if you're using 310XT) to help you train for time, distance, speed, heart rate, cadence and power goals. To see these and other features come to life, check out our training videos for the Forerunner 405 and Edge 705. We're in the process of shooting more product tutorials, so keep visiting our GarminBlog YouTube channel to see these tips and tricks in action.
As Team Garmin gets ready for its biggest race of the year this summer in France, you can join in their winning ways simply by filling out a form and testing your luck. By entering the Tour with Team Garmin Sweepstakes, you have a shot at winning the grand prize of one Felt Team Replica F1 frameset and one Garmin Edge 705 with heart rate monitor, speed/cadence sensor and data card preloaded with City Navigator U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico street maps. The other top prizes are also impressive - First prize being a Zipp 303 wheelset and a Second prize of a 3T LTD set consisting of one bar, one stem, one seatpost and one roll of handlebar tape. And even if you're not lucky enough to be one of the big winners, Team Garmin-Slipstream and great sponsors such as Clif Bar, Pearl Izumi, CamelBak and Pedro's have kicked in more than 200 great prizes for their fans. So don't hesitate, enter the Tour with Team Garmin Sweepstakes today!
Here's your chance to join Team Garmin for a once-in-a-lifetime weekend this July with behind-the-scenes access as they cross the finish line in Paris, France. An auction for VIP access to pro cycling's biggest finale is up for grabs on eBay to the highest bidder. And the winner will be helping education as the proceeds benefit the Henry W. Bloch School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).
Here's what you'll be bidding on in this limited-time promotion at www.ebay.com/teamgarmin
-- Experience Paris and the race’s final stage for four people. (July 25-26, 2009)
-- VIP spectator access to team staging areas and events, refreshments included.
-- Seats in exclusive sponsor viewing area near finish line on Champs-Elysees in Paris.
-- Shuttle service to/from airport and to official events.
-- Two hotel rooms each for 3 nights at sponsor’s designated hotel. (July 24-26, 2009)
-- VIP access to restricted Team Garmin areas.
-- Attend the post race Team Garmin party on July 26th.
-- Garmin Edge 705 cycle computer and Team Garmin gear.
As I mentioned before starting the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon, motivation has been easy to find. There are the elite runners who boggle the mind while breaking a record, the wheelchair athletes who pave the way to a great event, and the first-timers like my wife, Jocelyn, making up 48 percent of Sunday's participants. Then there's Team in Training. These runners, mentors and supporters raise money for great causes - and in honor of remarkable people - and they turned the Rock 'n' Roll marathon into a flood of purple. Any time I felt tired, I would read the backs of their shirts, where they had written the names of the people they were honoring. You didn't need to know the people to know the power of the motivation.
And speaking of inspiration, having Jocelyn running next to me was awesome. Just a year ago, she ran five miles for the first time. A month ago, she ran a half-marathon. Three weeks ago, she was hit by multiple leg and back injuries, and it seemed that fixing one would only inflame another. So when she said that her hip was hurting at mile two, I knew it was a valid complaint. In my previous marathons, I've been fortunate enough to be running healthy. Any lack of training was my own fault. But this was something different, completely out of her control. Yet she soldiered on. We found motivation in the kids lining the streets, handing out high-fives, the bands and volunteers that livened up quiet miles and in our Forerunners as they ticked off the miles and kept us aware of time and pace. And with more than 25 miles behind us, we entered the Marine Corps Recruit Depot and had a second wind (or 57th wind, we lost count) as we picked up the pace and ran past the men and women in uniform who had generously welcomed us to their home away from home. And with one memorable step, Jocelyn crossed the finish line of her first marathon and stopped her Forerunner 405, capturing her experience to remember and share on Garmin Connect. And I was one second behind, pressing my Forerunner 310XT, already looking forward to reliving the marathon mile by mile, memory by memory.
While Garmin runners Adam and Jake (plus Jake’s wife Jocie) are likely kicked back poolside in sunny Cali, resting their legs for tomorrow’s San Diego Marathon, I’ll sorta be doing the same, only from the ‘burbs of KC. My justification for pool time is recovering from a hot & hilly brick workout with the Forerunner 310XT several hours ago. Jake recapped the highlights of the 310XT’s swim-proofness, long battery life and multisport features, and I have to give a plug for the new quick-release mount design. The quick-release wrist and bike mounts (sold as an optional accessory kit) are easy to set up and the unit secures with just a quarter-turn twist. So I can swap the 310XT head unit from wrist to bike in seconds and know it’s secure. I’m also a big fan of the 310XT’s vibration alert. These little perks just prove that Garmin engineers, many of whom are athletes who live and breathe the sport just like you, think of pretty much everything.
I just landed in San Diego, and in 48 hours I'll be well into my fourth marathon. If the first was a learning experience going solo through sweltering Chicago and the second was strategic with my longtime running partner Steve in the rolling hills of Kansas City, the third time was a charm as I toured New York with my Garmin friend Joel. And though the fourth won't be my fastest - monthlong bronchitis delayed my Boston qualifying plans - I'm expecting something special. I'll be running with Forerunner 310XT, recently called the "King of Wrist-Mounted Trainers" by Wired magazine, and more important I'll be running with my wife, who recently decided to run her first marathon here. The initial plan was for me to run the full 26.2 and Jocelyn would run the half. That plan fell apart when we found out there is no half. Jocelyn, never one to shy away from a challenge, shrugged her shoulders and said, "I guess I'm doing my first full."
So for the past few months, she's been training with Forerunner 405, even going out and tackling 17 miles while I was in Pennsylvania running the Lehigh Valley half. She's fought hip and back pain as well as shin splints, all the while being a devoted disciple of Runner's World's training tips. On Monday, we ran a local 8K as a taper workout, ironic since the same event last year was her first time ever running more than 4 miles. And now we have 26.2 on tap this weekend. It helps that we have support. All of our colleagues, family and friends are pulling us for us, and here in town we have Stan (my brother in baldness) and other Garmin colleagues showing off our fitness products at the expo. Stan spent time earlier this week working out at the Olympic training center, quite a thrill for a runner of four decades. Throw in the thousands of other runners (and Forerunners) joining us on Sunday, and there will clearly be no lack of inspiration. We'll keep you posted, and you can follow me on Twitter.
Great news from everyone at Garmin Connect! This week, Garmin Connect threw open its doors to all Garmin fitness devices, so you can now download activities from all of your Edge and Forerunner devices. Also, the move is on as we've started migrating everyone's activities from MotionBased over to Garmin Connect. Because there have been millions of activities shared at MotionBased and Garmin Connect, we had to start somewhere. So we focused first on the most recent activities (the most relevant in your training) and will be uploading the largest activities this summer.
Continue reading for more details about the Garmin Connect migration and other great updates to our online training community.
While some Garmin associates (Peg included) can vouch for our fitness products prompting their dedication to running, some in our midst seem to have been born runners. Mathew Chesang is that guy. That guy with “fast” in his genes. That guy who probably was probably lapping kids in the 800m in junior high. Mathew's an All-American who’s kept up quite a winning streak since his days leading his university cross-country team from 2001-2004. He now trains with the Forerunner 405. Here’s an update from Mathew on his current training and racing schedule.
Last year’s road racing season was one of my best even though I had a hamstring injury that denied me running toward the end of the summer. I had to start my training late this year because of the injury. I did run my first race during the Easter weekend in Wichita, KS. I ran a 31:40 in the 10k. After that I went down to St. Louis and ran the Spirit of St. Louis half marathon. I was 4th place with a time of 1:08, and then the weekend after, I ran the local Kansas City Trolley Run 4-mile. I was 12th place with a time of 18:39. If my training goes smooth and I stay healthy, I will be running the local Hospital Hill Run half marathon on June 6. After that, I’ll be running the inaugural Rock’n’Roll Seattle half marathon on June 27.
Stay tuned to the Garmin blog as we try to keep up with Mathew and his race schedule. We have some special events planned for Mathew’s race in Seattle, and even if you’re not there racing or as a spectator, you can stay up on all the action right here.
Four miles downhill with a tailwind. Seven miles of Pennsylvania trails. A half-marathon on the home turf of Runner's World. A fast 5K with Garmin's good name on the line, and 18 miles of training later in the day. And though I needed to refuel after every outing these past three weekends, my Forerunner 310XT did it all on a single charge. The talk of the fitness industry since being announced in April, the waterproof multisport 310XT is up for any challenge and ready to chronicle your efforts wirelessly afterward. And it's my job to put it through the paces (especially average and lap - but more about that later).
That's how I found myself in the hills of Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, running trails with tech experts from Runner's World and Bicycling magazines. What started as a taper day turned into seven miles of exploration in the woods, and Forerunner 310XT's high-sensitivity GPS receiver excelled amid the heavy tree cover. Two days later, 310XT was again on our wrists as Brian from Runner's World pushed me to a new PR of 1:32. We knew we were on the right track when 310XT's "average pace" - what we're running over the entire race - stayed below 7 minutes and landed on 6:59.
Team Garmin’s much-anticipated performance at the Giro d’Italia has already been marked by tragedy and triumph. Heavy stuff first: team captain Christian Vande Velde was injured in today’s stage 3 and the latest is that he’s in an ambulance headed to the hospital with possible lower back or hip injuries. Teammate Tyler Farrar pulled off a 2nd place finish today, moving him into 2nd place overall. Yesterday, Farrar’s sprinting skills shone on a flat finish, putting him in the top five. “The team put in a great ride for me today,” said Farrar. “Danny, Cam, and Tom did a fantastic job riding the front, and Dave, Bradley, and Julien took care of me for the final. I was feeling good and picked off the intermediate sprint. But I just didn’t quite have the luck in the end. I know that the legs are good, and the team is flying so I think a stage win is definitely in the cards!” In Saturday’s opening time trial, Team Garmin took 2nd overall, just six seconds behind Columbia. With today’s racing over, our thoughts are with Christian and the rest of the team members who could be facing the possibility of 18 more stages through Italy without the company of their team leader. Get continuing Giro coverage at www.garmin.com/teamgarmin.
One of the best things about Garmin's fitness line is that a first-time user can take advantage of the same technology as the world's top athletes. Just as a bike commuter can use the same Edge 705 that graces the handlebars of Team Garmin's elite professionals, a weekend jogger enjoys the same benefits from a Forerunner 405 used by world-class runners. Recent notes from U.S. distance champs Deena Kastor and Ryan Hall to our fitness team shared a rare glance into just one of the ways that these two elite distance runners use their Forerunners in training.
"You make an incredible product," Deena wrote to us, "I’ll give you a little inside scoop on how I’ve made it work for me: I get a head start on Ryan for hard training runs and he tries to catch me. I usually look at my Garmin to see what pace I’m running or how much ground I have to cover in order to hold him off. I tease him right before I start by saying 'Catch me if you can.' Then, it is only my Garmin giving me information to fend him off. It is my secret weapon."
With Boston book-ending the start of the official marathon season, this past weekend was packed with races in places around the globe. And Garmin had representation in many of the biggies. First up was Nashville's Country Music Marathon, which Garmin sponsored. Garmin associate Amy chose Music City for her marathon debut. A fitting locale since Amy confessed she spent most of her childhood planning to be a country music singer. The bands, fans and crowds kept her going through a hot, humid race. Such weather was a cruel irony for someone who logged nearly all her training miles in the rain, slow and sleet of a Kansas winter/spring. But by minding her Forerunner early in the race to hold a moderate pace and then walking more as the temps rose, Amy was able to run a smart race and avoid a post-race ambulance ride like about 40 runners experienced.
This Sunday, Team Garmin will compete in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, part of the Belgian classics and one of five "Monuments" of the European professional road cycling calendar. The race covers 261 km and goes from Liège to Bastogne back to Liège. Yep, it's not just a clever name. And that's why my carless commute - which I did for the first time this week on Earth Day - will now be known as "Brookside-Olathe-Brookside". There are some interesting similarities between Team Garmin doing L-B-L and my B-O-B. We're both on bikes (for the most part). We both count on the Edge 705 to show us color mapping and our real-time data, such as time, speed, distance, heading, elevation and GPS location. We both use Garmin Connect. (Here's recent data from Team Garmin's Ryder Hesjedal. Here's the data from my trip home.) We both have a lot of traffic to avoid. In Belgium, they're navigating through the world's top cyclists and overzealous fans. On my bike trails, I'm dodging joggers and walkers with babies in strollers and pets on leashes. And ... I think that's where the similarities end.
At Liège-Bastogne-Liège, there are 11 recognized climbs, with one being 4km long and one heartbreaker at a 12% grade. Now don't get me wrong, Brookside-Olathe-Brookside has plenty of hills. And at least one spanned more than two blocks. L-B-L starts in the heart of town and finishes in the northern suburb of Ans. B-O-B starts in a southern suburb and finishes in a neighborhood right in the heart of KC. Oh yeah, and probably the biggest kicker aside from the distance (261km vs. 83km) is that Team Garmin gets on the bus after the ride is over. For me, the bus played a big part in the Brookside-Olathe leg (5 miles of bike, 21 miles by bus). But the 26 miles home was all pedal power. And it was exhilarating. The one regret is that I forgot to turn on Auto Lap to help me overanalyze each mile on Garmin Connect, which replays the route on its map player. I'll have to remember that for the next edition of B-O-B.
As we all try to find ways to help and enjoy the environment on Earth Day, Garmin offers up some simple options for making your day a little more eco-friendly. The first option, for those of you who can't get by without your car for your daily commute, is as easy as a free software download. Visit www.garmin.com/ecoRoute and the interactive ecoRoute minisite to learn more about ecoRoute's fuel-efficient navigation and how the driving challenge and tips for fuel conservation can help you save fuel and money.
For those of you looking for alternative forms of transportation, Jake has turned his daily commute into a multi-mode relay of sorts. This morning, he biked from his house to the bus stop to catch the Garmin shuttle, which was set up to provide rides for employees in other parts of the metro area. A leisurely bus ride later - with his bike safely secured on the front of the bus - Jake was at work 10 minutes early and ready to start his day. This afternoon, he'll again saddle up on his bike for his 26-mile ride home. And rather than dodging traffic, he gets to enjoy the mixed-use trails that wind through Johnson County and Kansas City. He'll be tackling the trails with confidence, guided home by Edge 705's GPS data and color mapping. We're hoping Jake will share his car-less chronicles (and his Garmin Connect data) with us tomorrow, and we'd love to hear your Earth Day stories as well in the comment below. From major eco-friendly initiatives to tiny tweaks in your daily routine, every bit helps.
So I just sent out an email to four people - Steven in Westminster, CA; Emily in Scott Depot, WV; Kyle in Riverton, UT; and Michael in Barstow, CA - and I usually don't share such notes but I thought you might want to congratulate these four if you know them ... or visit the Land of Oregon to see what you missed ... or start searching for Garmin geocoins in random caches. Here's what I sent:
I hope this note finds you well – because we have some great news for you. You must have had a pretty good time in Garmin’s Land of Oregon minisite, because of the countless visitors – and the thousands who completed every task asked of them – you’re one of just four winners!
As a result of your keen eye, quick wit and adventurous spirit, we’re sending you an Oregon 400t touchscreen handheld device, preloaded with topo maps of the entire U.S. and capable of sharing data with other nearby Oregon and Colorado units. We’re also sending you two limited-edition Oregon geocoins, with a little favor to ask. One of the geocoins is for you, no strings attached. The other is for you to stash, thus passing along the fun of geocaching and the thrill of discovery. You see, these coins aren’t available for purchase. The only way to get them is from Garmin HQ or to find one that’s been stashed. Then send me the cache location where you hid the coin so that I can keep an eye on the logs and see when and where they’re found. Just like that, cachers around the world will have memorable stories to share at garmin.blogs.com and at geocaching forums and gatherings, and it will be thanks to you!
So congratulations again to Steven, Emily, Kyle and Michael, and even though the contest has ended, the adventures continue in the Land of Oregon ... and beyond. And if you find one of those limited-edition coins that has been stashed, send us your story and we'll share it on the blog.
Friday in Santa Croce Sull’Arno, Italy, Team Garmin's Tyler Farrar topped a who's who of sprinters in professional cycling to win the 166km third stage of Tirreno-Adriatico. It was the second stage win in three days for the argyle armada, following Christian Vande Velde's successful Paris-Nice solo attack. And whether the finish line was a mass sprint decided by fractions of seconds (like when Tyler lunged past the world's fastest men) or a one-man march to victory (which gave Christian time to do a quick rock-a-bye for his new daughter before throwing his arms in the air), that moment is one you want to relive over and over again. Especially if you're stuck in the office an ocean away.
Three pro cycling tours - through France, Missouri and California - have provided three totally different experiences as we bring the action of the pro peloton and Team Garmin's highlights to you through the Garmin Blog, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr, the most recent being from Dave Zabriskie's Tour of California prologue (click here to see it). We've even helped outfit each video motorbike (left) with a Garmin zūmo so the TV crews can see the path that lies ahead despite the countless distractions and crowded roads. In the end, this stunning footage is hard to top. But read on to see how we strive to bring you the argyle updates that you might otherwise miss - whether we're in a team car, a damp tent, an office chair or a recliner.
After months of being snowed in at the caddy shack, Mother Nature is finally giving us a few hints of the warm weather to come. And every day we get closer to golf season is also another day we get closer to launching the Approach G5. With that wonderful nugget of news, we’ve posted yet another YouTube video that highlights the Digital Scorecard feature…from indoors…because it was snowing…yet again.
Tune in to see Jake and Dan the Engineer roll through every aspect of the scorecard feature, including how to fire up the scorecard on your computer. If you missed any of the previous Approach YouTube videos, you can click here and here to see more of what the Approach G5 has to offer. As always, keep checking the Garmin blog as we’ll be posting more videos in the coming weeks.
Golfers, take note: The list is out. More than 5,000 golf courses in the U.S. have been mapped in great detail and preloaded onto the Garmin Approach G5, which will hit shelves in just a few weeks. More than 5,000. Preloaded. No annual fees. No subscriptions. Just two AA batteries, and you're ready to tee off with this touchscreen marvel. To put this staggering number of preloaded courses in perspective, you could play a different golf course every day and still need 14 years to cover every course that comes standard with the Approach G5. To see if your favorite course is among the 5,000+, just visit the Approach product page and the course list. If your favorite course isn't on the initial list, fear not, our list is growing and there's room on the Approach for all of your favorites. We've even made it easy for you to request a course.
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