Best online bargain of all: Free Garmin tutorials - including new Dakota videos

Whether you're shopping for a gift or getting acquainted with your new purchase, we want you to know as much as possible about the Garmin you're checking out. That's why we're always adding more quick feature-specific tutorials to our online learning center. These helpful step-by-step videos bring to life the features and functions of Garmin's products, to help you out before you hit the stores or after you've hit the power button. Our newest videos focus on the Dakota series of touchscreen handhelds, which are perfect for hiking, camping and geocaching with your family and friends. From acquiring GPS signals to navigating to your destination, Jake walks you through the process with vivid screenshots and scenic examples. And keep checking the learning center, because Oregon tutorials are right around the corner. 

But our learning center isn't just for fans of flannel and fleece. Runners, cyclists and gym-goers can learn about the FR60 fitness watch, Forerunner 405's GPS-based features or the various cycling options for Edge 705. Golfers can focus on improving their game with the touchscreen Approach G5 and its more than 10,000 preloaded courses. Pilots can reach new heights with information about flyGarmin, Pilot My-Cast and GPSMAP 696. Boaters and fishermen can find new depths with Garmin's Marine Network. And businesspeople and travelers alike will appreciate the navigation options at their fingertips with nüvifone G60. But no matter your hobbies, we wish you all a safe and happy holiday season.

Garmin Forerunner "has taken my running to a different level"

This note landed in our inbox last month. We waited to publish it because we had a good feeling about Gary, who shared the story of his steady improvement and credited his Garmin Forerunner. Here's his note, with an update at the end.

I just started running in this spring. I ran one marathon in 2007 but did not know what I was doing. My friend suggested that I buy a Garmin Forerunner 205. I got one in April. I tacked on 900 hundred miles on the watch before I started having problems with it. I sent it back to Garmin and they sent me a new one 2 weeks before the Steamtown Marathon. I got the new watch 5 days before Steamtown, it worked awesome. It has worked awesome every since. I ran a 3:32:19 for Steamtown. It was a PR by 57 minutes. Amazing. I missed Boston by 12 minutes but on Sept 13, I qualified for NYC Marathon. I am doing Harrisburg Marathon on November 8th. I am going to see if I can make my goal time and PR again.

I really want to thank Garmin for giving me a new watch. It helped me mentally. I love my watch. It has taken my running to a different level. I was lost without it. I keep a blog of my running at sweat365.com. My name is Brooksrunner. Thanks again, Garmin

UPDATE: We kept an eye out for Gary at the Harrisburg Marathon, and we were thrilled with his results. You can read his in-depth race report, but we'll spoil the ending by saying that Gary's training with his Forerunner paid off with a new personal-best of 3:20:29 and a spot in the Boston Marathon. Congratulations, Gary, stop by our booth in April and say Hi!

Peg’s Posts: Explore more.

Signs of my addiction: Packing for a long weekend getaway to Phoenix, the first items to go in the suitcase are my running shoes, shorts, running shirts, socks and water bottles (for cycling and running). Not to mention three Forerunners and a nüvi. Now I’m set for a relaxing vacation. My husband has finally come to terms with my addiction and knows that when it’s just the two of us on vacation, we’re going somewhere warm and recreation-friendly. And by recreation, I don’t mean go-carts or golf carts (no offense to Caddy Carl), though we were surrounded by plenty of lush courses during our stay in Scottsdale. I prefer recreation that requires "me" power — biking, hiking, running. My husband picked the perfect place for us to stay in Scottsdale. We were less than a mile from a multi-use trail, which was ideal for some morning runs and even a short bike ride.

Cyclists around the world ride faster, farther with Garmin Edge 705

Time to check in with cyclists across the globe who are relying on Garmin's Edge 705 to get the most out of their training, touring and racing. While Team Garmin-Slipstream enjoys a brief offseason, American sprinting sensation Tyler Farrar just wrapped up a meet-and-greet at Cycle University in West Seattle, near his hometown of Wenatchee. We'll be announcing another chance for fans to meet Tyler, so stay tuned. Many of Tyler's fans are in the Washington State Bicycle Association, and we had a chance to sponsor more great cycling through the WSBA's Garmin Series for CAT4 women. "I was this year’s winner for the 2009 Garmin Series," wrote Jennifer Hamilton, pictured at left, "and I believe that because of your generous sponsorship, it helped to get more women out racing more often this year. I'm proof of that, I ended up racing a total of 30 races this year. The Garmin 705 is a wonderful new addition to my cycling gear and I’m amazed at all of the features it has. Thank you again for your investment to our women's racing community. It's because of you that the WSBA can continue to develop and support new bike racers and improve the quality of women’s bike racing in the Pacific Northwest." Congratulations, Jennifer, and thanks for sharing the highlights video from the races!

Garmin's work with women's cycling obviously goes far beyond Washington, as our technology is on the handlebars of the world's best in mountain biking. German cross-country cyclist Sabine Spitz, the 2008 gold medalist in Beijing and 2009 world champion, has been busy with her Edge 705. Sabine, pictured above right, tracks her training on Garmin Connect and shares her data on Twitter. But don't think that Edge 705 is just for racing. Our friends Mollie and Geraldine at BikesandBiscuits.com and Conde Nast Traveler used their 705's mapping and navigation features to plan an awe-inspiring two-month bike tour of the south, fueled by curiosity and motivated by culinary delicacies. Read their blog, and join us in envying their adventures.

Give-a-Garmin holiday ads unveiled as Nutcrackers come to life

What happens to the toys when the shopkeeper leaves for the day? Now we know. One of Garmin's two new holiday commercials follows an outgoing Nutcracker set on going out. After a long day manning his post at the store, this lovable character with a huge head and even bigger personality uses his nüvi to navigate nightlife. But before this model of mobility could venture out into the world, he had to take shape in Santa's workshop - which for a few weeks outsourced some work to Garmin headquarters. In addition to creating the look and feel of all of Garmin's amazing GPS products, our design engineers were responsible for crafting the statues currently standing guard in Chicago at Garmin's only retail outlet on Michigan Ave. The Nutcrackers at the Garmin Store represent our various product lines - fitness, marine, aviation, outdoors, mobile and automotive - and they serve as reminders that there's a Garmin for everyone on your gift list. Our second holiday ad also displays the diversity in Garmin's product line, tracking the adventures of a knight to remember, a multi-sport leprechaun, a camera-friendly Yeti, a swingin Scot and a squirrel. Enjoy, and be sure to stop back often for gift ideas and interviews with this colorful cast.

New cast of characters giddy to Give-a-Garmin in holiday ads

As we near the holiday season, our latest and greatest Give a Garmin holiday commercials get ready to hit the airwaves. The ads this year feature a fun cast of characters – including a fitness-obsessed Leprechaun, a cool and collected Nutcracker and our in-house Yeti .... We finished shooting the spots just weeks ago, and now it’s business as usual back at Garmin. And in the coming weeks, we plan on keeping our new colleagues busy. We'll have them introduce themselves to all of our blog readers, and we've assigned some homework. Every week through December, our Wish List Wednesday will give you gift ideas from each of our product lines for those hard-to-shop-for pilots, boaters, hikers, geocachers, hunters, runners, cyclists, golfers and travelers in your life. Starting this weekend, be sure to tune in and see for yourself.

 

Jake's Journal: Living vicariously through Edward Norton

As a fan of the movies "Rounders" and "Fight Club," I was obviously thrilled with Garmin's decision to support the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and its Maasai Marathon team, a group of 30 runners led by conservationist/Oscar nominee Edward Norton and three Maasai warriors, who ran the ING New York City Marathon. As a Garmin employee, I was excited to be a part of such a great global effort by helping the MWCT promote conservation, education and health services within the Maasai community. And as a runner, I was jealous that I wouldn't be running with Edward through the five boroughs of New York, where last year I loved my 26.2-mile tour. Fortunately, there's Garmin Connect to help me (and everyone around the world) feel like I was there with Edward and his Maasai friends.

"What a day. Went great. Did 3:48. Hoped for 3:30 but this course was tough! 14-19 was toughest. 2nd wind, sailed from 20 to end. great fun," Edward wrote on Twitter just hours after the race. Even though I was back home, I was able to relive that tough course and my own second wind thanks to his updates at twitter.com/edwardnorton, where he continues to raise funds and awareness for the Maasai through giveaways and experiences that you can't buy (a few lucky winners met Edward at his post-race party). "Sponsor Dave $34 in the next 14 hrs for a chance to win 2 Garmin watches. Pink and Blue. I'm running in my Garmin," he wrote before the race. And everyone who visits www.maasaimarathon.com sees the link to Edward's Garmin Connect account, where you can find his training runs with Garmin’s Forerunner 405CX and the details for his NYC Marathon. "Just posted my marathon run on Garmin Connect," Edward wrote (yes, he does his own tweeting), "Very cool app. All details mile by mile w/moving Google Map track." Very cool, indeed. So whether you're a fan, a runner or someone who wants to help a great cause, check out www.maasaimarathon.com and give us a shout on Twitter at @EdwardNorton and @JakesJournal.  

Ask Team Garmin: How do pros use the Edge 705?

We get the question all the time: "How does Team Garmin use the Edge 705 to their advantage?" We'll let them answer for themselves. David Millar, who knows a thing or two about conquering time trials (2007 British TT champion, 2009 Vuelta TT winner), answered that very question in a recent Reuters Life story by Chris Baldwin, excerpted here:

In Italy's Cinque Terre this May, professional cyclist David Millar swooped alone into blind corners and hairpin turns with supreme confidence, all thanks, he said, to a high-tech navigation device on his handlebars.

"The race that day was really technical, more like a mountain stage in a road race than an individual time trial, and nobody had any idea where the turns were or how to ride the course beforehand," said Millar. "When you are racing that hard, you need every technical advantage you can find."

The story talks about how Millar used his Edge 705 to tame the "wild, rolling hillside above Italy's Ligurian coast" which was Stage 12 of the Giro d'Italia. "So I could cook it into the corners hot because I knew just from looking down at my Garmin how tight the turn was," Millar said. "To have that GPS map on the bike definitely helped me race faster."

Read on for more examples of the Edge in action, and watch our online tutorials to learn more about the 705's features.

Peg’s Posts: Meeting a hero

I keep a copy of the Dec. 2006 issue of Runner’s World at my desk. It’s the annual “heroes of running” issue and one page is carefully marked so I can refer to it often. The story is on Molly Barker, who was honored as a hero for her role as founder and vision keeper of Girls on the Run, a program that instills self-confidence and educates young girls through a curriculum-based running program. This week, I had the pleasure of meeting Molly at a local conference for women involved with this organization. Molly confided that she’d been wanting to check out a Garmin fitness watch and I think I know which watch would fit this go-getter gal to a “T”.

My pick for Molly: our newest fitness watch, FR60 LTD, shown here gracing the wrist of U.S. record-holder Deena Kastor at this year's Chicago Marathon. FR60 just might be the hottest fitness watch on the streets, trails or even in the gym this winter, thanks to its ability to track and store your indoor or outdoor workouts. The pink and white colors and slim styling of the newest FR60 fit right in with Molly’s girl-powered personality. Or, she might like the lilac model or the sleek black FR60 with silver bezel, like my SoleMate and speed session friend Cheryl just bought. Styling aside, the next feature any girl on the run would love about FR60 is that you can literally take it out of the box and take off with it. Very easy to use, doesn’t need to be charged and it’s non-GPS, so you don’t have to wait for it to acquire satellites. Distance and pace data comes from a tiny, highly accurate foot pod that snaps on your shoe laces. The LTD version also comes with our premium soft strap heart rate monitor. For those who haven’t tried this one, soft strap = very comfy, even for long, sweltery runs.

Jake's Journal: Live from New York, it's marathon week!

Any time a work trip begins with the best in the business telling you how much they love your products, you know it’s going to be a great week. That’s exactly what happened when, an hour after I’d landed in New York, I was listening to U.S record-holder Deena Kastor praising Garmin’s fitness watches to representatives from New York’s top retailers and the New York Road Runners who had gathered for Garmin’s running summit at Equinox Fitness on Broadway. The gathering of industry experts was just part of a busy marathon week in New York City, where Garmin is sponsoring Ryan Hall in his quest for victory in Sunday’s race and Edward Norton and his Maasai Marathon team’s fundraising efforts for African conservation (visit MaasaiMarathon.com to learn more or sponsor Edward and his team). Ryan and Edward have both been making headlines while training with Garmin Forerunners. You can see some of Edward’s training runs on Garmin Connect by going to http://connect.garmin.com/explore?owner=maasaimarathonteam

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.

Versatile Oregon 550t finds its way to new mountains and magazines

The day we announced the Oregon 550t, Garmin's waterproof touchscreen handheld with a built-in 3.2 megapixel camera, we knew it would get a lot of people's attention. The hikers and hunters appreciate its preloaded U.S. topo maps, meaning they no longer have to load, erase and repeat when changing areas of exploration. Climbers and campers embrace the built-in barometric altimeter and 3-axis tilt-compensated electronic compass, which shows your heading even when you’re standing still, without holding it level. And geocachers love going paperless, with the ability to display detailed information for up to 5000 caches, such as location, terrain, difficulty, hints and description. But we hoped that everyone else would find ways to use Oregon in their favorite hobbies and everyday activities. And they have. 

In their November issue, BIKE magazine (above) says Oregon 550t is perfect for "stoking every rider's inner nerd" as one of 2010's 10 Most Promising New Products: "Taking GPS technology to the trail - a movement led by companies like Garmin - has revolutionized the way we find and share new trails. ... With 850 megabytes of storage, the Oregon makes taking and geo-synching trail photos easier than ever." And if you prefer snow to dirt, the folks over at SKI magazine put the 550t in their October issue as part of their fall line of Gear and Gadgets. "The key to this high-end handheld is its big color touchscreen. It's easy to read in direct sunlight and allows for quick toggling between functions, which include compass, altitude, trip calculator and preloaded topo maps." 

Garmin teams with actor/conservationist Edward Norton to sponsor the Maasai Marathon benefitting African conservation

You're hearing it here first. We have more exciting news leading up to Sunday's ING New York City Marathon, where we've already announced that we'll be showing off brand-new colors of the FR60 as we support elite American distance runner Ryan Hall's quest for victory. And now we're working with another huge name on a mission that goes far beyond fitness: Garmin International, the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced its support of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and its Maasai Marathon team, a group of 30 runners led by Edward Norton and three Maasai warriors, who will run in the ING New York City Marathon on Sunday, November 1st.

Norton, a pilot and longtime user of Garmin products for flying, recreation and travel, has used Garmin’s Forerunner 405CX GPS-enabled fitness watch in training and preparing with the Maasai runners for the race. Norton will be downloading his running data to Garmin Connect’s online community, where millions of activities are shared, compared, stored and explored. Garmin has also made a donation to the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust and will help promote the cause at the ING New York City Marathon expo and upcoming events.

“Garmin's technology has been instrumental in many aspects of MWCT's work, from aviation to wildlife surveys to creation of conservation databases. This partnership is particularly exciting for us because it's a company whose products are an integral part of the conservation mission” said Edward Norton.

Peg’s Posts: KC Marathon — survived and qualified!

I’m not much for bragging, but this post may be an exception, because … I’m going to Boston! Last Saturday, I ran my second marathon in 3:38:33, beating my time goal of 3:40 and comfortably meeting my qualifying time for the Boston Marathon. Weeks ago, Fred, one of my training partners, said he’d be my personal pacer and get me my Boston qualifying time. I’d run with Fred and Wilma through rainstorms, 4 a.m. “beat the heat” runs, long runs and some local 5ks. With Forerunner keeping me on pace and Fred lending just enough commentary to keep me engaged but not distracted, I ran a comfortably hard, but not excruciating race. See our run in Garmin Connect.

Caddy Confidential: Garmin Teamwork and Tournament Time

You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play. ~Warren Beatty

 Well, that certainly could be said for the team of humble scribes here at the Garmin Blog. We all have the distinct pleasure of working on products we are incredibly passionate about. So when we packed up the cameras and headed to Swope Memorial Golf Course for our most recent Approach G5 photo shoot, we quickly realized "work" felt a lot more like "play." 

And in true Garmin style, everyone involved was an avid golfer. We had a lawyer, a cartographer, a guy from sales, yours truly and more - all pitching in on the shoot. And to a person, we're all crazy about golf. Which is one of the great things about Garmin culture. Not only do we make the products we sell, we use them on a daily basis. We test them, we talk about them, we beat on them, and then we put our heads together to make them better.   

So if you're strapping a new Astro on your bird dog, installing your 20-footer with a new GPSMAP, or a duffer teeing up the G5 for the first time, rest assured each and every one of those bad boys has been fully vetted and thoroughly enjoyed by a group of hunting/boating/golfing nuts here at Garmin HQ.

Finally, it's tournament time down here at the caddy shack. Your humble caddy will be teeing it up in a two-man scramble this very weekend - 40 degree temps and all. We'll be playing from the tips and the pins will be tucked in the hardest spots for the inaugural "Tilly's Terror." We're hoping to go low with the Approach G5 in hand, so stay tuned for details.

Marathon training plan for beginners from Vali Tomescu

Valeriu (Vali) Tomescu, is a member of the Garmin Advisory Board and coach to Beijing gold medalist in the marathon, Constantina Dita. Below he offers some advice to beginning marathoners, along with a recommended training plan.

Vali: Training is a marathon. You should act like a professional in everything that you do and say. Remember about your goals and have the end in mind. That vision you have of yourself at your best carries with it the responsibility to act like a champion every day.

Remember that you are a human being, not a human doing. What you are doing is not who you are. Think WHO you want to be when you grow up instead of WHAT you want to be. That mind frame will prepare you for a successful future in life and in sport. Humans were born to do two things. Make mistakes and do the impossible. The more you do of one, the more you will do of the other.

Continue reading below for a training plan (in miles) tailored for beginning runners, 25-40 years old.

Garmin Extends Title Sponsorship of Team Garmin-Slipstream Through 2013

Still celebrating Bradley Wiggins' victory and Team Garmin's strong showing at Australia's Jayco Herald Sun Tour - where we had 3 in the top 4 and the King of Mountains - we're thrilled to break this news here:

Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today that it has extended for an additional three years its title sponsorship of Team Garmin-Slipstream, the ProTour cycling team dedicated to ethical sporting and developing the next generation of cycling champions. The extension for the U.S.-based team comprised of elite talent from around the world is an addition to the company’s current sponsorship through 2010, marking one of the most significant multi-national sponsorship deals in the history of professional cycling.

“The success of the team spans the globe and surpassed our expectations for the first year and a half of our title sponsorship, bringing Garmin’s reputation for quality, commitment, performance and productivity into countless households in Europe, North America, Asia and Australia,” said Jon Cassat, Garmin’s vice president of communications. “Our objectives were – and continue to be – to integrate our products on sports’ biggest stages and to build global brand awareness. Whether capturing victories around the world, winning national championships or working to develop future generations of talent, Team Garmin has helped us achieve those objectives and has made an impression on billions of potential customers.”

Garmin Connect Feature Focus: Explore

You may have noticed an update to Explore recently. Since the launch of Garmin Connect, Explore's Current Map View has been set to San Francisco, the location of the Connect offices. While we enjoyed our home town and activities being the center of attention, we realize that other users are just as faithful to their hometowns and athletic adventures.  A couple weeks ago we decided to mix things up and change the Current Map View. First up was London, UK. We'll be changing the location every week based on city rank when considering visits to Garmin Connect. So far the top cities include:

San Francisco
London
New York City
Copenhagen
Sydney

We think you'll be surprised by some of the cities that pop up as the Current Map View.

Team Garmin: Sutton gets hat trick, Wiggo poised for podium, Peterson top climber at Sun Tour

Team Garmin-Slipstream continues its strong end-of-season showing by showcasing the depth and versatility of this elite squad. At Australia’s Jayco Herald Sun Tour, sprinter Chris "CJ" Sutton (left) won his third consecutive stage today after another successful leadout by Bradley Wiggins, who sits in third place in general classification heading into tomorrow's 10km time trial. At just 43 seconds back, Wiggo looks set for a strong finish as the best time trialist in the race.

One contest that's already wrapped up is the King of Mountains, where Tour of California stage winner Tom Peterson took the polka-dot jersey in stage 3 and strengthened his hold in stage 4 as the final KOM points were up for grabs.

To see how the Sun Tour shakes out over the next two days, be sure to check out the Team Garmin minisite and follow Jake's Twitter feed (@JakesJournal). For behind-the-scenes action, go to our Flickr page and visit our YouTube channel for videos of Team Garmin and Edge 705.

Garmin in action: Your pictures are worth a thousand words

Among the many emails we get each day from delighted Garmin users, some just beg to let the pictures do the talking. So here are a few recent notes and images sent our way. The first comes from Runner's World favorite and Forerunner fan John "The Penguin Bingham, who travels long distances to run long distances. "Thought you’d get a kick out of this," John wrote. "We’re marking and measuring the course for the Antarctic Marathon on King George Island using a 205! We had others, all Garmins, but that little thing worked GREAT."

Then there's this one, from Ruane C in Waltham, MA, who caches under the screen name of Findit and showcases his Garmin pride everywhere he travels: "Hi there...I am the proud user/owner of a Garmin Vista HCX and a couple of other Garmin devices used on a regular basis while running, biking and just cruising around.....I use my Vista primarily for Geocaching, but also for occasional hike assistance. I thought I would send you this picture of my Massachusetts Geomobile...you may get a laugh out of it."

Jake's Journal: In Chicago marathon, Forerunner's smart pacing cures my not-so-smart training

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.

Garmin Connect Feature Focus — Health

Back on August 25, 2009, we released one more feature that has been a frequent request both at MotionBased and now Garmin Connect. Our Health section allows you to track your weight and other body mass measurements when using the Forerunner 310XT or the FR60 in conjunction with the Tanita BC-1000 weight scale. When using your supported Garmin device along with the Tanita scale, you'll get a full read out of body mass metrics including weight, water composition, fat percentage and more. Choose from the different metrics on the drop-down menu just above the graph so you can see your progress over time. You can hover over the plotted points on the graph to zoom in on a specific point to check the details of a specific day. You'll be able to check out your health stats to date in an easy-to-read table.

To get started using the Health section, simply pair your Forerunner 310XT or FR60 with your Tanita BC-1000 scale. Your data will be uploaded to Garmin Connect via the ANT Agent. If you don't have the Forerunner 310XT or the FR60, and you don't have the Tanita BC-1000, you can still track weight progress manually by clicking the Manual Input button and manually entering weight changes. Updating weight in Settings (Settings --> Personal Information) is also reflected in the Health section.

 

Competitive Edge at Chicago Marathon

Race week is under way and Chicago is buzzing with excitement. All runners are welcome to visit the Garmin booth at the McCormick Place Expo or the Chicago Store for competitive pricing on the latest Garmin fitness watches including the Forerunner 310XT and 405 series. Already at a lower price point, Garmin is offering an additional 10% discount on the devices. 

Throughout the weekend, product experts will be on-hand to help you prepare for race day on Sunday. Stop by the store with any questions and update your watch with the latest software. 

Finally, once you upload your race to Garmin Connect, share your results on twitter for a chance to be featured in the Chicago Store blog. Just follow your results with #GarminCM09results. 

Congratulations to all race participants!

Peg’s Posts: Taper-time tension

Jake, my partner in blogging and other adventures, is less than 2 days away from his marathon. This pic's from our first adventure, the KC half marathon in 2007. I still have a week … or roughly 183 hours … to go. But who’s counting? Me, that’s who. I’m not only counting the hours until my second marathon. I’m counting hours of sleep and trying to stockpile minutes. ‘Cause getting a good night’s sleep the night before the race will be, well, just a dream. I’m also meticulous about what I’m eating these days, while consuming lots of vitamin C on the side and drinking my Echinacea tea. Oh, the joys and the nerves and the second-guessing of taper-time. Can anyone relate?

Jake's Journal: Uncertain times during countdown to Chi-town

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."

Ben's race report from the LA Triathlon

We often hear from Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins as he shares his training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 310XT. This week however, we thought we'd let Ben's race report from the LA Triathlon tell his story.

Two weeks after setting a course record in Kirkland, Washington, Ben Collins placed ninth at the Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Triathlon presented by Herbalife against the most talented field ever to toe the line in the race's 10 year history. Collins posted the fastest bike split of the day, and led the race for over 20km. Swimming with a broken wrist, Collins was unable to lead the swim and instead exited the water at the back of a lead group of 15 athletes. So when he got on the bike and saw other athletes in front of him, he “put the hammer down”. Passing everyone in the first 10 km of the bike, Collins held the lead for about 20 km. At the turnaround a blistering fast Greg Bennett surged past Collins and lead to the end of the 40km bike. Of course he couldn’t stop a very determined Collins from posting the fastest bike split, reminiscent of his non-drafting career. After the race, Collins Garmin Edge 705 recorded an average speed of over 27 mph!

Getting out onto the run, Collins held on for a very impressive 9th place against a very competitive field.
This was a great race for Collins to see how far his fitness has come this year. A few injuries haven’t
stopped him from competing with the world’s best triathletes. Collins trained hard right up to the race, so
his performance in LA is a great indication for what is to come at the final of 2009 Toyota US Open in
Dallas after a week of recovery October 11, 2009.

Garmin announces sponsorship of U.S. record-holders Deena Kastor & Ryan Hall

We're excited to break the news here first, as Garmin today announces its sponsorship of American distance-running record-holders Deena Kastor and Ryan Hall as they prepare for marathons in Chicago and New York City, respectively. To honor these elite athletes’ pursuit of victory in these major world marathons, special limited-edition versions of Garmin’s new FR60 fitness watch will be available exclusively at the race expos and select retailers in those cities.

“Deena and Ryan have been training with Garmin devices for some time, and we are thrilled to see our relationship grow as they rely on Garmin technology to take on the world’s best,” said Stan Brajer, director of Garmin Fitness Sales and Marketing. “As our fitness division grows with products such as the innovative FR60, we have worked with top-tier runners, gold-medal coaches and Tour de France cyclists, and Deena and Ryan exemplify that excellence as true global ambassadors of the sport and our brand.”

Caddy Confidential: The Numbers Don't Lie

I almost gave it up. Golf, that is. I feel dirty even saying it aloud. And worse for actually considering going through with it. I dreamed of kicking my clubs off a cliff, or setting them off in a fiery Knarr and forgetting forever that I'd ever even heard of the dreadful game...golf...mehh...

But fear not, golf fans. I came to my senses. And pretty quickly, too.

After seeing my early season handicap balloon to the heretofore unseen 12.4, I hunkered down deciding to either whittle 2.4 strokes off my beefy index, or, heaven forbid, start jogging with Peg and Jake.

My biggest issue was distance control - specifically, distance control from 100 yards and in. To help understand and hopefully improve control, I turned to my trusty new Approach G5 and the Measure Distance feature. For about a half dozen rounds in April, I quietly started measuring every iron shot I hit and made mental notes on how accurate each shot was.

For example, I learned early on that a 3/4 pitching wedge from 105 yards was far more accurate than a full sand wedge. And I don't actually hit a full 7-iron 170 yards - more like 163. Using the Measure Distance feature basically changed my entire approach to hitting iron shots.

Peg’s Posts: New FR60 videos posted

From the looks of Garmin’s Learning Center — a repository of quick, topical videos on various product features — you can tell that Jake and I have spent plenty of time lately in our on-site video studio. While Jake’s busy telling folks about the hot features of nüvifone, I got to talk about how easy it is to hit your fitness goals with FR60. Check out the latest in the lineup of FR60 training videos to learn how it uses a tiny foot pod to track your distance and pace. Then watch the one on Garmin Connect to find out how to use this powerful online analysis tool. And lest you think Jake and I are the only ones cooking up these creations, we have a whole crew of folks here at Garmin, from videographers and sound technicians to web designers, animation artists, writers, engineers and others who help these productions all come together. Take a trip to our Learning Center and learn something new.

Team Garmin: Tyler gets triple crown, Millar gets married, DZ gets more airtime

With grand tours in Italy, France and Spain behind us and Tour of Missouri and Interbike also in the rearview mirror, it's easy to think that Team Garmin is done making headlines for the year. But the argyle armada is still going strong. This weekend, after winning the first two stages, Team Garmin-Slipstream’s Tyler Farrar sealed the victory at the Circuit Franco-Belge on Sunday, despite puncturing in the final five kilometers. But after a quick change and some hard chasing, Farrar finished with the peloton to top three categories: the final overall, sprint and best young rider classifications.

Meanwhile, it was a busy weekend for veteran leader David Millar, who tied the knot and wrapped up an amazing year that saw him take a grand-tour stage win at the Vuelta's individual time trial on the heels of his impressive solo attack from Girona to Barcelona in July. And speaking of big victories, our video team has been busy putting together behind-the-scenes footage from Tour of Missouri and we're excited to unveil an exclusive post-race interview with champion Dave Zabriskie, a chat with team mechanic Daimeon Shanks, and a look at how Team Garmin uses our Edge 705 in training and racing. 

Chicago Store: In the Heart of Fitness Season

The weather turns cooler and traffic on the Michigan Avenue dies down, but the Garmin Chicago store remains busy in the heart of fitness season! With competitive pricing on the Forerunner 405 series, associates are busy selling and product experts are teaching in daily GPS Academy sessions. Watch for upcoming open sessions on the Chicago store's Web site. 

After a successful Triathlon, the store eagerly anticipates the Chicago Marathon less than two weeks away. Look for Garmin at the Marathon Expo at McCormick Place on October 9 and 10 and be sure to cheer for Jake as he runs by on race day.

The Chicago Store staff would also like to thank U.S. female triathlete Jenna Shoemaker for stopping by the store last month. Not only did she draw a crowd for an exclusive autograph session, but the next day she placed fifth in the Chicago Triathlon. Congratulations, Jenna!

Garmin Connect Feature Focus — More Actions

With the August release of updates for Garmin Connect, we chose to include many of the most requested features all the way back from the MotionBased requests. You've no doubt seen the Manual Activity and Calendar  features. A smaller feature you may have missed is the More Actions feature. Currently, this allows you to bulk delete activities that you don't want in your Activities listing. This makes deleting unneeded data and "dummy" activities much more manageable.

You can find the More Actions button on the Activities page, right alongside the Quick Edit and Manual Activity buttons. We'll add other options to More Actions with future releases.

To get this feature working for you, simply check the boxes next to the activities to be deleted, then click More Actions and select Delete.

 

Peg’s Posts: High marks for soft strap heart rate monitor

Following your heart with Garmin fitness devices is now more comfy than ever, thanks to our soft strap heart rate monitor accessory. I’ve been using this monitor for about 3 months now and I have to say, it’s so comfortable, I often forget I’m wearing it. If I’m getting ready for a race or a workout that I’ll drive to, I don’t stash it in my gym bag to put on at the last minute. I can put it on right away and keep on wearing it for hours because it’s just that comfortable.

The entire strap is fabric and the sensors are like thin swatches of vinyl on the underside. The module that sends the data to your compatible Garmin fitness device snaps to the outside of the strap. For runners who get chaffed at the mere thought of an extra anything against their skin, this is the heart rate monitor they need to try. So, how do you get one? This premium heart rate monitor comes with the bundle versions of the Forerunner 310XT multisport trainer or you can buy it as a separate accessory for use with any Garmin fitness device with ANT+ technology, like the Forerunner 405 series, Forerunner 305 and Edge 705. In about a month, this new soft strap will hit the streets with the debut of our limited-edition FR60. These stylish fitness watches, in bold new colors, will be sold at the ING New York City Marathon expo, Oct. 29-Nov. 1. 

Jake's Journal: Edge 500 draws crowds and wows at Interbike

“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.

Garmin named the "clear leader in GPS satisfaction"

PC Magazine has posted the results of their GPS Device Service and Reliability Survey. Readers have voted Garmin as as the "clear leader in GPS satisfaction." We also received top marks for reliability, map quality, ease of use, and more. According to the survey, "based on the number of responses, the company [Garmin] has 3.5 times as many users among PCMag readers as the next vendor." 

We're thankful for and humbled by this recognition, but we also know it never would have been possible without our customers. Thank you to all Garmin users and a special thanks to the 1,508 Garmin customers that gave PC Mag their opinion on our products. 

Download S&R2009_GPSDevices

Jake's Journal: Interbike begins with Team Garmin and a fun, flat ride

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.

Winning looks good on Team Garmin.

The cycling season may be winding down, but Team Garmin is maintaining their winning streak. David Millar pulled in a huge win Saturday in the Vuelta, taking the individual time trial for Team Garmin’s third stage victory in the season’s final grand tour. Teammates Tyler Farrar and Ryder Hesjedal had back-to-back stage wins on stages 11 and 12. From the Millar diaries: "I am so relieved that I won — I am so happy that I felt as good as I hoped to — and above all, I am over the bloody moon I won a sword! But what makes this great is that I can share my success with my team." Read his full story as Millar credits his teammates and their accomplishments. While Millar is exceptional with his prose in this account and others, you've gotta read the comments on that post from his fans.

More glory for argyle in Britain where Chris Sutton took 2nd overall in the Tour of Britain. And here at Garmin headquarters, we're still giddy over David Zabriskie's win in our backyard at the recent Tour of Missouri. So our video crew created a quick piece showcasing DZ's "ride to the yellow jersey in 150 pictures." See for yourself.

View the images on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/garmin/sets/72157622431995568/
View the movie on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpZAhgcNuac

Garmin Connect Feature Focus – Calendar

Along with the Manual Activity feature released a few weeks ago, we added the Calendar. The Calendar shows all of your activities for one month in an easy-to-view format, with color-coded Activity Types and Weekly Totals available with the click of your mouse.

By utilizing the Calendar, you'll be able to quickly plot your monthly progress. You'll be able to see if your workout routine is lacking anywhere and take steps to balance your training schedule. This is great for those athletes who participate in multiple sports/activities. By hovering over and clicking the magnifying glass on any activity, you'll be able to pull up a preview of your activity so you can check out your details quickly. As explained in the last installment, there is also a way to add a Manual Activity right on the Calendar. You can access your Calendar now by selecting My Connect > Calendar in the main navigation bar.

 

Peg's Posts: Putting the 310XT through the paces at Patriot's Run

Last Friday, Jake and I celebrated Patriot’s Day by running in a 9 hour 11 min relay with some of our running buddies at Garmin. It was the perfect setup for putting our latest and greatest fitness devices in motion. Like the Forerunner 310XT with its 20-hour battery life. This is the device for ultra-marathoners and there were several on this run. A little background on the event: it commemorates those who lost lives on 9.11.01 and those serving our country since. The race takes place at a local park practically in Garmin’s backyard in Olathe. Runners sign up to complete a marathon, ultramarathon or design their own team to run various distances over the 9 hour, 11 minute time period.

Jake's Journal: Charged up for Interbike

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's Christian Vande Velde and Dave Zabriskie will be meeting fans and signing autographs Wednesday from 2-3 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Ben’s advice on tracking calories with Forerunner and refueling right.

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares his training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 310XT.

Today I got a fortune cookie that told me, “treat yourself well, dessert three times a week is okay.” It was appropriate because the atmosphere here at the Olympic Training Center puts me on edge when it comes to diet. Food and triathlon go together hand-in-hand, but many triathletes think that when it comes to food, less is better, and when it comes to training hours, more is better. More people ask me about my diet than all other parts of training and racing, and the most common of those questions have to do with achieving weight loss. I have some simple principles to follow in order to be a healthy triathlete without an unhealthy eating disorder.

First, eat enough. Endurance athletes are type ‘A’ people. The most common problem I see in triathletes is what I call “situational anorexia” (not a clinical term). We have way more going on in our lives than the average people. With a full-time job, a family and even a moderate training schedule, there’s not much time to eat. We under-consume, which shocks our metabolism and causes the body to retain fat.

Jenna gets some down-time; heads to Interbike next week.

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Jenna Shoemaker shares her training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 310XT.

My season is now over!  After 7 months of racing, I am definitely ready for a little R&R before I start building back up towards the 2010 season. It was an immensely successful year with my first international win in April followed by 2nd place finishes at both the Pan American Championships and the US Pro Nationals. It was a year of learning and growing for me and I am really looking forward to what next year will bring. 

For the next few weeks I will be taking care of all my weak areas so that I can be injury-free and racing even faster next year. My Garmin devices (Edge 705 and Forerunner 310XT) won't get a complete break because I will still do a bit of riding and swimming, just enough to keep me moving and sane, but am going to try really hard to enjoy the break because it will be the last real "time off" I get from now until the London Olympics. 

Peg’s Posts: Hometown heroes ride off into the sunset.

It was a hero’s welcome at Garmin headquarters Monday when the Team Garmin entourage rolled in. Following David Zabriskie’s big win at the Tour of Missouri, fans were lined up to greet DZ, Christian Vande Velde and several other team members. After an autograph session outdoors, we headed inside for a short team presentation and Q&A session. From my nearly front-row seat, I must say, the vibe was a bit different from a year ago, when the team made their Garmin visit a couple days before the Tour of Missouri kicked off. Then, the lean, lanky riders sat before a packed house, wide-eyed and full of banter. All but Christian, who was reserved, likely contemplating the upcoming race. His prerace strategizing obviously paid off since Christian took the ToM 2008 title.

For this year’s visit to Garmin HQ, the tables were turned. Fresh from their 612-mile journey through the hillacious Missouri countryside, the riders were understandably spent. All but Christian, who was well-rested since he'd had to bow out of the race early due to a fractured hand. An unfortunate event, but perhaps fortuitous for David Zabriskie, who’s had his share of time trial wins, but until Sunday, had yet to take the podium for a grand tour win. Class act by Christian that he was here for the final stage and got to hand David the trophy. Then, in true DZ style, he planted his presenter with a big smooch.

Caddy Confidential: Tough Day At The Office

Life's been rough lately down at the ol' caddy shack. We've been subjected to all manner of torments - like having to spend beautiful morning after beautiful morning scouting golf courses in and around the Greater Kansas City area for the upcoming Approach G5 photo shoot.

Cut off from headquarters, we survived by our wits, fending off wild animals with nothing but a wedge, a digital camera and sunflower seeds. Beware the savage beast below, prowling the wilderness known as Swope Memorial Golf Course! (Although, he can be tamed by an expert hand packed full with said sunflower seeds.)

Thankfully, our quest for an ideal location to photograph the Approach has finally ended. As such, your humble caddy has returned safely to the friendly confines of Garmin HQ just in time to enjoy the ongoing celebrations. 

On the good news front, the caddy shack commanders saw fit to grant yours truly some well deserved R&R. Naturally, we headed north to the BMW Championship in Chicago this past weekend to witness the insanely impressive phenomenon of a group of men actually hitting fairway after fairway after fairway.

Garmin Connect Feature Focus: Manual Activity

The release of Garmin Connect's Manual Activity feature fills one of your most common requests. The ability to add activities that were not recorded with a Garmin fitness device makes Garmin Connect your complete training log. You’ll be able to add gym workouts and any activity not recorded by a Garmin GPS device. By clicking the Manual Activity button on the Activities page (shown at left) or the plus sign and Activity on the new Calendar (right) you’ll be able to enter all of the metrics for your non-GPS activity. When creating the Manual Activity feature, we opted to offer more metrics fields so you’ll be able to get much of the same detail in a non-GPS activity that you’ve become accustomed to with your GPS-recorded activities.

Start using this great new feature today by clicking the Manual Activity button on the Activities list, or the +Activity button by hovering on the date on the new Calendar. Good luck with your training, and have fun tracking every step of the way!

Team Garmin: A first for Zabriskie as Garmin repeats at Tour of Missouri

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).

The cameras were rolling the past few days (including when Chris Sutton won the opening stage at Tour of Britain) - and will be again on Monday - so be sure to check out the Team Garmin minisite, follow Jake's Twitter feed (@JakesJournal), go to our our Flickr page and visit our YouTube channel for videos of Team Garmin and Edge 705.

Team Garmin: Zabriskie, Hesjedal have two huge wins an ocean apart

Before Tyler Farrar's impressive sprint victory Wednesday in Spain, Team Garmin was lacking that big grand-tour win. Today the argyle armada erased any doubt. In his third grand tour of the season, Ryder Hesjedal (left) flew to the mountaintop finish at the Vuelta, and five-time national time trial champion Dave Zabriskie followed up his recent U.S. championship (pictured here) by crushing the competition in the pivotal stage of the weeklong Tour of Missouri. For those keeping score at home, that's back-to-back Vuelta victories (with Tom Danielson sitting pretty in the overall standings) and a GC leader here in Missouri. And even though Zabriskie is fashionable in his iconic Captain America speedsuit, we think he looks pretty good in yellow as well.

For complete recaps and rider diaries, check out the Team Garmin minisite, and with two stages left in Missouri and a ton of action remaining in Spain, be sure to follow Jake's Twitter feed (@JakesJournal), go to our Flickr page and visit our YouTube channel for more Team Garmin videos.

Exclusive Team Garmin video from Tour of Missouri

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.   

With a busy weekend of racing ahead of us - from Friday's individual time trial in Sedalia through Sunday's final circuits here in Kansas City - be sure to check out the Team Garmin minisite, follow Jake's Twitter feed (@JakesJournal), go to our our Flickr page and visit our YouTube channel for more Team Garmin videos.

Team Garmin: Tyler Farrar gets grand win at Vuelta!

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. "

And the cheering - online or otherwise - will continue unbridled for another day as the peloton takes a breather in Spain. Meanwhile, Team Garmin fans will turn their attention to the Tour of Missouri, where Timmy Duggan held out as long as possible Tuesday in a lengthy breakaway. For more coverage of Team Garmin, check out the Team Garmin minisite, follow Jake's Twitter feed (@JakesJournal), go to our our Flickr page and visit our YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes videos.

Ben takes his Edge from two wheels to three

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Ben Collins shares histraining and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405.

This summer has been quite an adventure, and Garmin was there for every twist. In May I raced in Oklahoma City and Austin before being diagnosed with a stress fracture in my femur. This canceled about half the races on my schedule, but opened up some opportunity for non-competitive summertime fun.

Within hours of diagnosis, and before getting used to my new crutches, I grabbed a friend, unclipped the Garmin Edge 705 from my bike, and headed north from Seattle toward British Columbia. Our plan was to spend a day in Vancouver then visit a mutual friend on Vancouver Island (where I would encounter a bit more adventure than I had bargained for). I typed the Canadian address into my Edge 705 and within a few seconds I had directions for the first leg of our trip. We also used it to find professional-athlete approved food choices for the drive, a hotel, a great seafood dinner, and a brew house with 50+ beers on tap from all over the world. All without the roaming or data charges of a cell phone!

Team Garmin: Injured Vande Velde out in Missouri, Hesjedal 2nd in Vuelta stage 10

So much for an easy start to the Tour of Missouri. In the closing meters of Monday's opening stage in St. Louis, Team Garmin's defending champion Christian Vande Velde sustained a hairline fracture at the base of his second metacarpal.

"Luck hasn't been on my side this year," Christian said Monday night. "I went down in the big crash within 500 meters. I crashed into the guys who went down first, then into a fire hydrant. It could have been a lot worse. Racing is going to be painful but I'm the defending champion and continuing is important to me and my team. I'll be at the start tomorrow."

True to his word, he lined up at the start in Ste. Genevieve, but after rolling through the neutral zone, the fracture was too much to ignore. "Christian's had a hard year," director Jonathan Vaughters said, "but as he's shown over and over, he's an incredibly tough athlete."

As Team Garmin's remaining riders continue their trek across Missouri, one of Christian's most reliable counterparts the past two summers in France made news of his own in Spain. Canadian Ryder Hesjedal made the argyle armada proud with attacks today in the Vuelta, landing in second place on Stage 10.

For more coverage of Team Garmin, check out the Team Garmin minisite, follow Jake's Twitter feed (@JakesJournal), go to our our Flickr page and visit our YouTube channel for behind-the-scenes videos.