Jake's Journal du jour: Friendly faces of France

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). 

Jake's Journal du jour: Fans cheer Farrar to another podium finish

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. 

If you're like me and need more Tour excitement once the day's field sprint is over, check out the home page of our newly redesigned Team Garmin minisite. You'll find links to our Flickr photo gallery (for action and candid pictures), Garmin's YouTube channel (for highlights and Edge 705 tutorials), acclaimed filmmaker Nigel Dick's behind-the-scenes videos and the Garmin and Slipstream blogs. You can relive key stages through Team Garmin's Edge 705 data on the Featured Rides page, and you can find out who is on Twitter by visiting the Extras page. Finally, you can get the gear that the team uses in tours - either by registering to win free stuff in our sweepstakes or shopping for Garmin accessories or Team Garmin apparel.

Caddy Confidential: 9,400+ Preloaded Courses, Scrambling With The Approach and Hitting The Road

It's prime golfing season here in The Praire, and as such, we caddies down at the Garmin shack have been quite busy. Recently, we added 500+ new courses to the catalog of subscription-free courses available for the Approach G5 bringing the total number of courses to 9,400+. 

I also had the unique pleasure of putting the Approach into tournament play, but in a not-so-conventional kind of way. While it wasn't quite the Tom Watson Challenge, it was a great opportunity to use the Approach as a 'deciding-which-ball-is-best-in-a-four-man-scramble' machine.Turns out, arming each of the four team members with an Approach is perfect for figuring out who hit the best drive when your foursome is spread all over the fairway. It was particularly helpful to use the Touch-Targeting feature to determine who had the best angle to the pin. We ended up shooting -12 under, only three shots off the lead. Not bad for an afternoon of "product testing."

Garmin's fitness guru Jake and I teamed up for a few video tutorials that show off all the functions of the Approach G5. Being that Jake is our resident marathoner/biker/in-shape dude, I handle the golfing duties while Jake explains how to get the most from your Approach. If you're one of those, whatta-ya-call-it, exercisers, then Jake has a few more cool toys worth checking out, or so I'm told. 

Finally, this humble caddy hit the road for a little R&R over the holiday. And as we like to do at Garmin, I loaned out a few new gadgets to put through their paces. I commandeered a nuvi 1250 for the drive to Chicago and Michigan. Saving a few bucks with ecoRoute helped us buy much needed golf balls after we slapped it all over Cog Hill, home of the BMW Championship. And the cityXplorer maps helped us navigate the big city like seasoned Chi-town caddies.

We're continuing to update and map courses all over the States, so keep checking back in for more updates. If your favorite course isn't mapped yet, drop us a line and we'll get cracking on it right away.

Peg’s Posts: relive Millar’s epic stage 6 ride

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.    

 

Millar on the attack in stage 6, tastes a stage win

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.

 

Go Garmin!

Popular Mechanics just concluded its first-ever consumer brand survey to determine what consumer brands their readers preferred. Twenty-nine different product categories were included, with a minimum of five brand choices in each category.  Over 7,000 readers voted, and thanks to you, we were chosen the favorite GPS brand. Thank You!

As most Garmin customers know, we serve a plethora of markets and we do our best to give each of these markets the specialized attention it deserves. We strive to develop revolutionary products with features that are specific to that market. One of the many ways we do this is by having employees design, create, build and market products for industries they're passionate about. Forerunners are developed by runners, Zumos by motorcycle riders, chartplotters by boaters, avionics by pilots -- I could keep going, but I'm sure you get the idea. This Popular Mechanics award helps reiterate that we're on the right path, but don't worry, we won't rest on our laurels. We're determined to continue building products that make life a little easier and more enjoyable for our customers.

Jake's Journal du jour: Team Garmin close second in team time trial

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.

Jenna on the road to recovery, training in Switzerland

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

I have now been back training in Davos, Switzerland for a week. I recovered really quickly from my concussion and spent last week building my training volume back up while also keeping a close eye on my neural function. Everything went really smoothly, and I found myself right back to the level of training from before D.C. within a matter of days, which meant that I was able to have a really massive weekend of training. The weekend not only got me back into shape, but it gave me a chance to bond with my new Forerunner 310XT! I believe it combines the best of both worlds. Being smaller than its predecessor, the 305, it still displays an incredible amount of information (HR, time, speed, altitude) while being small enough that I can comfortably wear it when running and cycling. An added bonus, for the triathletes out there, is that it is waterproof so you can time your swim!! It doesn't get much better than that! 

Jake's Journal du jour: Farrar sprints to second in second stage

 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.

Jake's Journal du jour: Team Garmin's Wiggins makes prologue podium

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.

Peg’s Posts: Team Garmin fans tuning in

While Jake’s getting a sideline view of the action as Team Garmin prepares for 3 weeks of racing around France, we stateside fans are prepping in our own way. When the party gets started tomorrow, we’ll be tuning in for instantaneous updates from Jake on Twitter, behind-the-scenes pics on Flickr and of course daily coverage on Versus. It’s the one time of the year I actually sit still long enough to watch a little TV (not counting once every four years for the Olympic marathon and track event coverage). I think my son might follow the TdF action even closer than I do. No surprise, since his favorite things involve speed and wheels or just pure sport. Tomorrow as he rides his two-wheeler in the neighborhood 4th of July bike parade, he’ll be decked in some form of Team Garmin gear, showing our support for the “hometown team.” Be sure to follow the latest tour news and promotions on the Team Garmin page.

Ask Garmin: Updating your nüvi, zūmo or GPSMAP software

Some customers have asked us to follow-up about last week's mandatory software update decree, and they've specifically asked if all the new software has been released. The answer is a resounding YES! We have free software updates available for the nüvi 7x5 series, nüvi 800 series, nüvi 8x5 series, zūmo 660, GPSMAP 620 and GPSMAP 640. Offering free software is something we regularly do and we've always recommend you update your GPS when new free software is available. However, last week was atypical because the software update was mandatory. If you own one of the GPS devices listed above and haven't experienced any problems acquiring a GPS signal, you still need to do the free software update. It's free and easy to do. All you need to do is visit our WebUpdater site, download the free WebUpdater application, follow the screen prompts, and it will do everything else for you.  

Jake's Journal du jour: Stars come out in Monaco

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.

Ride like a pro: Buy a Felt bike, get a Garmin Edge

As all eyes turn toward France for cycling’s biggest race, now you have a chance to ride with the same gear that Team Garmin’s elite cyclists use. We’ve hooked up with fellow team sponsors Felt, CamelBak and Pearl Izumi for the “Celebration of Excellence” at select* Felt dealers. Throughout the month of July, while supplies last, you can go into participating* Felt dealers, test ride one of their many fine bikes and walk out with more than you could’ve imagined. Because if you purchase a bike like Team Garmin pushes through the professional peloton – the specially-priced AR2, AR4, Z1R, Z15, ZW1, ZW2 and F2 models – you’ll also get a free Garmin Edge 705 GPS, which helps you monitor location, heart rate, speed, cadence, altitude and gradient – even power from ANT+ compatible powermeters - all on the same display. And when you stop by the Felt shop, you might even end up scoring a CamelBak bottle or Pearl Izumi socks, but you have to hurry because all of these products are in limited supply and high demand. So find a participating* Felt dealer near you, stop by for a test ride and see how you can get geared up like Team Garmin.

*Not all Felt dealers are participating in this promotion, so we highly recommend you call ahead.

Learn your Garmin with the Garmin Learning Center

Have you ever wanted to see a Garmin product in action before you buy it? Or, maybe you're interested in tips and tricks about a device you already own? How about expanding your overall GPS knowledge?  If any of these scenarios sound familiar, the online Garmin Learning Center is for you. The Learning Center is the newest addition to Garmin.com, and is quickly becoming a popular place to visit because it's a one-stop resource for learning about Garmin products and all things GPS. Once you visit this site, you can watch short video snippets to learn more about your GPS. So far, the site features videos for the Forerunner 405, Edge 705, Approach G5 and Marine network. More videos will be coming soon, so you'll want to check back often.

Jenna recovers from crash in D.C. tri, preps for Germany race

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Jenna Shoemaker shares her training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405.

The Washington D.C. Dextro Energy World Championship Series race did not go as I had hoped, but that's racing. There are plenty of ups and even more downs! The whole weekend was a little bit chaotic with lots of events going on and some issues the day before the race surrounding the water quality that almost turned the event into a duathlon. I had a very poor swim, finding myself in the middle of the "washing machine," and ended up coming out of the water much further back than I normally do. From there, the race became a chase and unfortunately, the chase ended about 9k into the bike when I hit a large traffic cone in the middle of the bike course. I was at the back of the group, athletes ahead of me split right and left, and suddenly without warning, the cone was in front of me and I had no option but to hit it. I flipped off my bike, over my handlebars and landed on the left side of my head. I can remember seeing the ground and asking myself "can I get up and finish the race," but the next thing I knew, I was lying on a gurney in an ambulance trying to remember my name, birthday and mother’s contact information. CT scans revealed no fractures or bleeding in my head or pelvis, but they concluded, based on the time that I was "out," that I had suffered a grade 3 concussion, the most severe.

Team Garmin documentary "Blood, Sweat + Gears" premieres Monday on Sundance

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.

Jake's Journal: If you're running a fall marathon, we need to talk

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.

Team Garmin unveils roster for Tour de France

Team Garmin-Slipstream today announced its much-anticipated Tour de France roster. The riders that will represent the American team in tackling the world’s toughest sporting event are:

Julian Dean
Tyler Farrar
Ryder Hesjedal
Dan Martin
David Millar
Danny Pate
Christian Vande Velde
Bradley Wiggins
David Zabriskie

“We are bringing a diverse and versatile squad to the 2009 Tour de France,” said Jonathan Vaughters, CEO of Slipstream Sports, LLC and Director Sportif, Team Garmin-Slipstream.  “We had an incredible first Tour as a team last year and this year we hope for GC contention, possible stage wins and even the yellow jersey at some point.”

Peg’s Posts: Forerunner frenzy and envy

One of the many perks of working for a company that’s developing the leading training devices in the fitness world is being the very first to try them out. At recent group rides or races, I’ve witnessed other athletes look longingly, perhaps enviously, at the latest and greatest hardware gracing our wrists and bike stems. Products like the Forerunner 310XT need no introductions in triathlete circles. They spot it, say “that’s the one I want” and mentally pencil it in at the top of their gotta have gear list. Several Garmin associates had the swim-proof, multisport 310XT on hand for a recent triathlon/duathlon. The race was part of the Kansas City Corporate Challenge, a metro-wide series of events that let corporate folks compete against other companies. After taking top honors in the bike race, 5k meet and track meet, Garmin pulled out a win in the triathlon/duathlon meet as well. Having the right training tools makes all the difference.

Even for first-timers like my boss, who posted a super-fast time in a very competitive age group. Now, let me clarify first-timer: Jon’s a seasoned runner and cyclist, but this was his first chance to string the two together for a duathlon. All the guys he beat who’ve been doing this for years probably didn’t want to hear that. Could be the new sleek ‘do and Team Garmin kit that makes him look like he’s just part of the peloton. Could be years of experience or it could be the tech training tools. Don’t miss your chance to get your hands on the latest Garmin gear. We’ll be at the inaugural Seattle Rock’n’Roll Marathon next weekend, so come see us and find out how the Forerunner 310XT and our other new devices can take your training to the next level. 

Give dad some quality time with the FR60 fitness watch

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.

Jake's Journal: Why June 18 is better than my birthday

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.

Caddy Confidential: Dad's Day, The U.S. Open and The Watson Challenge

This past weekend, the Approach G5 made its tournament debut at the Tom Watson Challenge, an event that sees area pros and amateurs take on local hero and eight-time major winner, Tom Watson. Garmin supplied the field with a few dozen Approaches to test out the touch-targeting, scorecard and green view features. While scoring was closer than it sounds, Watson won handily by five strokes retaining his title as hometown champ. 

Speaking of championships, this weekend is not only Father's Day, but also the U.S. Open. This years tourney takes place at Bethpage Black, a course just added to the Approach G5 roster.

A fun little way to get some non-golfing use out of your Approach (or a timely trick for any golfer/Dad planning to take in the Open) is to fire up the Preview mode while watching the action. See how far the pros hit their drives, or just get a different perspective on Bethpage Black.

Check back in soon down at the shack as we Caddies are hard at work preparing more courses for the next free download (think July). Till then, Hit em hard, hit em straight and stay outta the rough.

Jenna hitches a ride with Team Garmin

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Jenna Shoemaker shares her training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405.

As luck would have it, Team Garmin happened to come through Davos, Switzerland for two days this week for the Tour de Suisse. Davos is the small town, about three hours from Zurich, where I am based for the European summer. The timing of their visit was perfect, as I had a bit of a recovery day on Sunday after the small double sprint race I had the day before in Zug (near Zurich). Sunday happened to be the same day that the boys rode Stage 1 of the Tour, which departed from and then returned to Davos. The Team was nice enough to let me accompany them in the team car for the stage, so I got to hang out with the team director and the mechanic for a few hours. I knew many of the roads that the guys had to race on, so it was really fun to get to watch them ride the same climbs that I use for training. Of course, they ride them about four times as fast as I do and they descend like maniacs! It’s also great to know that I’m using the same Garmin training gear as these pro cyclists — the Edge 705. Although it was a pretty quiet day in the peloton, partly because the first 40-some ks were straight downhill, being in the team car is a real experience and one that I'm really glad I had. Hopefully I can manage to get myself to France to see a stage or 2 of the Tour this year!

I am now in my last few days of preparation for the two big races I have back in the USA. I head off on Thursday to Washington, D.C. for the World Championship Series race on June 21. We will swim, bike and run in the heart of D.C., on Pennsylvania Avenue, which is really exciting and should be a very memorable experience.

Running expert Bingham raves about Forerunner 310XT

We've heard a lot of great things about the Forerunner 310XT - dubbed "The King of Wrist-Mounted Trainers" by Wired magazine and praised by triathletes as the watch they've been waiting for - but a recent email got our attention. With the subject line simply "WOW" - Runner's World columnist John "The Penguin" Bingham summed up his experience with the Forerunner 310XT.

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!

Team Garmin: Farrar four-for-four in winning Holland tour

Sunday was a day of firsts for Team Garmin's Tyler Farrar (left) at the Delta Tour Zeeland in Holland. First place in the sprints classification. First place in the points classification. First place in the Best Young Rider competition. And best of all, first overall in the general classification. Simply put, from the first day when he won the prologue and donned the race leader's jersey, Tyler dominated this tour. Victory in Friday's prologue put him in the driver's seat with valuable seconds on his fellow sprinters. On Saturday, Tyler finished close behind a formidable foe, Alessandro Petacchi, but widened his lead to 6 seconds with one day remaining. Sunday, he was second again - but ahead of Petacchi. That consistency - never finishing lower than second place - paid off as he took the top spot on the podium.

Elsewhere in Europe, Team Garmin made a splash in the final day of Dauphine-Libere as Timmy Duggan (above right) pushed the pace, made the key breaks and showed off his deft skills on the final descent. Timmy stayed exactly where he needed to be, right up to the final meters, and finished a nailbiting second by less than a wheel. In the overall GC, Garmin's David Millar capped a solid week by finishing ninth. The excitement of these final tune-ups for France continues this week at the Tour de Suisse, so be sure to check the Team Garmin blog and minisite for updates!

Jake's Journal: Keeping up with Team Garmin, Christian's recovery

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 team on Twitter and - we saved the best for last - enter to win some amazing prizes in the Tour with Team Garmin Sweepstakes. 

Ask Garmin: How far, how fast, and when can I rest?

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.

Peg’s Posts: national running day/week

Hope you had a chance to celebrate the inaugural national running day on June 3. For many of us at Garmin, it’s been more like a week-long celebration of our favorite sport. Every evening — through high temps, low temps and rain — runners of all ages and skill levels have convened at a local track complex for the Kansas City Corporate Challenge track meet. KCCC is part recess, part boot camp, part friendly competition for 8 to 5ers around the city. Events range from fishing and darts to weightlifting and flag football. So far, Garmin has taken the top slot among companies our size for the bike race meet and 5k meet, and we’re currently leading our division in track by a nice margin. No surprise our cyclists and runners have the best training tools on their side — our Edge bike computers and Forerunner fitness watches. Come Sunday, several of us will be putting the new swim-proof, multisport Forerunner 310XT through the paces at the KCCC triathlon or duathlon. Another favorite local event, the Hospital Hill Run, takes place tomorrow and will draw some 5,500 runners to the streets of KC, including about 55 individuals from Garmin. I’m saving my legs for Sunday’s duathlon, so no hills for me tomorrow. But if you’re running HH, I’ll be cheering for you along with my friends from Girls on the Run at the last aid station on the 10k and half marathon course. We’ll be reminding those weary runners that “there’s no place like the finish line.”

Ways you can win with Team Garmin

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!

Of course, one superfan out there will get an unbelievable experience in Paris this summer, spending a weekend of VIP access with three friends and Team Garmin. Visit http://www.ebay.com/teamgarmin for details, and don't forget to check out the Team Garmin site for the latest news and rider data downloaded from Edge 705.

eBay winner will join Team Garmin in Paris for unforgettable weekend

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.

Jenna trains in Switzerland

Garmin-sponsored triathlete Jenna Shoemaker shares her training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405, along with links to her data in Garmin Connect.

Hello from Davos, Switzerland!!
 
I’m here training with my coach and training partners and will be based from here for the remainder of the summer. Not only is it absolutely picturesque and secluded from any kind of distraction, but it is also convenient for traveling to the European races, which there are a lot of. However, right now, I am preparing for the two big races back in the USA – the Washington D.C. World Championship Series event on June 21st and the Des Moines, Iowa HyVee Elite Cup event (with the massive prize purse) on June 27th.
 
Davos sits at roughly 1560 meters, so the air is thin, making training more difficult, but also makes the possibility of big fitness gains that much greater. The riding here is certainly tough!  We are either climbing or descending in order to prepare to climb again!  On one of my first aerobic rides here, my Garmin Edge 705 measured that we climbed over 1200m. My coach had said that the “hill” topped off at 1700m — wrong!  It in fact topped off at 1860 meters!
 
I’m really looking forward to exploring more of Davos this summer. The trails for running are also pretty amazing and having my Garmin 405 to calculate my distance as I run straight up the mountains for hours will certainly be helpful. Check out my recent aerobic hill ride. For photos and more on my training in Davos, visit my blog. Find out how many pairs of shoes it takes to outfit the four athletes in our flat!

Jake's Journal: Success in San Diego

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.

Wiggins 2nd in final Giro time trial

The cobblestone streets of Rome paired with pelting rain made yesterday’s final stage of the Giro d’Italia exciting and excruciating. Despite a technical course that brought down some leaders, Team Garmin’s Bradley Wiggins placed 2nd, a mere second away from a stage win. Excerpts from the Daily Peloton: “Wiggo was possibly the fastest man on two wheels in Rome today. He was fastest at the second time check by a sizable three seconds until disaster struck in the form of rain making the course too dangerous to negotiate at his speed to that point. He subsequently slowed to finish agonizingly close to the winner one second down in 2nd place.” Disappointing to come so close to a stage win, but Wiggins knows there’s more just around the corner: “Now I can consider that I have moved on enough in this Giro to be a real contender for the TDF prologue with the help and support from the best support staff and management team in the world of cycling today - Team Garmin.”

In other Team Garmin news, Tom Peterson, a Tour of California stage winner, finished 8th in last week’s Tour of Bavaria, while the team finished 3rd in the GC. Follow more racing action as the team gears up for the biggest race of the year in France. Enter the Tour with Team Garmin sweepstakes for your chance to win a Felt bike equipped with an Edge 705 plus many other prizes.

Peg’s Posts: The multi-talented Forerunner 310XT

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.

Rockin' and rollin' with Forerunner 310XT at San Diego Marathon

With the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon this weekend, San Diego is buzzing with activity - and with the popularity of the waterproof Forerunner 310XT with vibration alerts. Available for purchase for the first time - and branded with a limited-edition Rock 'n' Roll Marathon logo - the Forerunner 310XT is making its way on to people's wrists and wish lists. And there's plenty of reasons why. It's a true multisport training watch, so all of the triathletes here in San Diego can switch sport settings easily and accurately track each of their splits and transition times. The Forerunner 310XT lasts up to 20 hours on a single charge, answering the call of endurance athletes everywhere. The vibration alerts make sure that you won't miss any milestones, regardless of how loud or crowded the environment may be. And it communicates wirelessly with compatible power meters, heart rate monitors, speed/cadence sensors and your Mac or PC - automatically downloading your fresh data as soon as you near your computer. So if you're in San Diego to run or cheer, stop by the Expo, say hi and get your first glimpse of the new Forerunners. Just like the runners (including Adam from Garmin, pictured below), they're going fast.

 

Jake's Journal: In San Diego, in good company

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.

RaceTracker, Pate's place on podium fuel Giro fever

A blogger's cubicle confession: When it comes to watching the Giro d'Italia online or filling out an expense report, the Giro wins. Especially when Team Garmin is mixing it up. Ever since Garmin-Slipstream and Universal Sports teamed up to offer the RaceTracker online with live video, commentary and tracking, we've been tuning in to see Tyler Farrar contest the early sprint stages, David Millar, Dave Zabriskie and Bradley Wiggins push the pace of the peloton and Danny Pate survive in today's breakaway that placed him on the podium for Stage 18. We were huddled around a desk, cheering as Danny attacked and countered all the way to the finish line. We figure it's work-related, what with the Garmin logo emblazened everywhere on the kits of the argyle armada and the on-screen analytics of the RaceTracker.

Once the stage is done, there's always plenty to digest, with the race updates on the Team Garmin blog, including different cyclists' Edge 705 data from various stages. For example, did you know that Millar topped out at 944 watts of power in Stage 14? And speaking of impressive power, Wiggins averaged 377 watts during Stage 12. Throw in behind-the-scenes video from the Giro and other races, and it's amazing we get any emails answered before lunch. Especially when you factor in the success that Team Garmin is having at other big races. Irish road champ Dan Martin and his argyle/shamrock jersey landed on the podium of the Volta a Catalunya. Chris Sutton was the runner-up in the opening stage of the Tour of Bavaria. The only real way to keep up with the nonstop action of Team Garmin is to read the team blog, check out Graham Watson's behind-the-scenes pictures on Flickr and follow @TeamSlipstream and @JakesJournal on Twitter. OK, time to go, we have to watch Wiggo talk about his haircut.

Forerunner tester takes marathon title

As one of the testers for our Forerunner fitness watches, 24-year-old Sarah Milby of Delaware has given us valuable feedback on our products and how they help monitor her pace. Now, in just her fourth marathon, she can tell us exactly what it's like to set the pace. Sarah, a former soccer player at Yale, recently was the fastest woman at the Delaware Marathon with a personal-best of 3:05.17. As her trusty Forerunner 305 could tell her, that means she averaged a 7:04 pace over 26.2 miles in finishing best among the women and 10th overall.

"I didn't expect to win," Sarah told the News Journal. "It felt great out there. The crowd was great. The weather was perfect. It was just an awesome experience." Though she's only been running seriously since her senior year at Yale, the sport seems to be in her bloodline. Her father, Randy, ran the marathon in 3:31:26, and the two of them (pictured above) ran the New York City marathon together last fall.

Click here to read the News Journal's coverage of the race and find more photos here of Sarah's big day (how can she be smiling so much while running so fast??).

Garmin Connect welcomes all Garmin fitness devices

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.

Peg’s Posts: young athletes give it a tri

Last Saturday, I had the honor of assisting with the HyVee Kids’ Triathlon in Gladstone, Missouri. I say honor because I can’t think of a better way for athletes to support their sport than by volunteering at races. Several Garmin associates were there, lending their time and experience to make the race safe and fun for the young participants. More than 200 kids, ages 6-14, splashed their way through an indoor pool swim, then snagged their bikes and wobbled through transition to face a breezy bike ride through town. After parking their sweet ride (and I do mean sweet—there were some fancy streamers, basketed bikes, and even some training wheels), the participants headed onto the run course to complete 1, 2 or 4 laps on the .25-mile course.

We had a great group of volunteers on the run course and I tasked my running friend and Garmin engineer Tracy with sorting the participants, a process that involved some mental math to associate bib # with age group and number of laps required. Then a couple of course volunteers, Sharpies in hand, swiped runners’ arms as they sped by or directed them to the finish when their laps were complete. At the finish line, each participant received a medal, bestowed by Olympic triathlete Jarrod Shoemaker. To ensure that no participant finished last, we had a designated “last biker” on the course, and my oldest daughter filled the slot of designated “last runner.”

Garmin runner Mathew Chesang is ready to race

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.

my.Garmin.com: Get the latest and greatest for your GPS

We're at it again. We're figuring out ways to make your life easier, and we think we have another winner. This time we've created something for the GPS device you already own -- my.Garmin.com is a site where you can manage all there is to manage about your GPS. From registering your Garmin to downloading new maps to learning more about your specific GPS, my.Garmin.com is designed to be a helpful resource 24/7.

So, here's what you should do...
1. Visit http://my.Garmin.com.
2. Click on the second tab, myDashboard and follow the screen prompts
3. Connect your GPS to your computer through the USB port.
4. Be prepared to learn more about your GPS than you ever thought possible from one central location.

As soon as my.Garmin recognizes that a GPS device is connected to the computer, you can click on the second tab, myDashboard, and you'll see a picture of your devcie along with helpful information about your GPS like map updates and free software updates. myGarmin is completely tailored to you and your GPS, so take some time to explore and discover everything there is to know about your Garmin.

Jenna takes 2nd, Ben places 5th at Pan-Am Championships

Garmin-sponsored triathletes Jenna Shoemaker and Ben Collins share their training and racing experiences with the Garmin Edge 705 and Forerunner 405. Soon, they’ll get to put the new swim-proof Forerunner 310XT to the test.

From Ben’s press release:
It is rare that an athlete’s Plan ‘A’ works out perfectly, but for Ben Collins there was no need for a plan ‘B’ in Oklahoma City. Of the 65 men who started the race, Collins stayed with a select few who managed to create a gap in the swim. That break was dwindled further in a hectic first transition, and a breakaway group of seven athletes was formed, including Olympians Hunter Kemper and Matt Reed. Collins and his breakaway companions turned a 20 second lead out of transition into three minutes over a chase pack of 50 athletes by the end of the 40km cycling leg. Starting the 10km run, Matt Reed went off the front. Collins stayed strong and clocked his best run split to date to finish in 5th place. A 5th place is Collins’ highest ITU finish to date, and to score such a high place at the Continental Championships is a monumental step toward the goals of this young triathlete.

From Jenna:
After a very productive, but short, two+ weeks in Boulder, I headed to Oklahoma City for the ITU Pan American Championships. Based on the start list, and how I have been progressing, I was confident that I could have another strong result and perhaps a top 5 finish if everything went really well. It was only about 65 degrees out when the race commenced, a lot cooler than I thought it would be, and with the strong Midwestern wind in full force, blowing upwards of 38 mph, weather would certainly be a factor. I was excited for another race but a bit nervous to be back on home soil and racing in front of pretty much the entire USA Triathlon staff.

Peg’s Posts: Step by step with FR60 and foot pod

I never used to be a data geek. In fact, I’m not all that good with numbers and have a hard time recalling my PRs for particular race distances. Thank goodness Garmin Connect collects all my stats for me so I can go back and look up activities from last week, last month or even last year. Okay, so maybe I am a data geek. My latest fascination: spm, or steps per minute … also known as cadence. I even had a chance to share by data geekishness with a couple of 4th graders on a recent field trip.

Steps per minute is like a tasty side dish complementing the distance data you can get when using a Garmin foot pod with a compatible fitness watch. The foot pod is what measures your distance when used with a non-GPS watch like the FR60 or when used indoors with devices like the Forerunner 405 or the new Forerunner 405CX and Forerunner 310XT. I put my FR60 and foot pod into action on Wednesday, when I accompanied my daughter on a fourth-grade field trip to the Kansas City Zoo. To start our day, we walked to Africa. And it only took us 7 minutes, give or take a few seconds. While we could’ve taken a tram, we missed the first one and this group leader wasn’t about to wait another 15 minutes for the next ride. So we headed off, with the girls repeatedly asking “how far have we gone?” At the end of our safari, FR60 reported that we’d trekked 3.61 miles and taken 10,108 steps. The girls were thrilled. That data somehow justified all their sweat and their aching feet. I could totally relate. I think I may have some data geeks in the making.

What to get Dads and Grads

Dads and Grads season is here, and hardworking dads and graduates deserve something cool for their big day. Forget about the pen and pencil set, it's time to think high-tech. If you're not sure if you should get your dad or grad a GPS for their car, golf cart, dog, wrist, boat, plane, motorcycle or bike, you're in luck. Editors all over the world are compiling and publishing lists of their favorite devices so you can pick the perfect gift. So far, PC Mag has named the nüvi as a top pick for graduates that are bound to get lost as they travel between home and college. According to PC Mag, one of the great things about the nüvi is that even entry-level models "offers a lot of bang for the buck and are excellent choices for the budget conscious."  The Approach G5 has also been make making many Father's Day gift guide lists because it will help dad improve his golf game and give him the ultimate competitive edge. Check our site for more great gift ideas.

Jake's Journal: Putting Forerunner 310XT through the paces

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 update from Giro d’Italia

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.

Peg’s Posts: How to make mom’s day

While perfumeries, patisseries and other retail niches are advertising the perfect gifts for mom, Peg’s been thinking of some unique ways to show mom she’s the best. And some won’t even cost you a dime. After all, she probably just wants you to spend time with her.

Adventure-seeking moms: Take her to find some cache … go geocaching. If you already own a GPS, that’s all the equipment you need. This high-tech version of a scavenger hunt can be played with just about any Garmin GPS—basic handhelds to nüvis to units like Oregon 400t with special geocaching features. Look up nearby geocache locations online and transfer the GPS coordinates to your unit, then head out to seek. As of today, there are 794, 655 active geocaches around the world. That oughta keep you and mom busy. If you’re caching with kids, be sure to bring swag to swap in the standard caches. Got piles of kids’ meal toys looking for a new home? Bring it.

Moms on the run: Find a new scenic trail or route that she’s never been on and take her for a run. To search for new routes in your area or a nearby town, go to our Garmin Connect site and click the “Explore” tab. Here, you can search from millions of activities uploaded by Garmin users around the world. Get detailed data on the route, including distance, mapping, elevation and more. There's even a map player feature to replay the activity. If you have a compatible Garmin fitness device (like Edge 705 or Forerunner 405), you can send the course file to your device. Just click the “send to device” button under the summary box.

Team Garmin unveils roster for Giro d'Italia

Team Garmin-Slipstream, defending Team Time Trial champion of the 2008 Giro d’Italia, today announced its much-anticipated line-up for the 2009 edition of the race. Christian Vande Velde (far left), the first American rider to wear the Maglia Rosa since 1988, will be joined by Bradley Wiggins, Cameron Meyer, Danny Pate, David Millar, David Zabriskie, Julian Dean, Tom Danielson and Tyler Farrar.

“We are bringing an incredible group of riders to the Giro d’Italia, and we have some big goals we want to achieve,” said Matt White, Director. “The team has been training hard for this race and we’d of course love to get the Maglia Rosa again, but we will be happy with a few strong performances.”

When asked about the difficulty of choosing the list, White added: “Narrowing down a Grand Tour list is always difficult, especially when guys like Ryder Hesjedal have been having a tremendous season. But we need to keep our goal of helping Christian at the Tour de France in mind, and preserving someone like Ryder now could be a huge benefit to us later.” The team will look to defend last year’s Team Time Trial victory on Saturday.