Running

New parkrun PB for me this morning (26:40). Tried a different course to my usual and managed to take nearly a minute off my PB. Might go there next week to see if I can go under 26 mins!

Talking of running watches. Anyone here using a Coros Pace 2? Would you recommend it?

I've got an Apex 42. Battery life is good, but I'm not sold on it, hence the Fenix.

Laps of the track distances are out by about 20% or so, I lost confidence in it and use the Garmin instead.

I've had it for about a year, use it alongside the Garmin. Yes, I do look like a massive knob, wearing two watches. Even more of a massive knob than normal

The mapping functionality generally comes on the more expensive watches, with generally longer battery life (key for ultras). A cheaper option than those mentioned might be the Suunto 9. I picked one up reconditioned from Suunto a few years ago. Battery life is still good (30hrs on normal GPS, 1 ping per sec at full charge). The downside is the navigation is just a blue line to follow. It's mostly ok but occasionally when two paths go in a similar direction you need to pick one and go along a bit so see if you've picked the wrong one. Definitely not a full map replacement but I'd say that about the OS maps app too.
That said I've navigated some pretty long races almost exclusively using the watch - Deadwater and Spine being the longest. I think for the Spine I didn't look at the paper map at all but the Pennine way is fairly well trodden for a lot of it.

Great work!!

Yes and yes. I've turned off phone notifications, no interest in WhatsApp etc. on the watch, but it's great for running and cycling and probably other sports as well. Very customisable in terms of display fields (and watch faces) and the battery seems to last at least a full week/10 days recording 2x cycle commutes daily, and a parkrun or other run.

I'd get the rubber strap, the fabric Velcro one retains moisture, starts to smell, and loses its velcrocity

Speaking of Garmin watch straps, I swapped my strap for a nice jazzy one I found online... and then developed a massive red sore where the metal touches my skin. FFS.

Thanks, interesting to hear this as on other reviews like DC Rainmaker the “track mode” seems to get a lot of praise for accuracy.

I’m unsure whether to get the Pace 2 or stump up more for a more expensive Garmin but am not sure which one. Maps are a nice to have but not essential. Only interested in using it for running.

Eg

Other ones have had more of a discrepancy, but I'd need to look back to pre summer holidays, and I've got robots to build for the kids.

Merry Christmas LFGSSAC

3 Attachments

Parkrun PB
Garmin clocked 18:00.1
Santa gifted me a second to get the official time at 17:59

I've gone quicker at the tail end of longer races, but this is the first sub 18 standalone 5k so I'm suitably pleased

Thanks very much 👍

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seems like 'routable mapping' is the term for Garmin
https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/c/sports-fitness/running-smartwatches/?FILTER_FEATURE_SUBTRACKING_MAPPING=routable_map

I've got the Fenix 6 Pro and loading a GPX on is pretty straightforward. It'll show the route on the map and then beep or buzz when I'm approaching a turn so I don't miss it.

Forerunner 945 is basically the Fenix 6 Pro series in its triathlon variant
Forerunner 955 is Fenix 7
Epix is posh Fenix with AMOLED screen

(things like Forerunner 745 does breadcrumb trails, but not overlaid on a map)

Epix is posh Fenix with AMOLED screen

Just to repeat myself, while the Epix is Epic, Im not sure sure that it's that much better than the Fenix. I don't regret my decision but would recommend trying both before deciding because of the price gap.

I got the Epix, it definitely is a posh Fenix. Oled screen is very nice, compared to the Fenix 6 sapphire ti I had before.

I have found that the rubber straps get a bit smelly and trapped sweat, which caused skin irritation, along with not having quite the right tension for accurate HR measurements (for me anyway)

I tried an Amazon chinese velcro strap clone (Enduro 2 style strap but in 22mm). Huge improvement, doesn't stay damp, or cause skin irritation like the standard strap. My ideal fit must have been between 2 of the rubber strap holes.

For anyone with a more basic Garmin watch, I use this 3rd party routing/mapping app. It's decent enough for most of my running needs, but also the routing tool to create gpxs online is really excellent.

https://dynamic.watch/

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Four weeks off now after getting shin splints on one leg. Went for a run Christmas Day as i hadnt had any pain in a few days. Only last a km and it started kicking in.

Actually not even sure if they are shin splints as I've no pain to touch. I can poke and prod and nothing. It's only when I put pressure on when running (and walking when it initially happened - especially downstairs).

Need to get to a physio when they're back. Anyone any advice in the meantime?

What's the heel to toe drop on your trainers like and do you use orthotic insoles?

I've a bunch of different trainers all around 6- 9 mm drop. I've never used orthotics.

I've been running for a few years now and haven't had this pain before. This happened a few weeks after the marathon. Did a threshold session Tues (probably too early in fairness) and then the shin went on the next days recovery run.

Not much to offer really. I had a quick look in the back of the 'Lore Of Running' book and they are talking about stress fractures being a possibility too.

He also makes a joke about shin splints being the answer to any injury a runner had in the early days!

I really hope it's not a stress fracture! I think shin splints is a bit of a catch all for any shin related pain.

Maybe just coming back too much too quickly? You could try just dialling it right back and doing run/ walk sessions to start with, and just build it up much slower and from a much lower point.

Its really frustrating, but the alternative is too often a cycle of repeated injury

I'm sure you should get a proper diagnosis though. All the same if you don't have that book yet it's well worth it. It was recommended to me on this thread and I really rate it.