Garmin 305

[bestathlete]

I think there may have been a thread on the old forum on this very subject
but then again maybe it was on another forum altogether.

Anyway

I'm considering getting the Garmin Forerunner 305 and wondered if anyone can recommend it?
My particular concern is regarding hilly routes (I dont expect I am in the minority here when I say I run up a lot of hills) - does the GPS technology allow for steep gradients within a route or does it just measure your distance as viewed from above (the satellite) as if the terrain was flat?

I suspect there could be some significant difference between the two measurements if you were to run for 2hrs+ over some of the big mountains in Cumbria.

I know you can download the GPS coordinates of your run to a PC afterwards but I have a Mac and dont expect there will be software to enable this.

Any input good and bad from forumites would be appreciated

[Mud]

does it just measure your distance as viewed from above (the satellite) as if the terrain was flat?

I suspect there could be some significant difference between the two measurements if you were to run for 2hrs+ over some of the big mountains in Cumbria.

You'd think so, wouldn't you? Bob W's sums halfway down http://www.aqvi55.dsl.pipex.com/run/bob_graham.htm suggest not though.

[clodhopper]

It's really not very much different. When you download onto Anquet and look at flat distance and actual distance (taking into account the extra distance due to running up/down slopes) you'd be disapointed if you think it amounts to all that much.
To give you an example. I do a run that on the flat distance is 12.71 miles with 1706' of ascent/descent. When this hidden length is added by Anquet the distance is 12.74 miles. Not worth worrying about.

[discochesney]

The elevation data from the garmin can be pretty poor and cant be relied upon. But what you can do is import the the gps data on your pc to readily available mapping software to then get an accurate elevation profile - this is a useful tool. Would have thought Macs are supported by Garmin ??

[Zinal]

these are details from the same run about 2 days apart from my garmin 205
(Levens Park)

9.29 miles total ascent 1998ft total descent 1961ft
9.34 miles total ascent 1597ft total descent 1592ft

hmm

for distance I think it's ace, but apart from the difference of the 2 days,
I don't think this run has anything like that amount of climbing

some one suggested tinkering with the settings

[clodhopper]

these are details from the same run about 2 days apart from my garmin 205
(Levens Park)

9.29 miles total ascent 1998ft total descent 1961ft
9.34 miles total ascent 1597ft total descent 1592ft

hmm

for distance I think it's ace, but apart from the difference of the 2 days,
I don't think this run has anything like that amount of climbing

some one suggested tinkering with the settings

As you say, distance is good especially on the open fell but height is absolutely rubbish and I wouldnt bother with it. Sar better to download to mapping software which will then give you a more accurate height mesurement

[emmilou]

I'm still getting to grips with my 305 - not using it to anywhere near it's potential at the moment HELP!! what's the best mapping software to download?

my runs have transferred onto the basic programme that came with it but I can't find any GPS coordinates!

[clodhopper]

I'm still getting to grips with my 305 - not using it to anywhere near it's potential at the moment HELP!! what's the best mapping software to download?

my runs have transferred onto the basic programme that came with it but I can't find any GPS coordinates!

I use Anquet, Emmilou. Don't know if it's the best or not it's just the one I use. Cost a fair bit but you get from the midlands to the top of Scotland on 1:50000 OS maps which you can print off at will. When you've been for a run with your 305 you can then download to Anquet and it draws the route you've run onto the map. You can then look at things like height gain, distance and do cool stuff like a virtual 3D flight around your route. It's really good if you've been randomly trogging about off path so you can review precisely where you've been.
TBH Anquet or similar is great to have even if you have'nt got a GPS.

[wycoller]

This was discussed on the old forum and I think that we came to the conclusion that it depends on how much smoothing your software does on the raw data.

If you walk along with your 305 you'll see that the height is always moving a few feet even though you are on the flat. On a fell run you can imagine that you are going up and down quite a bit in and out of groughs etc, but mapping software won't count this. A good programme should smooth this out and show no ascent or descent - unfortunately the garmin software doesn't seem to do this.

I use sporttracks which has variable settings. This always show less climb than from Garmin training centre and I believe is reasonably accurate.

My avatar is the elevation profile for Kirk Fell from a race and it is pretty much spot on.

[clodhopper]

avatar is the elevation profile for Kirk Fell from a race and it is pretty much spot on.

It also precisely resembles the pile of rubble I've been meaning to shift from our back garden for weeks now