Garmin Forerunner 201 GPS Speedometer

Perfect Gadget for Walkers and Runners

Every walker and runner should have one. A single wrist unit uses GPS satellites to trace your outdoor workout. Displays speed, distance, pace, time, laps in large display. Charts your route as you walk or run, and can point you back to start. Pace alerts and a virtual partner can pace your workout. Can download all data to computer with the provided serial interface and free Forerunner Logbook software, or use free online GPS Visualizer.

The Garmin Forerunner is a single wrist unit that communicates with the GPS satellite system to know where you are at all times. It therefore calculates how fast you are moving, what direction you are heading, and how far you have gone. It has a rechargeable battery good for 14 hours.

GPS does not work indoors or when down in a gully or in an area of tall buildings - the unit needs some sky to acquire the satellite signal. But it does remember where it was if you go inside a building and then come out again.

The Garmin Forerunner is ready to walk or run right out the box, as soon as you charge the battery. Just step outside and let it find the satellites for the first time, set your weight if you want it to estimate calories burned, and you are ready to go with no other calibration. You can set some preference such as miles vs. kilometers, and your time zone. You may also want to set your preferred pace for some of the pacing features.

To begin a walk or run, simply turn it on, let it find a satellite (this usually takes under a minute), press start and take off. You can switch between modes while in use. To end your session, press stop. The Forerunner automatically saves all data for review or deletion at any time.

Timer Mode displays the elapsed time of your walk or run session in hours, minutes, seconds, and hundredths of seconds. Below that is pace or speed, you can choose either, displayed as minutes per mile or per kilometer and miles per hour or kilometers per hour. Next to that, distance is displayed in mils or kilometers. The Mode button is used to chage pace to speed and back again.

To record a lap, you can set it to auto-record laps based on distance, including handy pre-set choices like mile, 5K, 10K, half-marathon and marathon. Or you can just press the Reset/lap button to save a lap.

To view your current lap, press the Up button. Pressing it again you can view your own custom screen. Pressing it again you can see your rest times and distances if you use the Auto Pause feature.

I found it fairly intuitive to use the timer mode. I am always confused as to how to start and end laps with any sports watch, so having the auto-lap feature relieves me of that worry.

The number display is large and it has a backlight feature for night use.

You can switch between Timer, Training Assistant, and Navigation Modes while in use without problem.

Auto Pause - set this to stop the timer when your pace falls below a selected number, so that you are not recording time at stop lights or on bathroom breaks.

Auto Lap - Set this to automatically record laps at designated distances. I love this feature, now I can compare each mile without having to remember to press Lap.

Virtual Partner - Set your virtual partner to go a distance, time, or pace of your choice. Then while in this mode, you can see your partner on the top of the display and you below and the message bar tells you if you are ahead or behind and by how much.

Pace and Speed Alerts - set it to beep when you have reached your upper or lower limits for pace and speed - another way to keep you on pace.

Time and Distance Alerts - set it to beep at specific elapsed times or distances.

Setting Profiles - access this in the Settings Mode to give you some quick picks for the alerts and for your Virtual Partner. Set your preferred paces for sprinting, running, jogging, speed walking, and walking.

Map Mode: This is why I had to buy it. As you walk or run, it draws a map of your path and shows your compass heading. You can switch back and forth from this to Timer Mode. Your map and altitude profile is automatically saved and can later be viewed on the computer for each walk/run session.

Back to Start: This feature directs you back the same way you came, telling you where to turn with the map and arrow, and how long it's going to take for you to get there.

Marking and Finding Locations: You can mark up to 100 locations, and label and edit them. Later, you can Find these locations and have them shown on the map with compass headings and distances. No street maps or topo maps are provided, however.

History Mode
You can review every walk/run session through the History Mode.
By Day - see each session with time, distance, pace, and calories, and view by laps. You can also view the Map of each.
By Week - view weekly totals or drill down by day.
History Totals - See the totals. You can also delte any single workout session or the entire history.

Downloading To Computer
A serial cable and free Forerunner Logbook software are provided, see the review on
Page 2 - Logbook