Good runners watch for my girlfriend?

James Varty said:

My girlfriends' birthday is coming up and I thought I'd buy her a watch for
running. She's in a running club and goes road running 4 times a week,
approx 5 - 8 miles each time. I think she'd specifically like a hear rate
monitor on it, but I guess other running specific functions would be useful.
Just wondered if anyone had any tips on what would be a good one to get her?

What is your price range? Does she currently own a heart rate monitor?
This might help the group narrow your options down.

I use a Polar RS200 w/footpod that tells time, speed, distance and heart
rate and I like it (even though I recently had some trouble with its
distance accuracy).

--
Ylan

"The universe is not required to be in
perfect harmony with human ambition"
~ Carl Sagan

James Varty said:

My girlfriends' birthday is coming up and I thought I'd buy her a watch for
running. She's in a running club and goes road running 4 times a week,
approx 5 - 8 miles each time. I think she'd specifically like a hear rate
monitor on it, but I guess other running specific functions would be useful.
Just wondered if anyone had any tips on what would be a good one to get her?

Cheers

James

James,
She uses that watch to time her orgasms, as I ram my 14"er up her hot
little puss. Please do get her a heartrate monitor, we'll see how high
her rate goes when I sink in all 14"s, and her new watch to time our
time in the bushes while she's pretending to be running.

James Varty said:

My girlfriends' birthday is coming up and I thought I'd buy her a watch for
running. She's in a running club and goes road running 4 times a week,
approx 5 - 8 miles each time. I think she'd specifically like a hear rate
monitor on it, but I guess other running specific functions would be useful.
Just wondered if anyone had any tips on what would be a good one to get her?

Cheers

James

In addition to Ylan's questions, what type of features has she commented
on that she'd like or not like - or hasn't she given any hints yet? It
would be good to get her a watch with features that she really wants -
rather than what a group of strangers thinks is cool.😉 Some folks like
basic, some like geeky.

A couple basic features (besides cost) can help narrow the field - size
of watch (wear it just while running or all day), heart rate monitor
(hrm) (sounds like she may have suggested this already), downloadable to
computer, distance estimates, barometric altimeter (elevation change
profile), readily accessible lap button. How many hr zones can be set.
Ability to hold more than one data set. Programmable exercise sets.
Ability to see hr (or %max hr), elapsed time, split times - I think most
hrms provide this but could be wrong.

If she hasn't given any hints, you might be able to casually ask
questions that might provide clues.

FWIW, I use a Polar S625x. The features I value are hrm, readily
accesssible lap button, downloadable, altimeter (I run hills), distance
estimates, not excessively heavy on arm (but heavier than I'd wear all
day). But if she doesn't care about elevation change, then the RS200
(sd?) that Ylan mentions would probably work well (doesn't have some
extra features that 625 has and I don't care about).

While I tend to be on the geeky end of playing with numbers after a run,
I seldom actually look at the hrm while running, except to get an idea
of how long I've been running. Many people just want something to see
the basics while they're running and don't do anything with the data
afterwards - in fact some can't imagine why anyone would want a
downloadable hrm.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Dot

--
Just wing it, it's an adventure; don't think about strategy.
~Julie Udchachon, in reference to the upcoming Susitna 2006

i have a mio ultimate heart rate monitor. you dont need a strap around
your chest but you can use one if you want continuous readout. I find
that i never use strap and cant imagine having to put a strap and gel
on everytime i go out door. strapless is more accurate.