One of the perks to working out and training for races is that you can justify toys and gear.  When I’m running, I love having my lap times.  I’ve use a Timex Ironman with heart rate monitor for years.  Well this spring Katie and I received a joint gift from family – a Garmin 410 watch (Amazon affiliate link).  This piece of gear has made my training so simple!

My training tool - the Garmin 410

The Garmin tracks my route via GPS and tracks each mile as I run.  When I’m done, I just plug in a USB stick into my Mac and the watch wirelessly syncs my training data to my Garmin Connect account.  Taking this to the next level, I connected my Garmin account to DailyMile and so all my training is posted where my friends can see it.  This watch allows me to focus on my running and training.  I love tracking my mile splits and seeing how I can alter my runs, going out fast vs. a steady pace.  The Garmin brings this data to my computer seamlessly.

Here’s what the Garmin Connect data looks like when my watch syncs:

Is this watch cheap?  No.

Is it necessary.  No.

Is it a perk?  Absolutely.  But if you see your training as a healthy habit worth than you can justify it!

Question: Do you use a watch for training?  How do you monitor your workouts?