best GPS/pacing gadget please?

[JennyOnTheBlocks]

Hi all, about to embark on VLM training and up until now have relied (read as spat/sworn and cursed at) RunKeeper free app on my phone for distance and pacing info

I'm obviously getting into some serious miles and pace now, so want to be able to plot and plan, so need a reliable GPS/pacer.

I've got about £100 to spend, not interested in HRM, just distance and current pace. I know everyone automatically thinks 'Garmin', but any other recommendations, please?

Thanks

I have the garmin f10. Love it, but only has a 5 hour battery so would be no good for marathon training but a lot of people at my club have and rate the garmin 210

Good luck with your training. Very jealous you have a marathon place :)

i never thought about battery life, blooming good point!

and i only applied through the ballot thinking no way would i be so lucky to get a place
i had a hysterectomy in May this year, at a consultation in April i asked my surgeon if he thought i'd be fit enough ever to run a marathon, so sort of applied as a challenge to myself, never imagining i'd actually be successful..and here I am

I automatically think Garmin but haven't tried anything else

the FR10 has a 5 hour training life, so would see you round a marathon in a pace of 11:30 or quicker - do you have a goal pace in mind?

I have the 220 and it has an incredibly long battery life, training and otherwise

am really really really pleased with it

the last 10k i ran with average pace of 10.48, and that was with a lot of walking, so the FR10 might see me through?

do they lose capacity much?

My f10 is just shy of 12 months and has been used solidly 4/5 times a week and got me through my half marathon. Still going strong even if this morning it seemed forever to pick up bloomin signal while I danced around in the rain

it's more than 4x 10ks in a row you're aiming to run though

I guess the pace of your long run will be your guide and it depends how crucial it is to you to have the pacer thing on your wrist and to have a record of the marathon at the end

isn't there a newer FR10 out now, it might have a longer training life?

The new one is the fr15 that has 8hour battery not too badly priced either

yeah, that remark was a bit Mitchy, sorry DD is bugging me, i realise marathon training is very serious

what i meant was, I didn't train for the 10 race at all, just knew I could run/walk the distance because i'd gone out and done it a few times before the event.

northern, that's the trouble i have with the phone app (and it not being easily visible), the GPS signal lets me down

my remark..oh ffs, now that looks as if i'm ing at Mitchy

might have to leave this for now and come back when DD is in bed

and thanks for replies so far

I didn't mean anything horrible by that, at all, just that 10k pace and marathon pace might be quite far apart - they tend to be for most people

maybe they won't be though, is still a long way off

was really thinking out loud, sorry!

x-post the x-posting

i should know better than try to do anything when DD is about

that's another reason i love running - time with nothing going on but my own thoughts

the advice is usually to double your half marathon time and add half an hour

but anyway sorry, can see how that might have sounded!

the watch is mainly to keep me on track while training tbh, i've a habit of leaping off too fast, which obviously is unsustainable at any distance.

fastes mile i've got is sub 10..like i'm going to keep that going

you might though, there will be a lot of running between now and then

I really truly didn't mean to be at all 'do you realise the distance' was honestly just thinking out loud about the difference between 10k and a marathon

and strayed way away from your question about watches - you definitely shouldn't be running for more than 5 hours at a time in training so the FR10 would be ideal, it's just a possibility that if something happened on the day (eg delayed start or whatever) it might not record the whole run

wouldn't it be fabulous if i could

might have to increase my budget then - has anyone used any of the Timex ones? they are cheaper

you might want to check out www.dcrainmaker.com/ he's done a vast number of very in depth reviews, also plenty of discussion of the various devices from subscribers to his blog

If you are able to increase your budget have a look at the Garmin Forerunner 610. I love mine so much! £160. I bought it on recommendation of workmate who is super fit and does a lot of long runs. It has very long battery life and would definitely get you through a marathon.

Good luck with your training!

thanks everyone - i'm loathe to spend too much as i'm not thinking of making long distance a habit [famous last words emoticon?]

it's cost me £100s so far in shoes/race fees/reflective clothing etc, i'm skint [weeps into kit bag]

Well, I went out for some trail shoes (parkrun route is more than half off the path) and came back with those and a TomTom watch!

it was the battery life that swayed me, thanks for all your help here

Yey! Happy running