The Garmin Forerunner 110 is ideal for runners who want an easy-to-use sports watch which keeps track of all of their basic stats. In the past, GPS-enabled watches have been designed with more advanced runners in mind and they have required a high level of technical know-how to get them set up correctly. The Garmin 110 simplifies that.
The Forerunner 110 gives you the distance, time, and pace, plus you can upload the information to your computer via Garmin Connect, Garmin’s online training log, to keep track of your stats, get reports, and plan routes. The GPS watch comes with a heart rate monitor package at extra cost which also gives you calories burned during your workout. The watch is a bit pricy for some with a $250 retail price tag for the complete package and $199.99 for the GPS watch without the heart rate monitor. But it runs cheaper than the higher end models that have all the bells and whistles that many runners don’t actually ever use.
Looks and Functionality
Unlike many of the earlier GPS fitness watches, the Garmin 110 is an attractive looking watch for everyday use. The original Garmin GPS watches made you look like you were wearing a small computer. The Forerunner 110 has four buttons–one on each corner–which make it easy to operate. A black unisex model is available or you can choose the women’s (pink stripe) and men’s (red stripe) models with the heart rate monitor package.
GPS capability
The Forerunner 110 has a fully operational GPS system. With the GPS, you can try new routes without worrying about getting lost, easily keep track or pace and mileage, and see your routes on a map when you get home. Like many smaller GPS units, the signal to the satellite can be blocked if you run in areas surrounded with trees and tall buildings, however, our tester had good results running in wooded areas and minimal interference among suburban buildings. It can take up to one minute to find reception from the time you turn the watch on—especially if it has been moved some distance while turned off. But our tester found that, under normal circumstances, it generally got a satellite lock in a matter of seconds. Finding itself after a move took longer.
Distance and Pace
Pace is the area where some runners have the most concerns about the Garmin Forerunner 110. The unit gives you the overall average pace and average lap pace. It does not give the current pace. Average pace and lap pace is what most runners desire when they do training runs and events. Unless you do a lot of track workouts and interval training, you probably don‘t need more pace features. If you desire actual pace, look to higher end models within the Garmin line.
Heart monitor package
The heart monitor package comes on both men’s and women’s models for an extra $50. As you continue to train as a runner, you will want to keep track of your heart rate. Setting a target heart rate can improve your performance and keep your heart healthy. You can upload and analyze heart rate data easily with the 110 model to see if you are improving.
Garmin Connect
Your Garmin Forerunner 110 comes with a USB cable for connection to your home computer or laptop. Garmin Connect is the program which you can download and use to analyze all the information your Forerunner has collected. You can set goals and view your progress toward those goals. You can also share the information with others through your internet connection via email or social connections, such as Facebook or Twitter.
Final Thoughts
The Garmin Forerunner 110 is a high-tech gadget which can meet two goals–it can help you be a better runner and it can add the fun element to your daily workouts. If you need motivation to get out there every day, Forerunner 110 may just be the ticket. You can use the stats to concentrate on your goals, whether they be just finishing an event, increasing speed, or running further.
