Garmin Advice and Running Gift Ideas

I'm still getting hilarious comments and stories in my inbox this morning from my post Surprise Farts in Yoga Class.  Thank you for all the funny stories. Life is so much better with laughter and lots of it!  I plan on putting all my blog, facebook and personal e-mail stories from people all together in one big blog but until then, if you're needing a laugh or two, check them out.

My friend called me this morning to tell me that her husband had mentioned that he wanted a Garmin watch for Christmas.  As some of you remember, I also asked for one of these trendy running gifts for Christmas and put it on my blog post Vision Collages and This Runner's Birthday Wish List.  Some of you gave me some good advice on that post and I think I've decided that I want the Garmin without the heart rate monitor.  However, I still have some questions and would appreciate any advice or knowledge you can provide.

1.  What are the benefits of having the Garmin with the heart rate monitor and keeping track of your heart rate?


2. What kind of Garmin would you recommend for someone who is only using it for running?


3.  Pros and Cons of having a Garmin?  I've heard that some runners become too dependent on them....how is this a problem?  I've always been what I heard someone call a "naked" runner other than using my watch to time my runs and then calculate later.  I have a pretty good "internal garmin" and can run 8 min mile pace in my sleep and can usually "feel" a 7ish pace too but I'm thinking the Garmin will help me push myself to run at faster paces and hold on for longer.  The treadmill works this way for me.  I can put it on say a 6ish pace and then just hold on and try not to fly off...it does the pace for me and I just keep up.  So, really, I'm thinking there are for sure more BENEFITS to a Garmin than not.  ??

Thanks for any advice or wisdom you have to give!

Also, I know that many of us have written similar blogs about Christmas Wish Lists for Running (I did mine for my birthday) but I figure we can never have enough of those lists to share with our family and the people out there that want to spoil a Runner in their life this Christmas.  So, what is on your Runner Holiday Wish List this year or what would you say is a MUST Have for newbie and veteran Runners alike??  



Amanda