Monday, December 27, 2010

Garmin Virgin and Time For Books!

Just a quickie  post (do you like how I've used the word quickie and virgin in just the first several words of this post?) before I close the computer so I can use this designated mommy/kid quiet time for some reading.  I've found that since I started this blog, I don't get nearly enough reading fit in my day....so many books just stacked up here collecting dust.  My most recent goal is to actually get into a study/reading mode and devote a solid stretch of time to just reading, taking notes, learning from my books, and escaping in a good story (usually my book club book).  I definitely enjoy all the blog reading that I've been doing but I realize that I need a balanced literary life and that means getting off the blogs and into some good ol' books!


I'll get to the Garmin Virgin part in a minute.


Here is what is on the reading list for the next hoping for 2 hours.  Yeah right, between my Mommy ADHD and the many interruptions from these little people wanting their every need met by ME, I am not so sure what will be accomplished.  But I have high hopes.  Oh, speaking of that ADD (and ADHD), as I was saying....Here is my reading list for this week:


1.  Brain Training for Runners.  Loving it so far!  I started it last night and everything I have read so far is great!  Thanks for the recommendation Jill!  This just might be what I use for my next marathon plan.  In addition to accounting for all the important components of a training program, it also accounts for drills to help train the brain/body to improve and change running form, which as many of you know, can be a hard thing to change.

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2.  Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant (Book Club Book for this month).  I will finish the book this month. I will.  I will.  I will not be a Book Club slacker.  And I will bring thoughtful and reflective conversation to share about the book.  I have high hopes for this month and getting a grip on my book club slacker self.

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3.  My Garmin 205 Manual.  So much to Learn.  Here are a few lessons I've learned already:

  *  You are in control of your Garmin.  Your Garmin does not control you.

  *   Do NOT look at your Garmin every 2 seconds or you will slow down! And you will look like a fool doing it.


    *  Try to forget that the Garmin is there.  You will run much better if you allow yourself to just settle into your natural rhythm without worrying about what pace you are running.  

*  This brings me to figuring out how to set up my Garmin so that it automatically records/has a lap set of every mile.  I know it should be able to do something like this?  And I think it should be able to alert me with a sound at every mile.  This will help me to just let go of the constant checking.  

*  The Run will be much better if I just allow myself to relax and run like I know how to run.  I can look at the Garmin stats later.  I've been doing just fine with my running without a Garmin so no need to let it totally mess up my mojo!  

Off to get some reading done!  Thankful for this  quiet time carved into my day!  





1.  What is on your current reading list other than blogs?  


2.  Do you have a Garmin?  If so, was there a learning curve for you when you first started running with it?


Amanda

25 comments:

  1. The last book I read was Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks back in November. Loved it! I'm bad about reading more than blogs or trashy celeb gossip. oops!

    It took me a while to get use to my Garmin. And for the first few runs, I looked at my watch constantly, I finally got over it. Give it some time! But..I do LOVE your picture of you staring at your watch. That's totally what I looked like I'm sure! : )

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  2. My currently reading/to read list looks like this:
    *Basic Illustrated Map and Compass (basically a nice way to say "Orienteering for dummies"
    *Mountain Bike Like a Champion
    *Triathlon 101
    *Teach Like a Champion (notice a theme)
    *Her Fearful Symmetry (My one fiction selection right now...I loved Time Traveler's Wife, so I'm really excited to read this.)

    If I could excel at doing something by reading about it, I'd be set. :)

    No Garmin, so I can't help you there.

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  3. My reading list currently includes beginning the Twilight series and some other random books that I have in my house.

    As for my Garmin, YES, it took me a while to get things sorted with it. You can set it to lap at each mile as well as make a sound. Mine does both and I too have the 205. I probably don't use it for everything I could but I do enjoy it!

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  4. My dad got me The Runner's Palate for Christmas so I will definitely be reading that. I'm also in the middle of many books right now! Committed, Born to Run, and my Personal Trainer text book...oops! I would also really like to check out Brain Training for Runners. You are absolutely right...since blogging, I have also been reading less...

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  5. LOL at the Garmin photos!!

    OK...I really want that book now! Brain trainer for runners...

    I am reading a book about anger in children. Pretty eye opening! (Parents have to make sure they are in control of their tempers first...ahem..oops)

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  6. Yup I have a Garmin and it's take me YEARS to not look at it every darn second. I'm getting better!! I'm currently readiing Running and Philosophy.

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  7. My current reading list consists of (aside from Runners World magazine) Adam Carolla's new book. Very deep, I know!

    Garmin wise - I am so far from knowing all that it has to offer me. Somehow mine started beeping at every mile! I don't know if it always did or if I told it to. I TRY, but fail, to just look when I hear the beep to see how each mile is going. I look at it way too much, but not as much as I did at first, so that's good I suppose!

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  8. I'm reading Freedom by Jonathon Franzen--an awesome read!!!!!

    As to my Garmin, well....I have found I am not a Garmin person, so mine is collecting dust! good luck figuring yours out.

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  9. Ha ha...that picture of you looking at your Garmin was hilarious!! It is sooo tempting to look at it all the time, but it's so much better if you don't!

    Right now I'm reading, "Going Long." So far I really like it!

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  10. I am just starting the Year of Magical Thinking, I am going to try to read more this year too although I have to admit I am a blog/gossip junkie.
    as for your Garmin, you will settle into it. the first week i lived on every beep stat etc....now i just use the beep for mileage, but i love getting home and looking at all of the stats. Good luck!

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  11. garmins are addicting little devices! I love it! Best read ever, haha. Enjoy!
    LC

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  12. I look at my splits only on the Garmin so it does not detract from my running. I just finished Meb's book. I will be starting Unbroken today.

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  13. I don't have a current reading list...I used to be such a HUGE reader..now life seems to get in the way more often then not.

    I've got the 205 myself and you'll get used to it so you don't stare at it all the time...it's just so damn cool at first! Congrats on getting one and hope you get some non-blog reading done!

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  14. yeah...I haven't read a 'book' in prob a year. The horror! AND i belong to 2 book clubs;-)

    But I believe you'll find the balance with books and blogging. At the beginning for me I couldn't keep away from the bloggy world. Now...I go ~3x's a week for ~30 min plus..more or less. But it's ebbs and flows.

    And I think I wanna get a kindle...am I crazy?

    oh, and I do have a GARMIN and only use it during my ~3mo's of super training leading up to a big race.

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  15. I think I'll keep the Pfitz book- it really has some good info and inspiring bios...Hope you don't regret it!!

    Who knows, I might end up wishing i had done his plan, instead. Just a few conflicts held me back.

    Thanks for your comment :)

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  16. BAHAHA!! You are absolutely adorable. I love the pics of you and the Garmin....I check mine every three seconds though:) I am so excited for you! I made Billy read the manual and teach me everything. Loved the virgin and quickie reference...my kind of humor!! I am reading 50 50 by Dean Karnazes and it is amazing. I love reading books to train the mind for endurance events....I read 'Mind Gym' recently and it was so good. Thank you for the sweet comments, you always make my day. Pretty sure since I am in Orange County often we should plan a run together:)

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  17. Crap for some reason I though you were in San Diego. Why do you have to live all the way in Oregon. Boo. Big Sur Marathon together? You have run in NEW ZEALAND!!! Oh and I make sure to tell my students all about my running ha. I think I will talk about my boston training this week...as soon as I make it up:)

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  18. HA! I can imagine that's how I'd be with the Garmin, but I'll never know. Well...unless Santa brings me one someday.
    I'm reading "Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" and "Murder at the Brown Palace" right now. Not exactly my normal fare, but there you go...

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  19. I'm a total Garmin addict so I totally loved your pics. I use monitor my Garmin to slow me down on my easy days, because I have a tendency to run too fast on the slow days. I am totally, EXACTLY, like your pics in the early miles of a marathon so that I am sure I am NOT going out too fast.

    mile splits - press mode, select training, then training options, alerts, time/distance alert, select the distance alert and select once, and then alert at - 1.00 mile.

    Then go to training options, auto lap, auto lap trigger- set at by distance, and then lap at - 1 mile.

    hope that helps. I think that will give you the beep and the mile splits.

    my Garmin wasn't charged for my Christmas run, so I had to go "old school" and guess my distance by time/pace, and if I really wanted to know the distance, go ride in the car to see (I didn't take the ride, but I wondered about the exact mileage) LOVE my GARMIN.

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  20. or sometimes called a "purist runner", which I am NOT. (Garmin, Ipod, bring on the gadgets - I must have them!)

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  21. The Garmin is a great tool, but it is only that. You are right on the money in saying that you need to pay attention to the road and your body instead of the Garmin every 20 seconds.

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  22. I am reading "Griftopia: Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That Is Breaking America". So far, it's just making me angry because it explains how we got into the economic crisis of the past few years and I don't like the explanation. Anyhoo, I am reading it on my Kindle which I got for Christmas and I LOVE IT!

    As for the Garmin, Happy Feet's instructions should work and I am with her, I love the Garmin. I hope you love your Garmin too! Love the pics!

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  23. My reading list keeps getting longer and I don't seem to get to it quickly enough. I just got Meb's book so will be starting that very soon.

    I don't remember how long it took me to figure out my watch but I tend to learn just enough to get it to do what I need instead of trying to figure everything out which is overwhelming causing me to get in the procrastination mode.

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  24. I am using my Christmas break to catch up on my reading. I am now on my 5th book since break started, and I am loving having this time to read books that have been sitting on my shelf for way too long!!

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  25. Ok, those running pictures were making me laugh - but in a fun way :). I rarely wear my Garmin in a race of a 1/2 or longer because the watch suddenly becomes me againt it and I find myself looking at it 3000 times/minute. It's hard not to become a slave to the watch! Hey, if you figure out how to make it beep every mile, let me know! I have not invested much time in my Garmin at all! I so need to....but you know, I've only had it for 19 months, can't be rushed into that! Ha.

    I hope you like the Brain Training Book....I find it's one of my most favorite because, like Jack Daniels (my other favorite), it incorporates VO2 training and set your paces accordingly. LOVE IT! It's not some generic "here you go" plan you find online. Let me know how you end up liking it!

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