Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Garmin Grief

1.

Note: The following is not a serious and thoughtfully crafted poem meant to be looked at as quality writing.  It is merely me writing in free verse because I'm too lazy to write in narrative to tell about my poor Garmin.  

Oh Garmin
Enabler
Motivator
My coach
    on my wrist.


My pacer
    telling me 
that
I'm Right On!
Need to Speed Up
On track for a PR or
         That 
  I royally Suck Today!


You,
My Garmin
Me


You and Me.


Attachment
Love
Connected through the
      beep beeps
That tell me another mile has passed. 
My effort is being tracked.


Thinking now
about the years and years
                         That I ran alone,
                                     without you.
Only a watch,
a start, stop and lap.  
Good enough.  Until You.


But now, I regret not wearing you correctly. 


If only
My bony wrists 
Didn't hurt from 
your
Massive and awkward Size (okay, good thing this isn't a real poem because this totally sounds like a "That's what she said opportunity)
   So big that people 
make jokes about you at races
    "Did you watch movies on that thing?!"


So I took you off.
carried you, 
   while I jogged
my awesome race course 
   coming up in May (Hippie Chick).


Set you down to stretch.
And
Drove off without you.
You on my car, 
clinging on for dear life as I sped away,
Throwing you to your end.


You,
Abandoned
Alone
Afraid
in a parking lot full of teenagers
who


ran you over,
crushed your intelligence,
and left you to be alone with your final 
                   beep beep beeps


Now here you are...
Found but crushed
Only able to beep at me
   while I wipe your drool from your distorted screen.  


Grief
Mourning


Searching
on Amazon 
for 
Another
You.


or better version perhaps.  


You,
Garmin 205
  are 
expensive
intelligent
wise
 but


Disposable and
Replaceable.




1. So, now the question is.  Do I get another Garmin 205 (reasonably priced) or do I use this opportunity to get a better model? Or do I just try to run without one?   I'm thinking that I don't need all the bells and the whistles.  I've only had this Garmin since Christmas and I was fine without it but now I have been handicapped without it.  Or so it feels. 


2.  Last night when I was driving back to the crime scene to find Garmin, I found myself stressed, worried and really bummed out! But then I reminded myself that this was silly to get so bummed about something materialistic.  My true treasures are my family and loved ones.  Seriously, this put things in perspective and I was able to just let my silly Garmin go.  Even if I don't get a new Garmin right away, I have my family, a home and my legs to let me run!  Time for a little Old School Training like they did before these Garmins came into existence!  :)  Do you have a Garmin?  




Amanda

57 comments:

  1. go 310xt. the ANT wireless feature is great.

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  2. Oh man that stinks!!! So sorry! I love my Garmin. If I were you, I'd go for an upgrade if you can swing it.

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  3. Aw, thats so sad! I love my 110 but it is basic basic and doesn't really have any features except for pace and distance.

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  4. I love my Garmin 405! Got it on Amazon with a heartrate monitor for 187. :)

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  5. Oh my!! You're right though, you've got your family, loved ones and legs that still run! Blessings, all of them. However, I'd still go for another Garmin. Your poem said it all perfectly...

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  6. I have a Garmin 205 - don't know how I ran without one - GET ANOTHER!!

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  7. I have a Garmin 305 and I love it. I love my big screen and buttons because I'm blind.

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  8. I saw your first picture and I did and audible NOOOOOOO at my computer screen.

    I don't have a Garmin but I am not of the calliber you are. Plus we are broke with mommy staying at home and living off of a social workers salary lol

    If you loved it and can swing it I would get it. It is such a major investment. The lady at my running store was super excited to get hers and hers is the new 410. Once I am faster and really start to cover some distance I am thinking maybe Christmas for me to get one. I would try all the usual outlets for cheaper though, like Ebay and Amazon~

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  9. My condolences! I am hiding my Garmin's eyes so it cannot see the crime scene photos...poor baby!

    I love my Garmin. I have the 305, but would get the 205 if I needed a new one. I like being able to program my intervals in it. It allows me to do intervals on the road and set my desired pace. I have about 25 workouts that I go through. I would totally get another after the initial grief is relieved.

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  10. I DO have a Garmin -- and I am so in love with it, that, well, let's just say I am really empathizing with you. Those pictures are breaking my heart. I need a tissue.

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  11. Even in your grief, your quick attempt at an off-the-cuff poem rings so true with the pathos and humanity of a grief many Garmin owners are eventually faced with.

    Garmin has a $50 rebate on the 110 if you buy the black basic model through Dick's Sporting Goods.

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  12. I really like my 405! You might like the size as well.

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  13. I do crap like this all the time. I'm just glad my kids are no longer in removable car seat/carriers. I used to have nightmares I would place them on the the roof of the car and then drive off.

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  14. Bummer! I don't have a Garmin...yet. I want one so bad!

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  15. OH no!!! We all know what a catastrophe that is!! At least it made for a great blog post! Your 150 dollar blog post. :) Yes, get another. I have the 305, same as 205 with heart rate monitor, I believe? However, you might like the 405 because it is a little smaller.

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  16. That poem is priceless! LOL! I'm so sorry you broke your Garmin!!!!!

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  17. Bummer. I have a garmin but 90% of my runs are on a treadmill so I sometimes forget I even have one. Mine is a round smaller size one that I like....ummm let's see it's the Forerunner 405. I like it. Good luck.

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  18. oh my! i am feeling a sense of panic for you. My garmin stopped picking up a satellite signal last week and I called them ASAP and then went to the post office to mail it back. they game me 10 days until I get a new one.
    That said I have the 310 xt which I am in love with , but they are coming out with the new 610 which has a touch screen. it didn't get bad reviews. definitely get another one though.

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  19. I gasped when I saw the destruction.
    (I was going to do a poem here, but what rhymes with destruction?)
    I like that you too have to remind yourself that material things can be replaced, or done without.
    In this case I would definitely replace.

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  20. hmm I'm torn between new model and just ditching it for a while. Tough choice

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  21. oh Amanda..I feel your pain! I was with a GPS for 2 years..and without one for about 9 months. To be honest, it sucked, but I survied! I even qualified for Boston w/o it. haha..who knew! I saw get another one....a smaller one. I have the 110 and it is w/o all the bells and whistles. It does it's job. :)

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  22. Oh no! If the size of the watch is an issue, maybe you might like the 405? I think its a little smaller and more compact. I have a 305 and love it. Most of all I love all the heartrate data the garmin provides, it keeps me in check so that I don't max myself out during runs and races. Prior to getting a garmin I ran races fine, but I think I would unknowigly be running at too fast a pace at some points, and I can simply look and see what my heartrate is at to see if I should slow down or speed up.

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  23. I have always been a "naked" runner. most technology I wore was an ironman watch. just ordered a garmin (305) last weekend. I'm going to try and run at least 1-2 times a week without it though. I don't want to be become dependent on it.

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  24. Ouch, I'd probably cry if something happened to my Garmin. I got a 305 recently on Amazon for about $130. The older models are cheaper.

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  25. i have a garmin. i sleep with it on. but i'd be curious to see train now...without it...like the cavemen used to do.

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  26. I think I'm going to cry..................and I don't even own a Garmin!!

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  27. Oh no!!! I just got mine and I feel like I could not run without it ever again :(

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  28. Such a sad picture! I have a 405 and it is way smarter than me...I don't even know all that it can do.

    But, more importantly, you ran the Hippie Chick course! How was it?! Can't wait for that race...

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  29. Oh no! I'm embarrassingly dependent on my Garmin, but that's probably more the OCD talking than anything else ;)

    I would have to buy a new one. No way could I go without. I have the 305, and it's just as bulky as yours looks. I would have loved the sleeker 405, but didn't want to spend the extra $$. I'm pretty happy with it, bony wrists and all.

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  30. You're a nut. The Garmin Eulogy-abandoned, alone, afraid....bahahaha! Yeah, no hope for that poor thing-CRUSHED.

    I'm not sure I could go long without my Garmin anymore. I would likely replace it very quickly. That being said I miss the freedom of the good old naked days. I like mine (405CX) because of the velcro wrist band and the fact that it's less massive and awkward:) I really only use it as a glorified watch though so I could get away with any model.

    Garmin or no Garmin, 1:29:)

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  31. Man that sucks. That's what she said.

    Seriously...sorry about the Garmin. I am cheap, so I'd go cheap. $117 on Amazon.

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  32. YOU. KILLED. IT. I hope they don't find out or else they might not let you buy another one. You might need to buy one via a fake name but keep it quiet or they'll find out.

    I happen to have a 305 (that my daughter stole) and 310xt for running and an edge500 (my bike) and edge305 (my wife's bike) for cycling. I think the 305 is the best of the lot and it is cost effective these days especially when it goes on sale at amazon.

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  33. Oh noo!!! That's so sad!! I bet you are pretty bummed! I have the forerunner 305, it is great and comes with a HR monitor!

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  34. This is hilarious! I love it so much. And I would feel the exact same way if my Garmin died. May yours rest in peace!

    I have the Garmin 405 and I love it. I got mine on bodytronics.com for like $185!! Great deal.

    Good luck replacing your lost love!

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  35. Oh, this is hilarious. And sad, of course.

    I would totally do something like this. I'm always driving off with a soda on the roof (God's way of telling me I don't need any more aspartame or caffeine), my ipod dangling from my bike bag (God's way of telling me I don't need music while I ride?), and in high school, I drove off with my marriage class egg babies on the roof of my car (God's way of telling me not to have children?). Only two of the ten (yes, 10...my teacher hated me) survived, and I cried. Lol. I ended up having to do a report about funeral costs, and I think my "A" in the class was largely because I did such a good job on that, despite my regrettable parenting skills.

    And I have no Garmin but have been coveting one for a year now. Maybe next Christmas.

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  36. Since you're so tiny, you may like the 405. That's what I have an I like it. I think seejanerun.com had them $100 off recently as did REI...but not sure about now. Check though.

    Sorry about your Garmin :(.

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  37. Oh no! I would have to get another one immediately! I have the 405 and love it. Of course it was a gift and I didn't have to buy it so thats easy for me to say...

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  38. oh nooo! def get the newer version. :) i hear its the bomdotcom. and it will help you get over your last one!

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  39. I have the 405CX model which is crazy expensive. I bought it because well, it came with the ADJUSTABLE velcro strap that fits a woman's wrist so much better. Little did I know that Garmin sells that strap on their website for 20 bucks. Oh wel. . . . BUT I love my 405 and I had the 305 prior to that. It did take some getting used to but I love it regardless. LOVE IT.

    And incidently . . . I left my beloved Nathan Hydration vest on the roof of my car and drove off. It was full of gu and blocks and water which when smushed together by oncoming traffic, makes an amazing glu that adheres said hydration vest to the road. This was BEFORE my 18 mile race mind you. Ah good times! :-) I no longer put ANYTHING on the roof of my car. I've lost way too many coffee cups that way too. Sigh.

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  40. Geesh, what a violent death! I could barely look at the photographs, I expected some blood drops.
    I would get another, you know you want it! You know you can't live without it! Just do it. The sooner, the better :) !

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  41. Oh no..that really, really sucks! I'm so sorry!! I love my Garmin, but I have the 305. It's great b/c you can use it for multiple sports (running, biking, etc...). So, because I'm a triathlete, I love it! If you think you might like the different features for different sports, you should look into it!

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  42. That is a sad sight :(, I'm sorry for your loss. I too have had my garmin since Christmas and cannot even imagine going back to the the days without it.

    May it rest in peace.

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  43. I just got my 305 Garmin in january. I dont know how I did without for so long.. b/c I got up this mornig for a run. Put my garmin on and tried to turn it on. It would do nothing. I was so bummed. I called the company and they told me to push the start button and the lap button at the same time and that should start it. Than plug it into the computer to recharge. It worked. Thank Goodness

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  44. I have the 301xt and love it. You will be happy to get something newer that is also faster responding. By the way, check out DC rainmaker's blog. Garmin just came out with a new one and it looks really nice. Treat yourself, go for it!

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  45. Oh No!!!! So sorry!

    I got the 305 for Mother's day last year, after running 14 years without one. You can definitely find reasonably priced older models, I think mine was $130 at Best Buy.

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  46. OOOPSY!
    that sucks.
    I got one for Christmas also and I would cry If this was mine. This was a gift from Bill and of course I was happy to get one, but I was happier that this meant he GOT how important running was to me. I got really small wrists I wear mine at the very last hook. I have a 305, I never use the Heart monitor so I would get another 205.
    I am cheap so there you go.

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  47. Oh, no! I would be oh so sad. I use a 305. For. every. run!

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  48. Poor Garmin :(
    I have a 405, got in for my bday this past Jan. I love that thing. I'm not sure what I would do if it was gone.

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  49. Oh bless your heart and the death of the Garmin. I think an upgrade would be worth it. It would help the grieving process.
    It bothers my wrist bone too!

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  50. That was awesome! Whatever I feel like that would be harder to write than paragraphs. I so felt the happiness and despair throughout this relationship with garmin. I liked it :)

    I have the 405. Never had a previous model so I don't know anything about those.

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  51. I have the 405.... hubby has the 305. He chose the 305 because it was about $40.00 cheaper. He wishes he got the 405. I think it is just because he was used to using my 405. But we cant both be in the same races with only one garmin :) so he had to get one too.

    BTW... I did the same thing with my blackberry, but when I returned (like 2 minutes after) it was no where to be found!!! :(

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  52. So sad!! I would have probably already ordered another one!

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  53. Oh no! That's so sad about your Garmin. I love your second point about perspective and it only being a material thing, but boy do I have trouble finding that perspective myself a lot of the time.

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  54. So sorry to hear about your Garmin :(
    I have a 405CX that I was given exactly 2 years ago! It's the only GPS watch/Garmin I've ever had, so I can't speak to the other models...but I still love this one.

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