which watch?!

[charliebook]

i am looking for some advice. i currently dont have a watch and am considering buying one for training and at events, which will help improve my pace and times.

A colleague suggested getting a Garmin GPS watch (which are pretty expensive and not sure they are fully waterproof?!), but give you a step by step guide on how you are doing - mins per mile etc. and the data can be transferred onto your computer, which sounds pretty techy and cool.

However, i am wondering if just a normal sports watch will do the trick just as well, and plotting my routes and knowing where i should be at what time etc - and save me a hundred pounds or so...

any advice/suggestions would be very much appreciated ;D

[and9rich]

I'v got a timex ironman watch, full range in Argos. It's tough and good looking and I think the most important thing it has is a loop timer. So if your running at the track or swimming at the pool it will count intervals backwards in time and beep when the loop is finished. Don't know if I explained that well?
Also there are a few good web sites like mapmyride/run that will calculate distances and a £10- £15 bike computer will tell you more than enough to have a sound workout.

Andy

[The Big Man]

I would echo Andy's comments. I have one and there great value for money.

Cheers, Alec.

[Steve Wilcox]

Charlene,
I have a Garrmin 305, which as a self-confessed data geek, I find fantastic. It's not necessary though. The 310 is waterproof if that's what you want, but I suggest you start off with something like the Andy and Alec have suggested and see how much of the functionality you actually use.

Steve

[Dek]

Like Steve I have a 305 which is fantastic it has a huge range of settings and the display is big enough to see without my glasses, and the GPS is great for measuring your training runs
I would probably go for the 310 water proof one if I had to buy again, but it wasn't available when I got mine.

[charliebook]

Thank guys

i have done a bit of searching on the internet and decided to start off with a more basic (than the Garmin) watch. by the product description (and the name of the watch), i think it will do the trick. am i missing anything crucial?
www.timex.co.uk/product_description.aspx?pid=282&id=32