Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I currently have 3 Garmin watches: Forerunner 35, Forerunner 935, and Vivoactive 4S.
The 35 was my first running watch. It’s super simple… no bells and whistles… but it’s been great and I still use it. It’s about the cheapest Garmin watch there is and if you’re ok with just the basic stats during your run then it’s great.
The 935 is solid… kinda just the 35 on steroids. Fancier screen and more doo-dads. I got this one and have used it about a month, but then decided I really wanted a watch that I could load music onto too.
So I got the Vivoactive 4S. I’ve only used it a few times but I really like it so far. It has a touch screen, which I definitely don’t need on my watch, but I’ve found I like it fine. It seems to have most of the same doo-dads as the 935 but now I can listen to music while running without having to strap my phone to me.
That’s what I’ve got. If you think you’d like the 935 ok, you can have mine. I really don’t need 3 watches, and it’s basically brand new. Or if you’d even just like to try it out, just let me know.
Sorry about the IT band issues. About the time I started running at Gate 9, my running frequency, intensity, and duration all ramped way up very fast. Probably because of this, a few months later I developed pretty debilitating IT band syndrome. I started running less and stretching more, and about 2 or 3 months later I felt 100% again and haven’t had any issues since. I was later told by a running friend that you should only ramp up one aspect of your running at a time: frequency, intensity, or duration.
As far as shoes go, I don’t have any expert knowledge, but here’s what I’ve found I like: When I had IT band issues, I tried inserts in my shoes and hated them and have never gone back. I like lighter-weight running shoes with not a ton of drop… I seem to prefer between 4 and 9 mm. I’ve tried out maybe 8 or 10 pairs of running shoes over the past couple years, and I’ve settled on Saucony Kinvaras and Hoka Rincons as my go-to shoes. The Rincons are very light-weight but also not very durable. The Kinvaras are slightly heavier but hold up better for more miles. The Kinvaras are very comfortable on my feet and almost feel a little bit like slippers to me. That being said, running shoe preference seems to be very individualistic and what one person hates another person maybe loves.
I hope that helps!
I like the Biolite headlamp 330. It’s slightly back-heavy but overall pretty lightweight. I’ve found it comfortable, functional, and simple.
