Anyway, given that technology has advanced a bit since I started using the Daniels spreadsheet, I thought I’d poke around in the Apple App Store and see if anyone had produced an app that would calculate VDOT values and spit out recommend training paces according to the Daniels tables. Turns out there are a few, and one of them is free. fit2run is handy, easy to use little app that allows you to input a recent race time as a basis for determining your VDOT value. I put in my time from my most recent race, a 5K from early spring. It yielded a VDOT score of 51.

Using this value, the app then spits out training paces for easy runs, marathon pace, threshold/tempo runs, intervals, and repetitions. The results match the values from Daniels’ book very closely.

In addition to training paces, the app also provides track workout times for various distances at the various levels of intensity:

Also included are predicted times for various race distances based on the time that you input for your selected recent race. It’s important to keep in mind that extrapolating up from a 5K time assumes you put in the necessary training to achieve the same level of effort in a longer race like a marathon. Despite running my last 5K in 19:20, there is no way I could run a 3:07 marathon right now – but, given a solid training cycle with a string of 50 mile+ weeks I think that time would be within reach.

Finally, if you’re a coach, the app lets you input times for multiple runners and call them up individually as needed.

Hopefully the app will stay free, pretty handy little tool!

You can check out the fit2run app here.

The above graph was compiled from my training on the website dailymile.  You can check out dailymile here.

I’ll add that the “catecholamines” referenced in the story are likely epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine, both of which are secreted in significantly higher amounts during intensive exercise. These hormones have the effect of, among many other things, stimulating the breakdown of glycogen to glucose in liver and muscle, and the release of free fatty acids from fat stores for use as energy. So the scientific logic here is very sound.

Here’s a link to another related story on interval training and fat burning: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/06/070627140103.htm

Below are direct links to Run Scout flyovers videos:

The Vermont 50 Flyover

Leadville 100 Flyover

New York City Marathon Flyover

Visit The Run Scout for more videos like these.

To read more about The Run Scout, view an article from Team Montrail: Visualize Your Next Run with TheRunScout.com

My initial impression after just over a month on dailymile is that I like the site a lot (honestly, it’s become quite an addiction!). I check in daily to both post my workouts and view those that others have posted, and the mutual motivation provided on this site is outstanding. The interface is clean and attractive, the tools they have implemented so far work well, and the forums are relatively new so just about everyone on the site right now is working to help build a new community for active people. One drawback of it being a new site is that posting is not as active as in some of the more established sites, though I suspect that will change as the site matures (it seems to have grown a lot in just the past month!). Also, because it is new, there is not an extensive history of knowledge that you can search through, though this will also improve with time (there’s already a lot of very helpful info). If you want to join a site that is rapidly developing and contribute to the process, this is the one for you!

One of the things that has really impressed me about dailymile.com is that the site developers are regular contributors to discussions, and they are continually adding new features to improve the site content (for example, they just added a “challenge” feature similar to what is available on the Nike+ site). Furthermore, they actively request suggestions for further improvements and respond very quickly to e-mails about the site. They deserve a lot of credit for the job they have done so far.

My one major wish right now for dailymile is that they get the Garmin Forerunner interface up and running. I record all of my runs on my Garmin Forerunner 205, and ditched my Nike+ a long time ago, so entering run data manually requires some dedication and guestimation regarding pace, time, etc. unless I feel like pulling the Garmin out to get the exact numbers.

Check out www.dailymile.com for yourself, or view my Dailymile profile here (or click the image below)- feel free to add me as a friend!

Below is a YouTube video of the Dailymile creators (Ben and Kelly) discussing their site:

If you want a personal running computer that will allow you to take your running to the next level and permit you to mix up your training runs with speed and long distance, you’re going to need something more than Nike+. I, unfortunately, am a perfectionist, and the inaccuracy of the pacing and distance data provided by Nike+ continually bugged me (and I was growing tired of mapping my runs on-line to figure out actual distances that I had covered). So, after about six months of consistent use, I decided to relegate the Nike+ to the treadmill only, and I asked Santa for a Garmin Forerunner 205 for Christmas (thanks Mom and Dad, I mean Santa, if you read this!). Sure enough, the fancy new GPS wristwatch was in my stocking, and it has not been absent from my wrist during a run in over a year. Simply stated, this is one of the coolest and most useful gadgets of any kind that I own, and it has allowed my running to progress in ways that probably would not have otherwise occurred.

First, let me explain the difference between the two current-generation Garmin Forerunner models (a fancy new model is on the way – the Garmin Forerunner 310 XT – but I’ll explain why I’d still go for one of the current ones for now if you’re considering a purchase). The two current models are the Forerunner 305 (the red one in the picture above) and the Forerunner 205 (the blue one in the picture above). The only real differences between the two watches (besides color) are that the 305 can sync with an included heart rate monitor, an optional footpod acceleromoter (for the treadmill), and an optional speed-and-cadence sensor for your bike. Otherwise, from what I can gather, they are identical, and the 305 is only about $10.00-$15.00 more than the 205 at Amazon. Given the minor price difference, most of the links here are to the 305 since I feel it is probably well worth an extra ten dollars to upgrade to this model (I wish I had done so, but the price difference was much greater a year ago).

So, I have now been using the Forerunner 205 regularly for over a year, and I have absolutely nothing but good things to say about it. The pacing data is right on (I have run enough chip-timed races with the 205 to verify this), as is the distance data. In addition to time, current pace, and distance, I have three data screens (which is the max on the 205/305) set up to show such variables as average pace, elevation, percent grade, calories burned, and time of day. Of all of these, the only one that seems somewhat iffy from time to time is the elevation, though if you smooth it out in one of the training programs that syncs with the Forerunner, elevation patterns look pretty good as well. So far, I have pretty much exclusively used the Forerunner in its most basic mode – to simply track my data while I run. It is possible to configure things like training/pacing partners and interval workouts on the watch, and to use it as a (very) basic real-time GPS mapping device for things like hiking, but I haven’t used it much for this. In addition to running, I have used it while walking, snowshoeing, and biking (less extensively), and it works great for all of the above.

For me, the two features that matter most from a training and racing standpoint are accurate pacing and distance measurements, and as I said above this is where the Forerunner blows away the Nike+. I actually trust the Forerunner more than most of the on-line mapping programs when it comes to calculating distance, and being able to import all of my data into the computer is great. For the latter, I have skipped the included Garmin Training Center software and instead use an amazing, free program called Sportracks. Sportracks downloads all of the data from the Forerunner and lets you look at it in almost any way that you could possibly want. Here are a few examples:

First, here’s a route map I recorded from a recent 5k race I did at Epcot Center in Florida – The Royal Family 5k (my race report for this one is here). I picked this route map since many people will recognize what’s on here (Spaceship Earth, aka the “Big Ball,” is near the whitish are in the center; you can click on the image for a bigger view).

Second, here’s an entire screen capture from Sportracks that shows data (route map and mile splits) recorded during my running of the Vermont City Marathon (again, you can click on it for a bigger view; my Vermont City Marathon race report is here):

The data from the above screen can also be graphed in a number of ways. First, here’s a split chart showing how I “hit the wall” in Vermont (the scribble was my addition from another blog post – I only wish the Forerunner was smart enough to tell me I was in trouble at the time, but it can’t do everything I guess):

Lastly, here’s a pace vs. elevation chart from my running of the incredibly hilly Manchester City Half-Marathon last November (probably my best ever race – no race report on this one):

To summarize the analysis and performance tracking options available for your training and racing are nearly limitless. As a scientist who loves data, Garmin Forerunner + Sportracks makes me one very happy runner.

A few last comments and I’ll stop esposing my love for all things Garmin. One of the concerns I initially had about these watches was their size. Yes, they are big, but I have never noticed it as a nuisance while running, and I actually think the size is a positive rather than a negative since it makes it easier to read your data on the run. This is one of the major reasons why I would probably never consider the smaller Forerunner 405 – if you pack too many data streams on a small screen then things are awful hard to read at mile 20 of a marathon. The other concern someone in the market for a GPS watch might have is the forthcoming new Garmin Forerunner 310 XT. As I explained in my preview post for this model, it would take a lot for me to spend an extra $100-$200 to choose to purchase the new 310 XT over the current 305. The new watch looks cool, and the wireless sync feature is nice, but I don’t really care if I can dive to 50m with it on. If for some reason I’m out for a run and I wind up 50m underwater, I probably won’t be resurfacing to make it back home anyway (though in all seriousness, I can see how the 310 XT might be useful to a triathlete. For me, I’ll stick with the 205/305.

Hopefully I’ve given you a feel for what the Garmin Forerunner 205/305 can do. Really, there’s probably a lot more that it is capable of than what I have discussed here, but the best way to experience it is to try it out. As a runner who has now completed 1,266.01 miles (I love accuracy!) with the Garmin Forerunner 205 (and it’s still going strong, with no major problems), I can honestly say that next to my running shoes, this is the most essential piece of running gear that I own. I highly recommend the Forerunner – get one and you won’t be disappointed.

Update 3/31/2010: Garmin has just released a new “entry-levl” Forerunner – the Garmin Forerunner 110.

Note – as I mentioned above, prices are dropping on the current model Forerunners. Amazon is now selling the Garmin Forerunner 305 for around $150.00 (price fluctuates daily – see below for current price), which seems like a pretty good deal relative to where they were a year ago. The Forerunner 205 is about $20.00 less. I’ve also added a link below to the Forerunner 405, which is smaller (i.e., more wrist-watch like in size), though more expensive than the 205/305, as well as some accessories that sync with the 305 and 405.

Amazon offers free shipping for any order over $25.00, which would clearly apply to most of the items below.

Feel free to drop me a comment if you have any thoughts about this review or can think of anything that I’ve missed.

Happy running!

The Nike+ System
Back in 2007, I was just beginning my life as a runner, and I was looking for tools to help me progress. The Garmin Forerunner and Nike+ systems both had instant appeal to my techie side, however I was initially hesitant to invest the several hundred dollars (at the time) needed to buy a Forerunner. I was also swept up in the excitement surrounding the introduction of the Nike+ system, and my first pair of “real” running shoes were the Nike Air Structure Triax 10. Since I owned an Ipod Nano and had shoes that could accomodate the little Nike+ footpod accelerometer internally, I decided to give Nike + a try. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll say at the outset that I no longer use the Nike+. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone since it does have its benefits and uses. The Nike+ certainly helped my running in those early days, and the motivation provided by the on-line Nike+ challenges was great. I liked being able to gauge my pace, track distance, and record my runs on-line. But for a perfectionist like myself, the Nike+ has some serious drawbacks.

The most serious problem I have with the Nike+ is that it’s only really accurate if you run at the same steady pace on every run, and stick to more-or-less flat ground. Any deviation from the pace you calibrate it at messes up both the pacing data as well as the distance recording for your run, and at times I found these measurements to be wildly off. Now, for many runners this is not a big deal, but if you like to mix up your training and include things like intervals, tempo runs, and long, slow runs, the Nike+ comes up way short. Furthermore, for me as a road racer, tenths of a mile and accurate pacing data matter a lot, so these shortcomings presented some major problems. That being said, I’m glad that I used it, and it did help a lot when I first started out. Even after I upgraded to the Garmin Forerunner 205, I did still continue to use Nike+ for treadmill runs (this probably goes without saying, but GPS doesn’t work on a treadmill). The Nike+ recordings on a treadmill are accurate enough, and in my case are more accurate than the readout of my treadmill’s own data console (it has never worked quite right for some reason).

I do believe that the Nike+ can be a valuable tool for a new or recreational runner. It’s cheap (; see also the link at the bottom of this post), so it won’t dent your wallet too much if you decide you don’t like it, and the on-line community is active and interesting. If you’re a new runner just starting out, or an experienced runner who tends to run most of your runs at the same pace, than the Nike+ would be a great addition to your running toolbox and is sure to provide some motivation for you to get out for a run. For a quick overview of Nike+, check out the following video: