Garmin 310XT...and other lustful items

To buy or not to buy.. That is the question.

I have the opportunity to request an amazing graduation present from my S.O. I was considering the new Garmin 310 XT. It is hot, sleek, sexy and tracks all data during swim, bike & run. And I am a total gadget whore. Show me a new and exciting gadget and I get all hot and bothered and I will offer you my first born.

Well it turns out that the new Garmin does NOT do everything. I asked the Fleet Feet uber-gadget god, Justin, whether or not it tracked distance or heart rate in the water. He said "yes it does both." The Garmin Rep I e-mailed at Garmin Headquarters said, "No, it only functions as a stopwatch in the water."

WTF?

I called Justin back--"Garmin HQ said that it only tracks time in the water, no GPS or HR function. What do you think?"
Justin: "My Garmin Rep told me it does both during the swim."
Me: "Can you get a clarification from your rep? I don't want to spend $500 on something that doesn't do exactly what I want."
Justin: "Wow. I'll try to contact him."
Me: "Great.. thanks."

I have not yet heard anything from Justin. I wrote Garmin again too and have not heard back from them either. Apparently, they do not know the tennacity I possess. I mean, it took me 8 years to get a 2 year masters degree. I will not stop until I get something just the way I want. Just sayin'

Unlike a lot of other people, tracking HR and distance/pace in the water is very important to me. I panic in the water; I am slow in the water. I would like to have a training tool to help me with those two issues. A HRM will help calm the, "I think i'm going to have a heart attack" feeling. A distance/pace mechanism will help me track how well my pace is improving.

I hear a lot about Garmin 305s functioning in the water. Then I hear the 405s short out with sweat. What to do??

So I am torn. Should I ask Hubby for Garmin 310 XT as a grad present? Should I look at other options --such as Polar or Sunuto? I'm trying to serreptitously do research on all geeky triathlon gadgets from my work computer. "Will you please go away? Can't you see i'm on two discussion threads at 'Slowtwitch' and 'beginnertriathlete'? I'm horribly busy. I will work later."


The second thing I am considering--is Jillian's 30-day Shred



and the TriPower book.

Dare-to-Tri has blogged about both of these extensively and I really want to try them out.. especially to get rid of the "muffin top" that has enlarged significantly during my thesis finalization process. I will order those through amazon this week and start working. Does anyone else have any ideas for getting rid of 'muffin top'.. It is the only out of control 'Big' Area I have. The other stuff I can work off. But the freakn' stomach is nasty. I look like I am pregnant--and I have NEVER BEEN PREGNANT--("rugrats" were birthed by another mother..)

Sigh.Grumble.Sigh.Snort.

In terms of working out--I swam monday night in the lake. The freezing lake. My tri training group swam for an hour--doing drills, etc. It was so freakin' cold. Basically melted snow. RugRat #2 went and swam too. She put on her wetsuit for the first time and went out there and tried her best. I was so proud of her! Poor thing--her lips were blue when she got out of the water. But she kept trying to do the Total Immersion techniques. I'll make a triathlete out of her yet!