Posting Dread

I have really dreaded writing this post.
Not because I have writers’ block, but because I really wanted to like the Garmin 310xt.

I really REALLY want to like it.
But I can’t. It is too frustrating for my short fuse.

So here goes:

THE GOOD:
• Small on the wrist
• Snazzy orange color
• Moves through the screens quickly
• Very very accurate GPS (I was expecting it not to be, but it is very accurate)
• The functions sound great—and would be very useful… BUT

THE BAD:
• It took two hours on the phone with Garmin to get the ANT+ and garmin connect to work properly on my computer.
• Then it still didn’t work
• ANT+ stick doesn’t always recognize my garmin
• Garmin charger is flakey and won’t charge my Garmin. There is supposed to be a fix for this on their website but I can’t find it. But the worst part is…

THE UGLY:
• Garmin turns off and on by itself when charging (that is when it actually agrees to charge)
• Garmin has spontaneously erased several of my workouts only to load workouts that I never did. For instance, it says I did a run workout on April 6. I did not get my garmin until July 6. The April 6 workout was not on my device until AFTER it spontaneously erased several workouts.
• Workouts will not load to Beginner Triathlete properly.


I really want to like this device. I am hoping that as the software bugs get cleared out, it will start to work better. The last 2 workouts have been saved on Garmin Connect but cannot be loaded to Beginner Triathlete properly. BT said they are working on it.

In any case I’ll test it in the water on Tuesday so that will probably generate a whole new round of software bugs.

Races:
I signed up for Blood, Sweat, & Beers trail race 10 mile distance
I will sign up for Cowtown half-marathon in October
I will sign up for Buffalo Stampede in September
I will sign up for Four Bridges Half Marathon in October
I will sign up for Clarksburg Country Run 20-miler in November.
I signed up for California International Marathon (CIM) in December
I signed up for Auburn Half-Ironman Triathlon in May 2010.

Workouts:

With the intense heat I bagged my Wednesday run.
I rode my bike for the first time in a month and half on Saturday. I did 24 miles up and down some pretty good hills. Beal’s point to Sunrise, then around Lake Natoma and back to Folsom Lake.

Sunday’s 9 mile trail run in the searing heat was too much. I walked a lot of it. It was around 1500 feet of climbing. I cut it short to 7 miles and drank 1.5 Liters of water. I used my new nathan water carrier and it was pretty good. Detailed review to come later.

That’s it. I watched the Tour yesterday and was blown away by Alberto Condator’s acceleration(s) up the mountain. GO ALBERTO!

Up NEXT... Review of my new Nathan Intensity Water Carrier