Customer Rating:  
Summary: A World of Difference
Comment: Although I still haven't mastered all of the functions, it has been amazingly helpful in my running. I've been trying to stay on a marathon training schedule which requires a certain amount of mileage each day. Before the Garmin I would have to go measure a route with my car and then run it (major pain in the rear!) It allows me to see my pace per mile so I can moderate so I do not get too overzealous and end up hitting the wall and hitchhiking home. I'm also able to look back at the history of my previous runs to track my progress. The only problem I've encountered so far is when I'm sure I've almost reached 10 miles and I look at the Garmin and I've only gone 3. I'm sure on those days it's just malfunctioning :)
Customer Rating:
Summary: The Garmin 101 is great
Comment: I used the Garmin 101 as soon as I got it in the mail and I must say its great. It helps me keep my pace so I don't over do it. And I can finish my run and not be winded or exhausted
Angela
Customer Rating:
Summary: Garmin Forerunner 101
Comment: I love the Forerunner. I guess the only thing I would have wanted to know before I bought it is that it goes through a lot of batteries, although that wouldn't have kept me from buying it. I'm using it to train for the Breast Cancer 3-day Walk, and I'll put in fresh batteries every morning of the walk.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Appallingly Inaccurate
Comment: This device is terrible are dealing with tree cover, even light tree cover. On certain points on my run, I am in wide open places with a single row of trees far off to one side, and this device loses the signal.
When the signal is lost or weak, the device is supposed to interpolate straight line distances between the good reads it gets. Yet, it does not manage to do this properly or consistently. I have three main routes I alternate among--a 10K, a 15K, and a 20K. All three distances have been validated by my bicycle computer, which I was very careful to calibrate precisely. After the 10K, this device loses track of about 500 to 1000 meters, although ocassionally, will be relatively accurate, and obviously the inaccuracy gets worse at higher distances. Because the inaccuracy is not consistent I cannot make adjustments to any of its readings, particularly the pace. One particular section of all three runs is a perfectly straight 2500 meters, but with very heavey tree cover. On some days, despite the poor signal, it measures or interpolates the distance perfectly. On others, it is under by 500 or more meters.
This device certainly cannot cut it for any kind of structured training. Inaccuracy is one thing, but it is both inaccurate and inconsistent.
Once the leaves begin falling, I am looking forward to some superhuman increases in performance according to this device as my missing kilometers show up again. Since I know the distances already, I do well enough just using this as an over-priced stopwatch, but it would be nice if it could do a decent job of showing my pace. Very frustrating.
I am well aware of the limitations of GPS devices having worked with tests of GPS tracking devices on trucks. But this device is off the charts terrible. By comparison, I have a GPS receiver for my Nokia N800 tablet computer that can track where I am going in my house, and I have a lot of trees in the yard. I suppose If you live on a glacier or in the desert, or go really, really slowly, this device would be satisfactory.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Garmin 101
Comment: Well, it's a great idea, the main problem i've found with this is that it has a hard time picking up the satelite to use the GPS system, which stinks. I live right in the heart of madison, wi, so there shouldn't be a problem with this, but I find the GPS frequently loses the signal and will not calculate an accurate distance and speed. Also, if you stop during your run the device takes a long time to get back on track when you start running again. So, I really like the idea, but it's probably worth the money to get one with a better tracking system.
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