Garmin Forerunner 235 Review

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img_4374As promised, here is my review of the Garmin Forerunner 235, albeit not as comprehensive since I no longer own the watch. Josh pre-ordered me the Forerunner 235 from Amazon and it finally came just in time for our trip to Florida in the middle of December so I can test it out for some outdoor running before bringing it on the treadmill back up north. I love my Forerunner 220 but when I saw the Frost Blue colored strap, activity tracking, and notifications all in one device, it was hard for me to say no to this present.

img_4376While in Florida, I wore the watch as an activity tracker (instead of the Garmin Vivosmart HR) for 3 of the days we were there. This meant I wore the watch all day except for when I was sleeping. While the watch is like that of the Vivosmart HR where it could track sleep, the idea of wearing something that large on my wrist to sleep was odd to me. While back home, I wore the watch only for running.

Pros:
—I absolutely loved the black face with frost blue strap. The strap was also a little more comfortable than that of the Forerunner 220 (though it has never irritated my wrist before). I think it might be due to the extra holes in the strap that allow for a more flexible fit.
—I generally love all the data, stats, and notifications from my Garmin Vivosmart HR, so having a watch (meaning I only needed to wear only one device) with a bigger face to track all of this was even better!
—It was so much easier reading notifications (i.e. text messages or other alerts you set up on the phone) on the watch due to the larger face.
img_4372—The menu of the watch was very similar to that of the Forerunner 220 and Vivosmart HR so it was fairly easy to get the watch set up.
—There are more running features to this watch than that of the Forerunner 220. Not only can it track heart rate, it has a VO2 max estimator, recovery advisor, and race predictor all of which are not on the Forerunner 220. There is also the accelerometer, cadence tracker, and storage of personal records similar to that of the Forerunner 220.
—The watch similar to that of the Forerunner 220 and Vivosmart HR can wirelessly sync with Garmin Connect. This allows for easy access to all the data from the app right on your phone.

img_4370Cons:
—Heart rate monitor did not work as well as the Vivosmart HR one. The main reason I didn’t like the new Forerunner 235 is because the active heart rate was off. When I was running a very easy, slow-paced 3-mile run, it said my escalated to 191 bpm and average was around 170. This I knew was wrong based on feel and the Vivosmart HR. Typically my heart rate has been around 130-140 for easy runs based on the Vivosmart HR. At one point, I decided to wear both on different arms though and the resting heart rate was almost exact but the active heart rate was very different on the Forerunner 235. I tried the watch out on multiple runs during the week I had it and every time it showed my heart rate went above 190 bpm for very easy runs. When the heart rate is wrong, it also affects the recovery advisor which then said I needed to rest for 5 days after a 3 mile easy run?!
—I would prefer to wear an all-in-one device meaning watch and activity tracker, it doesn’t have to be a GPS watch but if it were it would be an added benefit. That is the reason I really liked the Forerunner 235 when I read about its launch. However, this watch was just too bulky and the color scheme was not neutral enough (I know the black/gray one would be better but I would still prefer something more plain watch-like) for me to wear around all day and to work.

img_4373All in all, the cost of the Forerunner 235 at the higher price of $329.99 was not worth it due to the some of the issues I experienced with heart rate monitor. In a lot of the forums I read this was a common complaint but for some it seemed to resolve itself. I ended up returning the watch after a week and perhaps didn’t allow the time it needed to adjust. In my case, I already had a GPS watch I really liked (Forerunner 220) and an activity tracker that tracked heart rate (Vivosmart HR) that it didn’t make sense for me to keep this one. Though with all the new features with notifications and activity tracking, I am starting to consider the new version of the Apple Watch (hopefully it comes out soon, I don’t have much patience!).

 

2015: Year in Review

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Wow, what a year 2015 was! I know I say this about every year but each year keeps getting better and better.

On the running front, 2015 was the year of many milestones.

IMG_0320—I ran my first international marathon (and race)! I ran the Virgin Money London Marathon in April 2015 and while the race was not what I had hoped it to be, it was an incredible experience. My sentiments post-race helped me find my love for running all over again. I also fundraised over $1,800 for AgeUK for the race.

—I completed 15 races ranging from 1-mile to marathon. Last year I was excited for all the PRs and while it proved hard to beat, I managed to pull out a couple of course PRs this year.

DSC00521—I’m most excited for my running milestones this year. I just started distance running three years ago and in that time I have completed 8 marathons, 10 half marathons, and over 4,300 miles! To say I am addicted is an understatement.

—I will end this year with over 1,300 miles under my belt which tops last year’s record! 1,300+ miles for me is over 212 hours of running, almost 300+ miles further than the distance from NYC to Orlando and almost 4 times the distance from NYC to Montreal.

—In July, I officially became a Road Runners Club of America coach. I am excited for my certification and to help others achieve their running goals.

IMG_3418.JPG—This year, I also helped coach the Athletes to End Alzheimer’s NYC Marathon team. It was definitely a different and rewarding experience from the other side and I am fortunate for this experience. By assisting the team, I ran the NYC Marathon this year with a very different perspective and enjoyed every minute of it.

For as much as I love running, I love traveling just as much. I wish I could travel as much as I run but I appreciate every chance I get to run while on vacation. 2014 was certainly the year of travel and in 2015, we were still jet setting every opportunity we had.

—This year, I logged miles in every city/country we visited: St. Maarten, Pittsburgh, London, Athens, Santorini, Hartford, Block Island, Orlando (twice), Bermuda, and Montreal.

We’re fortunate to have so many opportunities to travel for ourselves, for marathons, and to travel to spend time with family and friends.

IMG_3106This year we also sold our apartment and moved from Hoboken to Stamford for my new job. This is by far one of the hardest decisions and changes we made in recent years. I still look back on the last couple of months wondering how we made all of this happen so quickly and my heart still swells thinking about our time in Hoboken. However, we’re looking forward to what 2016 brings in our new adventure in Connecticut!

Without a doubt, I am fortunate for the best friends, family, and husband a girl could have. I know all of this running, traveling, and changing jobs/moving would not be possible without everyone’s support and love and I am forever grateful.

Thank you for a wonderful 2015 and an even better 2016!