If you want to push yourself harder when you're training to walk a marathon, this one is great. Simple, but clear.

I use this device frequently to log my mileage and average speeds. I have found that I can only get about 2 weeks worth of battery life from rechargeable 750 mAh AAA batteries. It takes its sweet time locking onto GPS satellites during a cold start. I have had to wait 5 minutes in an open field and even had it flake out on me a few times, losing the signal completely. Once I even lost an entire run for no good reason.

The positive aspects include good water tightness, flexible mounting (use the extension as an armband or wear it as a watch), and flexible settings. I prefer reading average speeds rather than minute paces and it allows me to do that.

Another interesting use for this device is as a speedometer for a car. I have logged 60+ mph while driving and it seems to function properly. Theoretically you could check elevation and speed so it is useful on the track or dragstrip.

This product was exactly as was described. I love it. Most of the time it is accurate. I have found it to be off a little, but for the most part right on. It is a little bulky, but very light and you get used to it. I would definitely recommend this product to other runners

I have really been enjoying the Forerunner 101 since purchasing it a few weeks ago. I love the freedom of varying my running routes without worrying about not having an exact measurement of the distance I've run. Here are a few comments about the product:

- After double-checking my routes in the car and comparing them to my Forerunner's calculations, it seems to be pretty accurate with distance measurements. It is possible that it is sometimes off by .10 mile or so, but that is usually close enough to satisfy me.

-It can sometimes take as long as 5 minutes to initially locate the signal. This is a minor inconvenience but one I can live with.

-It doesn't seem to be capable of picking up a strong signal with a lot of tree overhang. This is disappointing because I would like to use it for trail running and hiking.

-The AAA batteries work well as a power source. I purchased the rechargeable type of AAA batteries for convenience. One should probably keep an eye on the battery life indicator on the Forerunner and go ahead and put in a fresh pair of batteries when the battery indicator gets down to one line.

This little device is awesome, it keeps me moving, I adore the virtual partner as I walk alone most of the time and am training for the NIKE marathon. I love it.

I've been running with this for about a month now in Kuwait. It's my new running buddy! It has many options for running/training. The only thing it can't do is hook up to your computer. However, it can store 2yrs worth of training. If you're a techy, then perhaps the 201 or 301 might be for you. But the 101 does pretty much everything they can do. Just for the record, it does not have a heart monitor, but who cares? Just RUN!

Eats batteries, so I would suggest getting a AAA charger. 15 hours isn't very long if you do long runs or walks. Other than that, and it's enormous size, which is a little big for a woman's arm in my opinion, it's really neat. It seems to work well, and I like knowing exactly how far I've gone. Haven't tried it on trails with lots of tree cover yet, but works well in the winter.

The Garmin Forerunner 101 wrist-mounted GPS is the best entry level personal training device available. If you like simple functioning and don't need or intend to download records of your runs, then this model is for you. I have heard complaints from some that you go through lots of batteris, but to overcome this simply buy a handful of rechargeable batteries (e.g. Nickel-metal hydride NiMH). The recharageables will provide adequate power for several runs totaling about 4-5 hours, and for longer events simply carry a spare set of fully charged batteries and swap them out and keep on running! Forerunner 101 the best in terms of its simplicity to use and modest cost. If your buying a GPS training device for the first time, then go with the 101.

I'm loving it. Once you understand and accept the limitations of GPS you will be able to live with it's shortcomings. So far, I haven't had trouble with my unit with regards to functionality or signal reception in flat open NE Ohio. For an entry level device, considering it's light weight and small size, it is a little marvel. Ten years ago, much larger hand held units where massively more inaccurate than people accuse the Forerunner of having today. One nice feature about GPS units is that once the device has physically visited a particular location, it will be more precise when it visits that location again. The data the Forerunner produces is very helpful in maintaining pace and tracking distances, but the virtual partner is hidden gem of encouragement. Accurate or not, the Forerunner has gotten me out on the road again when I normally wouldn't bother.

I recently purchased this unit to replace the wireless computer on my bicycle. Out in the open the unit often works fine. Any time you venture onto any trails or urban areas with tall buildings the unit fails miserably and you get the GPS tracking error.

Also, I noticed any time you cycle within close proximity to trees you lose a signal as well. It doesnt seem to matter how high the trres are or if the tree coverage is to the left,right, or both - once you come withint 500 feet of a treeline the unit just loses signal and refuses to track even when the remainder of the view remains clear.

I have found unless you run, hike, or bike in an area that offers complete 360 degree unobstructed views the unit is pretty much worthless.

Another thing I noticed is that more than once when I did have signal acquisition the readouts would be innacurate. For instance I would often get a readout that has my speed at say 78mph and have me traveling 220 miles when in fact I simply rode perhaps half a mile at a lesiruley pace. Overall this has given me reason to suspect the accuracy of the unit even when signal acquisition is not an issue.

I suspect this is one of those 'you get what you pay for' scenarios that you learn from. Cheapest is not always best. Unfortunatley you cannot try before you buy.

Back to the regular cycle computer.