…and time stood still. My Garmin finally bit the dust. There were signs of impending demise months ago but I managed to resuscitate it. No such luck this time. Maybe it’s revenge for not taking it along on vacation. Maybe it’s just old age. But it’s the end of an era for sure. I got it in a mad frenzy the night before my first marathon (Chicago 2007). Yes, my old one chose a very inopportune time to poop out. It has been with me for all of my marathons, my BQs, my Bostons….sigh. I feel like a widow.
Part of me entertains the thought of not replacing it at all. How often am I running for time/pace these days anyway? Another part of me knows I will.
What Garmin/GPS do you recommend?
As if a broken Garmin weren’t enough, I broke my KitchenAid stand mixer yesterday as well. When it rains it pours I guess. I decided to get a jump on some Easter baking and whipped up some lemon bars. I’d love to say I was concocting some elaborate culinary delight, alas while the lemon bars baked, I decided to make some simple tollhouse cookies. I stupidly threw in a chunk of petrified brown sugar thinking it would be no match for my mighty mixer. But it got caught, there were ugly winding sounds and I suspect the gears are stripped. The horror.
One last thing: I have 3 things to giveaway tomorrow. Would you rather there be 3 winners? Or all 3 things to one? Your call!
Kimberly at Healthy Strides recently got a MOTOactiv that she loves. http://zeroto26point2.blogspot.com/
RIP Garmin 🙁
I vote more winners!
damn copying and pasting is too much for my brain today…here is kimberly’s link http://healthystrides.blogspot.com/2012/03/motoactv-follow-up.html
Double UGH! I have the Forerunner 305, it’s bulky, but has a ton of features, and I’ll bet it’s pretty cheap now. More winners! : )
Phew! I was worried you were going to be one of the two things that were broken. Glad that is not the case!
Big bummer about the Garmin and the mixer – those things are not cheap to replace. I just got my first Garmin a couple months ago and even though it is the easiest one, I am still trying to figure it out! It is the Forerunner 110. I like it so far.
I have the Garmin 305 and I love it, even though it’s bulky. The new ones look great, but are pretty expensive! I did hear of another blogger who called Garmin and for 60 bucks they sent her a refurbished 305!! It’s worth a shot.
I say more winners! Everyone can be a winner!
nooooooo!!!!! I also have the garmin 305. And i mix everything with just a fork and try to pawn it off as strength training.
Bummer about the Garmin and mixer. I don’t have a Garmin so can’t really recommend one, sry. I do like Travel Spot’s idea, call Garmin and try to get a refurb.
Did you have a 305? Just wondering ’cause there seems to be a huge number of them dying right now (mine included LOL). I’m looking at the 610, but I’m trying to keep mine on life support until it comes down in price. Oh, and travelspot is right. The woman at the Garmin booth at a recent expo said for about $50 you get a new screen, new battery and new band on a refurbished model.
More winners.
If it was guaranteed that I would win, then I would vote for one winner takes all – but since I never win anything, I vote for 3 weiners.
I’m not sure which “death” is worse. I like my Garmin 205, it’s still way smarter than me and does things I haven’t even learned about yet. I do try to keep him nice and dry to extend his life (I hope).
My forerunner 205 died last year, and Jeff surprised me with a replacement, I think it was a 305, but I didn’t like it as well. The 205 is great for multisport & keeps track of transition time in a tri. So I went back to my tried & true 205.
Wow, that sucks about the mixer!!
Isn’t it funny how all that stuff seems to happen at once? At least in my house, it does 🙂 I rarely wear a Garmin, and when I do it is really just to keep track of mileage on a long run. The exception is when I am doing timed loop runs before a big race. Somehow I managed to lose my new Garmin (how is that even possible?), so I’m wearing an old model, and it works just fine. Friends with the 400 series say you have to make sure you can see the numbers while you are running, as they are much smaller than on older versions. Just a thought.
I’m so sorry to hear about your Garmin and your mixer…though my husband uses our mixer more than I do, and I think he’d cry if ours died.
I think more winners are more fun!
Oh man, sorry about your Garmin and Mixer:( I would definitely get a new one of each. I have a Garmin 110 that I love and is easy to use (and not too spendy). I say 3 winners:)
I love that huge Garmin store in Chicago! My Garmin 405CX bit the dust a few months ago, I called Garmin and they sent me a “newly” refurbished model. It hasn’t given me any problems (so far). Maybe it’s worth a call. As for the mixer …I’m as surprised as you are. My KA seems so indestructible, too. That’s a Good To Know! Thanks!
I have a Garmin 405 that I got last year for my birthday. I like it but it is to much watch for me. Next time I will get a more basic one.
I know I’m in the minority here, but I am Garmin-less and love it. Actually, I have one, but I used it for a week, didn’t like it, and leave it in my drawer. I really believe in the value of learning to tune into your body, vs. the numbers.
I’m garmin-less, but I’d like one. Three winners!!
Boo for dead Garmins. I like mine for new routes but don’t wear it much besides that. But I often just use MapMyRun.com. It’s close enough.
always micro the brown sugar to soften it when it becomes a rock…yeah, I’m great for advice that is a day late. 😉
3 winners!
Oh man, that is the worst. I think I could live without the garmin, but NOT my kitchenaid. I think I use that more often than my watch. Then again, I do run on the treadmill way more than is necessary.
Dammit Marcia, now I am craving cookie dough! LOL. Sorry about the mixer and the Garmin. I have a Garmin 305 and I really like it. It’s about 4 years old, but has a ton of features that I use.
I vote one winner and I want to win it all!
Sorry to hear about the double whammy with broken things! Hate it when that happens. I still have a 305 and love it!
Reading your post at first I kept seeing “Garmin” but a picture of cookies. I was thinking “I think I know your issue, cookies don’t record pace very well”. In all honestly though, that sucks so much. I’m waiting for the day mine will die…with me since 2007, it’s gonna happen. ugg.
Bummer about the Garmin!
I have a 305, a 310xt and now a 910xt. I also have a edge500, and edge305, I think the best value is the 305 these days.
I think I mentioned on FB that I tried this new Polar thingie the other day (made by Polar). What I LOVED about it was that it was flat as a pancake and not bulky like the Garmin and there wasn’t that stupid touch bezel thingie AND the display was super cool. It is waterproof so if you ever got into Tri’s, you can use it – even with a waterproof HR monitor :).
Sorry about your blender.
I am waiting for my birthday to ask for my first running watch. The moactiv looks sweet. Don’t break anything else the day is almost over!!!
so i have been thinking about getting a timex or a smaller garmin since mine has been having issues lately. will be very interested in what you decide on!
Now the real question is, which are you more upset about – the watch or mixer? It would be the watch for me! I have the Garmin 405 and love it. They have a newer version, but I just bought the 405 with HR monitor for $150 on Amazon for a friend!
I always recommend the last version. However I have the 210 and it works very well. Very soon I will buy the Garmin for swimming too.
I have the Forerunner 305 because it was the older model when I bought it and I got it for a lot cheaper. I love it.
So sad about your two gadgets!
Oh no!!! I’m sorry about your Garmin (and your KitchenAid!).
I have the 405cx, I love it! My husband has the 405 and he loves that too. There’s not much of a difference between them, except for the heart rate monitor with the 405cx but I like having a blue watch instead of a black one (the green doesn’t appeal to me).