My Virtual Runner (Ken)

This is my tool of choice to help in my running as well as when I cycle. Misty gave this to me for my birthday two years ago August and it has been used a lot. I have literally run hundreds of miles using this tool to gauge my heart rate, distance, and time. Recently it struck me that like many things electronic, I am not using this tool to its full potential. I run with a great friend (Kenneth) who is my instruction manual on the Garmin 305. Kenneth is one who figures out everything this thing will do and I am one who learns from others.

I realize it is so much easier to run when you have another person training with you. For many reasons, this morning we ran at 630am, if it hadn’t been for the fact I was scheduled to meet Kenneth at that time I would have stayed in bed. As we were running today, at mile 4 I hit the runners wall, had it not been for that fact that Kenneth was running with me, I would have started walking at that point. As it turned out we ran every step of 6.2 miles.

Recently I came to understand that the Garmin 305 has a virtual runner, a figure that actually runs against your figure. Wow, what a powerful motivation for someone like me who needs that extra push when a running partner can’t be there. Kenneth walked me through how to set up a run with my virtual running buddy and now I always have someone to run against or to encourage me. By the way I named my virtual running buddy Ken.

Ronnie