Forerunner + footpod - does it measure cadence / issues for BF?

[Piggyback RidePlease]

Can anyone with the Garmin Forerunner 305 plus a footpod confirm if this combination is any good for checking running cadence?

Obviously there won't be a shoe lace to attach the pod to (but I figure I can just tie it around my ankle). Comments on how you manage this aspect of the pod also of interest...

I gather the footpod is meant to be so that you can use the 305 in doors & it replaces the GPS. I'm only planning to use it outdoors so not really wanting to replace the GPS & am just curious about using it to look at my running cadence (as I have the bike cadence sensor for it & found that very handy for efficient biking).

Thanks.

 

[hmduey]

Hi Piggyback,I have asked

Hi Piggyback,

I have asked for a footpod for Christmas (and my husband's response was, "Where are you gonna put it???"). From everything I've read, you can set it to work with the GPS and only use it for cadence, or use it for distance as well. I don't know whether you can use both the GPS and the pod to measure distance at the same time (it would be interesting to see if there were any discrepancies there!).

I have read on the Garmin site that you don't want the pod to be too vertical, so make sure you play with it some when you attach it to your ankle. Right now my plan is to either attach it to the top of my foot with tape or see if some kind of velcro strap will hold it in place on the front of my ankle (if I can get it to "lay" right).

Sorry this isn't a difinitive answer, but I've been researching it for six months and decided to get one (with the same intentions as you) based on everything I've read.

If you get one, please post here and let us know how it works (I will do the same, but I'll have to wait until my Christmas Day run!).

 

[Piggyback RidePlease]

Hi hmduey,That sounds

Hi hmduey,

That sounds reassuring if all I need to do is keep the pod mostly horizontal. I have mine "in the basket" but it will stay there until I know the delivery will make it (as it's a bit snowy here at the moment).

When I've had a play with it I'll let you know what I think (although the mileage will be low as I'm a BF noob).

:santa:

 

[Piggyback RidePlease]

I now have the footpod and

I now have the footpod and can not belief how big it is. It's huge and I would never have bothered if I'd realised. I ordered a metronome at the same time which came much sooner and to be honest I just listened to that at the right cadence without running and knew right away that my cadence was fine.

If you've not ordered a footpod I'd forget it. If you must check your cadence a metronome will tell you the right beat and will cost much less (or borrow one / try one in a shop).

Obviously if you're running shod and indoors then this thing could be of interest for helping measure distance with no sat coverage but that does not sound like much fun to me.

Bargain footpod anyone :cash: !?

 

[hmduey]

Hey PiggybackSorry for the

Hey Piggyback

Sorry for the (very) slow response! I got my foot pod for Christmas and I actually like it. I don't run with my phone except on rare occasion, and that's where my metronome is. I knew my cadence was over 180 but I have no idea where it's at throughout my run because I can't always keep up with the metronome at 200rpm, and to be completely honest I get really sick of listening to it after 3 miles. ;-)

I knew the foot pod was big but I found a way to wear it without a problem. I tried tape and that lasted less than 100 steps though! I next tried putting it on a ponytail band around my ankle and it registered 92rpm. I usually am up over 190 - 200 so I thought this was a bit low (the pod is really for measuring revolutions on a bicycle, so you have to double the rpm to get your true step count).

Today I tried it with a bigger hair band (see photos below) and it registered me an average of 101 rpm or 202 steps, which is more what I would expect with a 9:00/mile pace (the run registering 92 was actually running at an 8:45/mile pace).

I don't notice the new configuration at all, but the ponytail band around my ankle was too tight and drove me batty.

At any rate, I'm sorry the pod didn't work out the way you liked. If I'd been on the ball before Christmas I would have bought yours instead of a new one from Amazon (actually it was a gift so ...).

For anyone looking for a way to do it, here you go. The hair bands can be bought at Target in a group of 4 or 5 so you'll have enough to last a lifetime probably (or share with a friend).

Here is the pod unseated. You can see the hair band is just looped around my ankle and foot.





The pod as it's worn. It doesn't flop around at all and it's not too tight.





Side view of the pod on the hair band.

 

[hmduey]

OK, I gave up on resizing the

OK, I gave up on resizing the photos, sorry.

 

[Piggyback RidePlease]

How odd, my footpod looks

How odd, my footpod looks bigger than that. I think there may be more that 1 Garmin footpod. Mine is for the Forerunner 305 and I think it's a different shape to yours too.

Thanks for showing us your tips on attaching it, I hope others find that handy. I'm going to eBay mine I think.

:santa: