The following post is sponsored by Fitfluential LLC on behalf of Polar. As always all opinions are my own.
This month I had planned to run 1-mile per day and well lets just say that hasn’t been a success. What has been a success is getting back into working out and I attribute that to making a plan, sticking to it and honestly new gear. I have to say working out is so much more exciting when I have a new outfit, piece of equipment or new gear like my Polar RC3 GPS.
I have been in need of a new GPS watch for running for awhile now and have been really loving my Polar RC3 GPS. I was a little skeptical about it at first and whether it would live up to my standards but in all honesty it has exceeded them. Prior to this watch I never used my heart rate monitor; I just never really saw the point. Well with the Polar RC3 GPS I find if you want really accurate stats that it is necessary to wear it. I was expecting the heart rate monitor to be uncomfortable and really distracting but I didn’t even notice it until I was about an hour into my workout it was that comfortable.
I now find myself wearing my Polar RC3 GPS on walks, runs, and out hiking with the family. I love having all my stats right there at a push of the button. When we went hiking I could track elevation which was really awesome and of course time, distance, heart rate, and calories burned. The other amazing thing about this watch is the battery life. It last 12 hours with the GPS on and for someone who is always forgetting to charge electronics this is great.
Overall I have been thrilled with the Polar RC3 GPS. The only real cons I have experienced so far is the watch band isn’t my favorite. I find that it sticks a bit when trying to tighten it and well currently that’s it. So really just a minor complaint about the watch so far.
Now on to my 9-week training plan. I have been working on getting back into running. After my quarter marathon I really just had no desire to run and every time I laced my shoes up and headed out the door I dreaded my run and so I just took a break. I didn’t run at all in July and it felt good but by the end of the month I started to crave running again <– wahoo! I had planned to do a mile per day but due to poor planning and a broken BOB I missed a few days so I decided to regroup. Not only do I need to get back into running, I also want to do more strength training and yoga, so that’s when I made a plan.
I really do so much better when I have a training plan. I know what I need to do and it feels good to cross workouts off my agenda. So I have decided to go back to Couch to 5k, I used my SpaFinder gift certificate I have been holding onto for over a year to buy credits to the yoga studio across the street and I am going to do the strength training and fit test from Best Body Bootcamp. I am also going to use my new Polar RC3 GPS to track my runs and any other activity I do.
I’m ready to get back to my fit self and have a few other topics to blog about regarding this topic like knowing when to take a break, using your baby as a reason to workout not an excuse and not related to working out but to getting back to a healthy state, the return to meal planning.
Good luck with the 9-week training plan! ^_^ I knew someone who would calculate his sleeping hours with a device similar to that, making sure he has good sleep or not. The Polar RC3 GPS looks awesome!
I am really loving the Polar RC3. I was a little skeptical because I have always been a Garmin girl but I think I might be a convert!
I am definitely hoping to start feeling “run craving” again soon! I’ve been using the heat as an excuse and think a plan and a gym membership might be the two things to get me back on track!
I know I am in need of a gym membership as well. I’m holding off because we are moving to a different part of town so I want somewhere near our house until then I have yoga credits and Barre3 credits to use!
I know not meeting goals can be frustrating, but as a reader I think it’s much more inspiring to read along with someone who is trying to reach a goal, even if it doesn’t always happen. You know, cause that’s how the real world works, and you have to try lots of times and with lots of different strategies to get to where you want to go. So I say, keep up the good work!
I also love making plans/lists/etc. and love the 9 week training plan you created. One question about the GPS/heart rate monitor. That thing looks awesome, but it is way expensive. Any hints for someone who has, at most, 100 to drop on such a devise. Or, at that budget level, are they all sort of crappy? Thanks!
For the price range I don’t know of any heart rate and GPS combos but depending on what you need I would recommend the garmin forerunner 10 for a GPS watch which is good if you are running or cycling and the polar ft4 if you are looking for a heart rate monitor for basically any activity. Just depends on what your need is.