1) sports watch;
2) velocity sensor;
3) heart rate sensor;
4) cadence sensor (cadence is the rate of the bike’s pedals turning).
SPORTS WATCH. Garmin 910 and later models are, in my opinion, the best in quality-price-capability, proven by time and practice of races. The following data fields on the screen of Garmin 910 are set up for the running stage (Fig. 1):
time (timer); pace; distance; heart rate.
For the cycling stage, the following fields are set up (Fig. 2):
a) on the first page: speed; cadence;
heart rate; slope.
b)
on the second page: speed;
average speed; time (timer); distance.
Fig. 1. Setting up Garmin 910 data fields for the running stage
Fig. 2A, 2B. Setting up data fields on the first and second pages of the cycling stage
The following fields are set up in Garmin 810 for the cycling stage (Figure 3):
Fig. 3. Setting up data fields of Garmin 810 fields for the cycling
cadence; speed; heart rate; time (timer); distance; slope.
SPEED SENSOR.
Technically, Garmin watches have a built-in GPS sensor that will determine your speed, but its readings depend on the quality of satellite signal reception. With a speed sensor, you will be not dependent on the satellites, and your speed data will be more accurate. But you can easily go without it.
HEART RATE SENSOR shows the number of beats of your heart per minute (Fig. 4).
By using this parameter, you can monitor your overall physical condition during training and at competitions, the impact of physical exercise on your body, plan your training loads, analyze the results achieved and determine your progress in sports development. All this is quite possible for an amateur athlete.
Fig. 4. Heart rate sensor
It is easy to keep your heart rate in check, just buy a heart rate monitor and connect it to Garmin.
Monitoring your heart rate is the best way to keep an eye on your condition concerning the price-performance ratio. A power sensor can also be used for planning and monitoring your training. This is a very useful but very expensive thing. Relatively cheap models, unfortunately, are not yet reliable enough.
At the initial stage, it will be enough to focus on heart rate monitoring. You need to know and remember: is it possible to overcome the Ironman distance, as well as the Half ironman and the Olympic distance, only in aerobic mode. This is especially true for beginners.