Five years ago this news would have had me rushing to the expo, never mind collecting my race number, I would want to get my hands on the latest piece of ‘essential’ training equipment – but my excitement at the news of the latest member to the Forerunner family is rather subdued after my experience with the Forerunner 405.

My first experience of Gamin came with the Forerunner 301 and I quickly became obsessed with it. Downloading and analysing all my training and races, sharing my training routes with club mates and also using it when travelling to record where I had been exploring. I think that a clear indication of how much I loved and relied on my Forerunner was when I lost my watch during a weekend away and in spite of being a poor student, I ordered a new one with two days of exhausting all search options.

Fast forward to January 2008 and the news came out that of the launch of the Forerunner 405. Instead of the bulk and size of its predecessor, the 405 looked like a watch, so could be worn all the time without weird looks form colleagues at work and if you don’t have to take it off after running I have less chance of losing it. But for me I had to get it for the ‘HotFix satellite prediction, which means it locks onto satellites quickly so you can be out the door and on with your run in no time. It also has a high-sensitivity GPS receiver to stay locked onto satellites, even near tall buildings or under tree cover.’ As I was living in New York at the time I often lost signal running around Central Park with my 301 so was eager to get hold of the new 405. With delay after delay the 405 was finally release in May 2008 and after playing with it in a few stores I decided to part with my $349 plus tax. It was the worst $349 I have ever spent.

I don’t know where to start with my hatred of this gadget. I don’t think I have ever hated any piece of equipment so much and far from being a method of relaxation my runs with my forerunner 405 leave me frustrated and more wound up than before I left the house. The Forerunner is so unreliable that I wear both my 301 and 405 when training or racing with the 405 purely to record my heart rate.

To summarise the differences I’ll describe my experiences with both. The 305 is charged by plugging into a standard USB cable into the watch which can be attached to your computer or plugged into the wall. The screen tells you when the battery charging process is complete and you can unplug it and leave it in your training bag. One month later when you go back to the watch if you haven’t used it then you will still have 13 hours of battery life. Also if it says you have 2hours charge left then you know you actually do have 2 hours. If you get to work and remember you need to charge your 305 or are away from home for a weekend then you can use any standard USB cable to recharge it. When you go to use it if you are in a new area then it can take a while for the signal to pick up but never more than 10 minutes. The screen is large and the most important feature being the large chunky buttons that can be activated when wearing gloves, in the rain, with sticky gel covered fingers and without accidentally pressing adjacent buttons. Its major flaw is that in built up areas you can lose signal but this flaw is more than acceptable when added to the ease at programming the watch with a virtual partner and audio training alerts for distance or pace. Laps are easily recorded by pressing the large lap button with the large red stop button easy to see, no matter how hard the rain may be blowing into your eyes. Finally to download the data to your computer you simply plug it into your computer using the USB.

The Forerunner 405 requires a provided clip to charge the battery. Again this can be plugged into a wall plug or computer, but if you find you need to charge it up away from your home (believe me that is a lot of the time) and if you haven’t carried around your charger with you then you are stuck. The other aspect is you can’t just plug it into the wall to start the charging you have to press a button to activate the charging process. Sounds like a simple process but it is frustrating when you go to use the watch at a race and realise it never charged overnight. The other annoying aspect is that if you are charging you and you have a power cut or a light bulb blows you presume that when the power comes back on it will restart charging but it doesn’t. Many times I have returned to my watch after a day of charging to find it has a blank screen. Don’t assume that because you have had it charged for 16 hours that it will be fully charged when you go to use it. Often I unplug it with 100% charge to step out the door and be greeted with the low battery notification and a blank screen before I have reached the end of the road.

A further issue with the battery is how quickly it gets used up trying to find the GPS signal. 30 minutes before a race starts I switch on my 301 and try to get my 405 to pick up a signal. By the time the race starts my 405 will still be searching but helpfully telling me the accuracy of the satellites (so much for the Hotfix satellite prediction). For all this effort I find that my battery life is now 87% fine I think 100% is 8 hours so I must still have around 7 hours left, plenty of time to finish the race. But whilst the 301 picked up the signal within 5 minutes at the start line the 405 waits a further 2 miles before I get any data from it. Things then work well scrolling through my predetermined screens of heart rate, pace, virtual partner, distance.  As I approach the next mile marker I try to press the lap button, and again, and again, in the end I give up it’s not too important I can read it off my 301 or I can distract myself with some maths as I run to calculate my pace. 6 miles in everything else is fine. I have locked the bezel so I can’t accidentally catch it with my clothing, a fellow competitor or passing motorist but my screen starts randomly scrolling not with pace/heart rate/time but with the accuracy of the GPS satellite and battery life and compass directions. Great I don’t know how fast I am running but I do know that I have 10% battery life left. 10%?? How did I use 77% of my battery in less than 1 hour. Before I can check the screen again the battery life warning appears on the screen and the bleeping begins.

‘What’s that telling you?’ asks a fellow competitor ‘are we going too fast?’.

‘No, my battery is low’ I reply

‘Ah, forgot to charge it did you?’

Getting back home I want to download the little data my 405 recorded but unlike the 301 the 405 needs a handy ant stick for wireless transfer. That ant stick that you have to remove when carrying your laptop and fell down behind the drawer or you left plugged in your work computer.

One of my major issues with Garmin is that they know that the Forerunner 405 is flawed and have done nothing to rectify the problem with their customers. I am on 405 watch number three. I cannot fault the friendliness of the customer service people at Garmin. After getting to my uncharged watch again as I set out for a 22 mile run I ring up the customer service line ready to rant at them yet the clear English speaking operator is so understanding I can’t shout at them anymore. Although really I should. Every time they ask me if I have the most up to date software, I say it was down loaded last week, they say there was a new update yesterday I should try that to see if it solves the problem. I hang up happy then a week later conclude it isn’t any better. Occasionally the operator tells me what I am experiencing is a known problem and will send me a replacement. The first one was a brand new 405, the second one exactly a year ago was a refurbished model. Refurbished so well that on its first wear the strap fell off and I had to rush to the London marathon expo to get a new strap fitted before the next days race.

As I said Garmin know there are many faults with the 405 that they quickly released the 410. Comparing the specifications they are identical although the improvements to the Forerunner 410 include:

• Added device shutdown feature to the System menu
• Added banner that notifies customer when the device will be entering low power mode
• Added enhanced touch bezel

There is also the option of two additional wrist straps which allow a more comfortable fit for us thin wristed females. I am not the only person who has experienced problems with the 405 as many online forum users have discussed although the 410 appears to still have issues in the wet. I wish Garmin had offered replacement upgrades to those of us who have the flawed Forerunner 405. I would love to train with the Forerunner 610 with its new touch screen and new functions such as the Training Effect which measures the impact of an activity on your aerobic fitness, but I don’t have the money to risk on a product which may have as many problems as the 405 did when its new bezel was launched. My loyalty to Garmin disappears further with every frustrating run I attempt with my Forerunner 405 and with new GPS watches coming on to the market such the Nike+ sportwatch with GPS provided by TomTom at half the price of £179. Maybe it is time for a change.

Most of us long distance runners do not come with an ample bosom but we still need to wear specific sports bra to prevent damage to the breast tissue. The breast is made up of fatty tissue, not muscle and because of this, once it is damaged or stretched, exercise cannot help the breast to regain its original firmness and condition.

Sports scientist Dr Joanna Scurr from the University of Portsmouth, UK, discovered that a supporting sports bra prevents ‘bouncing’, and therefore stretching, of the sensitive breast tissue by 74%, while a normal bra only compensates by 38%.

Although Anita offers a range of sports bras I was looking for one most suitable for marathon running. Just because they fit, you wouldn’t run a marathon in a pair of tennis shoes as they wouldn’t provide the right support, and the same is with sports bras. One bra does not fit all sports. High impact sports such as running require different support to those doing yoga.

Long distance runners are especially prone to jogger’s nipple caused by friction from the repeated rubbing of the t shirt on the nipple for a long period of time. It is something that affects men more than women as we can wear sports bras designed for the breast to remain stable can help prevent the problem (men you can wear compression vests).

An additional consideration for marathon runners is that you are likely to be wearing the sports bra for 3-5 hours possibly longer. Due to increased blood flow round your active muscles your chest expands slightly (imagine how your feet expand as you run), whilst your body tries to keep you cool though perspiring and vasodilation of your blood vessels. You therefore need to choose a bra that can expand slightly whilst still providing support, but also one that is breathable and temperature regulating.

Road Test

I was given the Anita Active Extreme Control Sports Bra to try and the matching sports brief. One of the first things I noticed was the design of the padded shoulders on the straps, which were also adjustable. I tried the bra during two 20 mile races and as I expanded during the race the straps did not dig in my shoulders or rub. Also important for me was wearing a heart rate monitor and the under bust band fit perfectly over the top, moulding around the strap without causing chafing.

The breathable temperature regulating fabrics are described as guaranteeing the skin remains dry. In spite the breathable mesh back I did find that the bra was wet by the end of the races but I have yet to find any item of moisture wicking clothing that leaves me dry after a long race. However the inner cups are seamless and made of microfiber towelling which were comfortable and ensured there was no chafing.

The matching sports briefs were made of the same material with breathable mesh sides however I didn’t wear them to race in as I found they were difficult to wear under running tights. I did wear them alone to do an aerobics workout at home and they fit well so may be more suited to wearing under tracksuits or with running skirts rather than leggings.

Overall

Definitely one of the most comfortable bras I have worn for long distance races and I loved the padded adjustable straps. I felt supported throughout without my breasts feeling squashed by the end of the race with digging strap marks. It can’t guarantee you will stay dry in spite of the breathable material but I suffered no chaffing even with a heart rate monitor.

Anita Sports bras are available from many online retailers including LessBounce and Amazon. The Extreme Control Bra I tested retails for £41.00 and is available in black/white/metallic in sizes 32-46 cups B-H.

• Will your work or family commitments allow you to attend group meetings or classes?
• Are you happy recording your daily diet online or interacting with online forums?
• Do you have a problem with portion control or do you need advice on eating healthier?
• Do you want to be free to eat whatever you like or do you need more discipline and prefer being provided with specific recipes  or food from special ranges with healthy proportions of carbohydrates/protein and fats?
• Do you need to change your lifestyle to incorporate more activity such as being encouraged to walk up stairs or leave the car at home for short journeys, or are you already quite active but have reached a weight loss plateau and would prefer to attend fitness classes or follow a workout plan to kick-start your metabolism?
• How are you motivated? Do you want public recognition for your weight loss achievements or are you happier seeing graphs and statistics that record your activity and calorie intake?

No one weight loss plan is right for everybody,  so although joining the same program as you best friend maybe good for support, if it doesn’t fit your lifestyle or personal preferences you won’t stick with it, especially over the long term. So make sure you check out exactly what the benefits of each program are for you before you sign up. We have highlighted a few of the most popular UK weight loss programs to help you decide.

Who?

WeightWatchers

How?

Meetings or Online

What does it involve?

WeightWatchers’ approach is to help members achieve their sustained weight loss goals by adopting a healthier lifestyle and a healthier relationship with food and activity.

Founded over 40 years ago WeightWatchers is now the global leader in weight management services, providing 50,000 Weight Watchers meetings each week in countries all over the world. Scientific Studies have backed up their approach which is based on the underlying premise of behaviour modification, helping you learn how to change their relationship with food and activity.

WeightWatchers have recently launched a brand new plan. This is their biggest innovation since the POINTS® system launched almost 15 years ago. The new ProPoints plan uses the latest nutritional science that reflects how your body processes food. They claim ‘you’ll discover foods that’ll keep you satisfied and that are healthy and foods that’ll make life enjoyable as you’re getting to the weight you want to be.’

Why could it work for me?

Easy to incorporate the diet into your lifestyle as many food products, including supermarket own brands, already list the  Weight Watchers’ points so no need to personally calculate potion sizes and values.

Any special joining offers?

Sign up  now and SAVE MORE THAN £10 WITH their 3-MONTH PLAN!

Who?

Rosemary Conley Diet and Fitness Club.

How?

Online, Classes, Magazine and Food Ranges

What does it involve?

With over 37 years experience in Diet and Exercise, Rosemary Conley has helped thousands of men and woman from all over the world, to achieve their weight loss goals and get fitter for life. Today, the brand has a reach of over 1 million customers who wish to follow a healthy lifestyle.

The Rosemary Conley approach is unique as the only national slimming organisation to include an exercise session in every class, with workouts designed for everyone, no matter what age, size, or fitness level. Don’t be concerned if you haven’t exercised for a long time – you can start with gentle, low intensity movements and walking on the spot, resting whenever necessary.

At Rosemaryconleyonline, their aim is ‘to assist and support members in achieving and maintaining their weight-loss and fitness goals in a friendly, caring and positive environment.’

Online you can also follow Rosemary’s Amazing Inch Loss Plan, which is based on low-fat, low-Gi foods.

If you’re dieting on your own and looking for a proven eating plan which includes tasty meals for one that are both healthy and hassle-free then you can Use the Solo slim diet range of foods.

Why could it work for me?

With an exercise session in every class, it is a great option for people who want to increase their calorie expenditure and fitness through exercise.

Any special joining offers?

This January Rosemary Conley will be offering all new members joining from this link £10 off membership to rosemaryconleyonline. In addition to this they will also get a year’s free subscription to Rosemary Conley Diet & Fitness magazine worth £19.99 if you join for a year.

Who?

Fitbug.com

How?

Online

What does it involve?

Since its launch in 2005, Fitbug has helped thousands of people achieve their personal health, weight-loss and fitness goals and to lead far healthier lives. Fitbug provides an all-inclusive, non-intimidating programme which is suitable for all; irrespective of age, gender, location or physical fitness which encourages individuals to improve their lifestyles for the long term.

How Fitbug has developed a little gadget (essentially a pedometer) which records all the exercise you do – every step you take and every stair you climb. You then simply download the results onto Fitbug.com and you’ll be to view exactly how much exercise you’ve done. By slowly increasing the amount of steps you take each day and following Fitbug’s healthy eating advice, helps you get fitter, slimmer and healthier. Requires inputting your daily food intake online and then it displays just how much fat, protein and calories you have eaten that day and how you need to alter your diet.

An online forum provides support from other members and online challenges to motivate you to become more active by competing against friends, colleagues or complete strangers to achieve your weekly targets.

Why could it work for me?

Fitbug has unique motivation through Nectar, the UK’s leading loyalty programme. Nectar collectors can earn 1,000 points just for signing up to Nectar Fitbug, plus if you’re serious about leading a healthier lifestyle, you can collect up to an additional 80 points a week! Ten points for 12,000 steps. Take more than 10,000 steps a day, five times a week and receive an additional ten bonus points With all the Nectar points you collect, there are plenty of ways to treat yourself sooner.

Who?

Tescodiets.com

How?

Online

What does it involve?

From one of our main high street supermarkets Tesco diets offers some unique approaches. Firstthere is DNA (Diet Needs Analysis), a 1-2-1 consultation service offering a personal 45 minute phone call with a qualified nutritionist.

Personal diet mentor, recipe club and16 different diet plans available from vegan to gluten free to low salt.

There is also an easy to follow personalised fitness programme. Tell them what area of your body you want to work on and they generate a weekly work out plan for you. Virtual online trainers show you how to do the exercises safely. Also included are online support such as exercise journals, workout logs, activity and heart rate calculators.

Why could it work for me?

After you have received your personalised diet Tesco then allows you to order your diet plan shopping list online. OK this gimmick gets you to buy from their store but you will also be able to avoid the temptation to buy treats in the supermarket.

Who?

Bootsdiets.com

How?

Online

What does it involve?

Bootsdiet.com gives you a personalised calorie target, record everything with an online food diary and stay within this target. No meal plans or special foods. Online forums for encouragement and support. Calorie counted recipes for inspiration

Why could it work for me?

No food is banned but the aim is to educate you about food so you can develop a healthier lifestyle. Can also access your account from your iPhone, Blackberry or other internet enabled phone.

Any special joining offers?

Visit  Bootsdiets.com for a free 7day free trial. Or save up to 1/3 on 3 or 6 months membership at Bootsdiets.com by buying a BootsDiets.com Online Weight Loss Service  Membership Voucher direct from the Boots website.

Last year the Ministry of Sound released an album which smashed expectations selling over 150,000 copies and became a must have fitness product. Now they have released Running Trax 2, 3 CD’s described as the ‘most upbeat and energetic tracks to spur you towards the peak of physical fitness.’ Click here for Track Listing.

The 3 CDs will certainly keep your heart racing during a rigorous fitness regime with tracks by Calvin Harris, Eric Prydz and Dizzee Rascal. However, I would have preferred there to be a change in tempo between the CD’s for different runs. It is described as specially selected tracks to guide you through any style of training you choose, whether it is a Sunday morning jog or a rigorous fitness regime but I found that most of the tracks, whilst probably would keep your heart pumping, are more suited to a spin cycling class or an intense session on the cross trainer. The tracks are not ones I would choose to run to, maybe for high intensity interval training, but I would have preferred more contrasting speeds for warming up, recovery jogs or Sunday long runs.

There is no doubt the 3 CD’s contain some of the most upbeat and energetic tracks you could choose to exercise to, I am just concerned that if you try to run at their pace you may injure yourself. Admittedly, The Nightcrawler’s Push The Feeling On is suitable for a Sunday morning jog, but I find The Unicorn Kid’s Wild Life is way too fast to run to, yet other tracks such as Example’s Kickstarts changes the rhythm so much during the track it is hard to run at a constant pace.

To justify the Running Trax title the CD’s also include a 12 page booklet giving advice on how to start training for your own race and tips to keep you feeling confident up to race day and beyond. Some tips are helpful such as how to avoid injuries and how to be motivated. But suggesting that on a race day you need deodorant and to carry spare £1 coins to make emergency phone calls kind of feels that were running out of useful advice, when a few more diagrams of how to stretch may have been more helpful.

Overall

A good value 3CD selection of energetic tracks to exercise to but if you plan on running to them you will need to invest some time in selecting suitable tracks for each style of training run.

Release Date 28th December 2010

Available to buy as a boxset from Amazon.co.uk, Sainsbury’s, Play.com and other retailers. Also available to download from Amazon or iTunes.

Running Trax 2 Track Listing

This DVD is ideally aimed at under 20’s and first time exercisers who need a bit of motivating to become active. If you want to encourage a child to dance without imitating provocative moves from Christina Aguilera then this DVD will give some dance move ideas from Street Dancing to working your way round a night club.

One of best aspects of the DVD has to be the music. The on-set DJ providing tracks from artists including Dizzee Rascal, Black Eyed Peas, Ellie Golding and Rhianna. Extras on the DVD include the soundtrack only when you want to listen to the music without the workout as well as original videos for other tracks. It could be a great alternative to put on when you are getting ready to go out and want to experiment with some dance moves with your girlfriends. But as an exercise routine I find pointing at a guy you fancy and strutting backwards is not that effective as a cardio or toning workout. However as an introduction to workout videos the dance routines are easy to follow and remember. Many advanced DVD’s often just shout grapevine or downward dog and expect you to know what they are and how to do it. Whilst instructions by the presenter, Gareth Walker, to push through the nightclub doors or look for your phone whilst may not be established terms for exercise moves they do help you remember what you should be doing.

Fortunately you don’t need to feel intimidated by the dancers, Gareth Walker hides under baggy T shirts and long shorts and the girls, whilst thin, have little muscle definition perhaps inferring that this workout is not going to tone you and develop muscles but rather just provide a fun dance workout another indication that this DVD is aimed at teenagers.

Road Test

To evaluate the cardio benefits of the DVD I wore a heart rate monitor throughout the workout. Next to each section I have highlighted my Average and Maximum Heart Rate for that section. My heart rate throughout the workout can be seen here. To allow you to compare the effectiveness of each section the relative heart rates for my age/gender are: Between 105-135 is considered as light intensity or recovery zone; 136-153 is the zone for fat burning and weight loss; 153-176 is for higher level aerobic activity.

The ‘Warm Up’ section is easy to follow and a very gentle warm up. (Avg HR 114; Max 137)

The ‘Tone’ section is one of the most effective sections allowing me to maintain a workout in the aerobic zone, training here will develop your cardiovascular system. (Avg HR 147; Max 171)

The ‘Shake it Move it’ section is all about having fun and learning funky dance moves. Expect to be flicking your hair, shimming your shoulders and strutting your stuff. (Avg HR 133; Max HR 146)

The second dance option ‘Pop it Lock it’ incorporates the hottest craze right now, Streetdance, a genre that has been taking our screens by storm. From Britain’s got Talent winners Diversity to Cheryl Cole’s Fight For This Love video everyone has been embracing Streetdance. This section is dedicated to learning the moves and as such does not give a great workout. (Avg HR 128; Max HR 146)

‘Burn it Lose it’ is for the more advanced fitness fanatic as it is an aerobic dance option. It is a high impact section aimed to get your heart beat pumping and provides you with a cardio workout. It includes everything from boxing to squats. (Avg HR 140; Max HR 159)

‘Legs Bums and Tums‘ is a stationary routine of crunches and yoga positions so not intending to raise your heart rate. The positions are efficiently described with one of the girls demonstrating a simplified version for beginners. Although the routine contained nothing new if you have ever taken part in any other ab based workout before.

Overall

If you are a regular exerciser looking for a challenging work out then this may not be the DVD for you and if you are over 25 you may feel a bit stupid if you ever get caught doing the routines in your living room. This DVD is most suited to teenagers and total beginners to exercise. Although the music is enjoyable to workout to or listen to, the moves are aimed to appeal at a young audience and if you are even moderately fit you will find half of the sections not challenging enough and as a consequence quite boring and frustrating.

A plus point is that the DVD also suggests a basic week long diet plan if you are looking weight loss and is an enjoyable introduction to starting to become active. Also it doesn’t assume that your living room is the size of  dance studio and as such you only need a small space to move around in. Finally beware that you will soon outgrow the routines but at least you still will have a well-mixed soundtrack for your next party.

Pump It Up- Body Burn DVD is available from retailers including HMV, Play.com, Sainsbury’s, Amazon.co.uk and LoveFilm.com

Release Date: 27th December 2010

Everyday we’ll suggest original stocking fillers for the active person in your life.

Today show them you care with a Road ID.

There’s no better way to show you care than to provide someone the gift of safety and peace of mind. Road ID is the perfect training partner for runners, cyclists, triathletes or active people in general. If you have an accident on the roads or trails, your Road ID may be the only thing you have to guarantee proper medical treatment and immediate contact of family members.

Road ID products come in a number of versions, to be worn on your ankle, wrist, shoe or simply round your neck and it is laser engraved with your emergency contact information.

A Road ID is not only useful for athletes. As someone who does a lot of travelling, I have an interactive ID which has my name, my serial number and pin, and details of an international freephone number and website. This allows me to update my profile with my relevant travel insurance details and the contact details of the people I am visiting or staying with. Also if I’m travelling alone its reassuring to know if something happened to me people would know who I am to contact my family quicker.

If you don’t know which Road ID to purchase as a gift or what details to include on the ID you could just order a Road ID Gift Card or for a last minute present, an online eCard. www.RoadID.com also sell lights, clothing and reflective products so there is plenty of choice.

Submit your order by 21st December to receive your order by Christmas. eCards are emailed immediately after purchase. Use the code pcLastChance2 for a 10% discount off your entire order, valid  till 12th December 2010.

Whilst visiting the site you can find out how to enter RoadID’s Holiday Give away to win over $10,000 of prizes from Trek, LIVESTRONG® Fitness, HED Cycling, Garmin, Oakley, Newton Running, and Giro helmets.

More Christmas Gift Ideas >>>Charitable Gifts and Cards>>>