After all my complaining about the Heart Rate monitor app for my iPhone, it was only a temporary measure anyway. I was waiting for the (delayed release in Canada) Garmin vivoactive HR. All my research directed me to this particular "fitness activity monitor watch". Similar to many other activity monitors, this wrist-based monitor covers numerous different activities/sports and has a wrist-based Heart Rate Monitor, a GPS and is fully water-proof (you can wear it to track your swimming, if you want to). The only complaint that many have seems to be the brightness of the backlit face. I also felt that way initially. However, I have either got used to it, or a recent automatic upgrade changed that. I actually don't see any difference whether I have the brightness set to 1 - lowest - or 5 (now 9) - brightest. Overall, I am quite pleased with this tracker. Then again, it's only been a week.

Today I decided to start including some running in with my walking - 5 minute walking warm-up, then 1 minute running along with 4 minutes walking. I went my 4.5km/45 minutes "walking" route. I figured that, although I was now including running, my walking part would be at a slower pace and I would end up with basically the same time over the 4.5km distance.

I was wrong! My overall pace ended up being faster than I had anticipated. I covered the 4.5kms in 41 minutes. I haven't decided yet whether to extend my next "run" to add time. Or, just keep with this for the week and then extend it. Tomorrow is an official "no run" day so I will only be walking - other cross-training/strength-training activities to come.

Today - 4.5kms; 41 mins. (including 7 mins. running); temp 13c. Overall, felt good. But, I certainly haven't jarred my bones like that in quite a while!