Garmin Scales

Grumpy_chap

I wonder whether anyone can shed any light on this thing I have noticed.

Last week, I did ParkRun, and it was a PB and I felt comfortable at the end.  My heart rate pretty much rose steadily through the run as I went for longer.

This week, I was slower overall, felt absolutely knackered at the end.  My heart rate jumped at some point, which was also when I began to fell knackered in the run.

Can anyone explain why the tiring run had the steep jump in hear rate and how I can avoid that in the future?  The more progressive heart rate change seems to be as though it must be better.

Grumpy_chap

Had a good February with a couple of PBs at Park Run, including making 8th place in the local event one week - very surprised at that.
There was a rowing challenge at the local gym and I made 4th place, but even that was only fractionally behind the first place as it was a very tight grouping.
Resistance events were harder going for the month and March looks to be light in this regard as well (holiday at the end of the month won't help).

A number of people at work entered this event:
https://trailevents.co/events/lulworth-cove/
They've challenged me to join them next year.  Their range of finishing times were 7.5 hours through to 11.5 hours.  I am not sure what would be reasonable to aim for - I don't like hilly stuff and it will be cold if the weather is anything like the date was this year.

Grumpy_chap

Very sluggish March.
I only did one ParkRun and it was my slowest ever🥺
Not much resistance training either.
Still, enjoying the morning exercise session on holiday plus lots of swimming.

Grumpy_chap

April began with being on holiday so that was a dent in the overall fitness, though I did the daily PT sessions so not all bad. Really enjoyed the TABATA training but can't find anywhere back home that does the same thing.

After Easter, I have done some (but not enough) resistance training and very little cardio. Motivation is kick-started this week as it is the May steps challenge at work. Fastest 10k run on Monday (under the 50 minute milestone) but a bit slower yesterday. My legs are feeling it today, so no running, but I will walk to keep my step count high. I aim to win the step challenge…

I also thinking about changing gym as, since they got a new Fitness Manager at Christmas, the business had had no focus on Personal Training and actually booking sessions has been very difficult to do. It is a shame because I like the club, but somethinng to think about.

The new algorithym Garmin advanced fitness age metric has aged me by 26 years :( It says I am fat and lazy - do more exercise and lower BMI as the app puts it.

Grumpy_chap

It was May Step Challenge at work and that resulted in some pretty amazing PB's:
Most steps in a day
Most steps in a week
Most steps in a month
1k
1 mile

5k
10k

Too exhausted for ParkRun this morning though.

Grumpy_chap

23:30
My slowest ever ParkRun this morning 😭

Grumpy_chap

Plodding along and doing well with resistance training.

A lot less running lately, this week's Park Run was the first for a month.  I felt I was a bit on the slow side (1 minute off a PB) but, for the first time ever achieved "1st in your age category" so maybe I did better, adjusted for conditions, than the time suggests.

However, it was only 10th place overall and back in February I was able to achieve 8th place overall, which was also my PB, but only 2nd in my age category.

How is achievement properly measured?
Purely time?
Or place for age category?
Or place overall?
Or a combination of the above?

Grumpy_chap

Another month rolls around and I simply cannot get my 5k times back to what they were so I need a new strategy

Sea_Shell

Hi there.

Is it the the Renpho scales that you have?  Which model?

I'm thinking of getting some smart scales now too.   So I have a couple of questions...

Are they battery operated or usb charged?
How long does a full charge (set) last - if used once a day?
Does the Bluetooth connect and disconnect automatically when you use them?
Or Does it save data, and upload it all when next connected? 

AIUI they don't talk to Garmin, but it's not worth the extra to get compatible ones...you just end up with separate data?

Grumpy_chap

My scales are the Renpho ES-28ML.
That appears to have been superseded by the Elis 1:
https://renpho.uk/products/elis-1-smart-body-scale

I can't see any difference between that and the scales I have which is no longer available on the Renpho site but some resellers still seem to list.  My scales were purchased from a major online retailer and cheaper than direct.  I am not sure of the current prices.

I found the app and the scales very easy to set up and to use.  It seems to be the predominant scale used amongst people I know with smart scales of any kind.

My scales have a built in rechargeable battery which I plug in to USB every so often.  I use the scales daily and it is infrequent charging required, so much so that I don't really know how long the charge lasts as it is not an issue.  Maybe two or three times so far this year.

If the phone is near the scales and the Renpho app open, it will automatically copy the data from the scales to the app.  If the phone is not near, or the app not active, then the scales store the data and offer it up next time you open the app with the scales near (and awake) and asks if that is your data and you want to copy it in.  Sometimes, it offers me a result from wife using the scales, so the ask is helpful.  I rarely use the scales myself without just having the app open anyway.

It does not link to Garmin.  I manually enter the weight to the Garmin app each weigh-in.  I have not found a way to sync (or manually enter) the other data from the scales into Garmin.

Hope that helps.