Garmin Forerunner 205 - Running GPS Receiver User manual

Owner’s Manual
Forerunner
®
205/305
GPS-enabled trainer for runners

© 2006 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
Garmin International, Inc.
1200 East 151st Street,
Olathe, Kansas 66062, U.S.A.
Tel. [phone] or
800/800.1020
Fax [phone]
Garmin (Europe) Ltd.
Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey
Park Industrial Estate, Romsey,
SO51 9DL, U.K.
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
Garmin Corporation
No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road,
Shijr, Taipei County, Taiwan
Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]
All rights reserved. Except as expressly provided herein, no part of this manual may be
reproduced, copied, transmitted, disseminated, downloaded or stored in any storage medium,
for any purpose without the express prior written consent of Garmin. Garmin hereby grants
permission to download a single copy of this manual onto a hard drive or other electronic
storage medium to be viewed and to print one copy of this manual or of any revision hereto,
provided that such electronic or printed copy of this manual must contain the complete text of
this copyright notice and provided further that any unauthorized commercial distribution of this
manual or any revision hereto is strictly prohibited.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Garmin reserves the right
to change or improve its products and to make changes in the content without obligation to
notify any person or organization of such changes or improvements. Visit the Garmin Web site
(www.garmin.com) for current updates and supplemental information concerning the use and
operation of this and other Garmin products.
Garmin®, Forerunner®, Auto Lap®, and Auto Pause® are registered trademarks
and Virtual Partner™, Garmin Training Center™, and Multisport™ are trademarks of
Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries and may not be used without the express permission
of Garmin.
May 2006 Part Number 190-00581-00 Rev. C Printed in Taiwan

Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual i
INTRODUCTION
Introduction .......................... i
Contact Garmin .......................... ii
Getting Started .................... 1
Charging the Battery ..................1
Acquiring Satellite Signals .........2
Using the Heart Rate Monitor ....3
Extending the Strap ...................5
Buttons .......................................6
Pages .........................................7
User Profile ................................8
Training ................................ 9
Alerts ..........................................9
Auto Pause® ............................12
Auto Lap® ................................13
Virtual Partner™ .......................15
Workouts: Quick, Interval, and
Advanced ..........................16
Courses ...................................24
Multi-sport Workouts ................28
History ............................... 31
Viewing History ........................32
Deleting History .......................34
Navigation ......................... 35
Viewing the Map ......................35
Marking Locations ....................36
Back to Start ............................39
Creating and Using Routes ......40
Viewing GPS Information .........42
Settings ............................. 43
General Settings ......................43
Data Recording ........................46
Changing Sport Settings ..........49
Setting Pace/Speed Zones ......50
Setting Heart Rate Zones ........51
Appendix ........................... 53
Cleaning and Care ...................53
Data Fields ...............................54
Heart Rate Information ............57
Garmin Training Center ...........61
Specifications ...........................62
Limited Warranty ......................63
Warning ....................................67
Caution ....................................68
Index .................................. 69
TABLE OF CONTENTS

ii Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual
INTRODUCTION
Contact Garmin
If you encounter any difficulty
while using your Forerunner, or
if you have any questions, in the
U.S.A. contact Garmin Product
Support by phone: [phone]
or 800/800.1020, Monday–Friday,
8 am–5 pm Central Time; or visit
www.garmin.com/support. Click
Product Support and fill out the
form.
In Europe, contact
Garmin (Europe) Ltd. at
44/0870.8501241.
Tell us how you like this
manual! Fill out the Product
Documentation Survey. Go to
www.garmin.com/contactUs/
and click Product
Documentation Survey.
Product Registration
Help us better support you by
completing our online registration
today! Have the serial number
of your Forerunner handy and
connect to our Web site (www.
garmin.com). Look for the Product
Registration link on our home
page.
Use this area to record the serial
number (8-digit number located
on the back of the unit) in case
your Forerunner is lost, stolen, or
needs service. Be sure to keep
your original sales receipt in a
safe place or attach a photocopy
inside the manual.
Serial Number:

Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual 1
GETTING STARTED
GETTING STARTED
Charging the Battery
Charge the Forerunner for three hours before using it. When the
battery is fully charged, the battery life is approximately 10 hours. To
avoid corrosion, be sure the Forerunner is completely dry before
charging or connecting to a personal computer.
To charge the Forerunner:
1. Snap the Forerunner into the
charging cradle.
2. Plug the small end of the AC
adapter into the mini-USB port
on the cradle. Plug the other end
into a standard wall outlet.
NOTE: The Forerunner will not charge outside the temperature range of
0°C–50°C (32°F–122°F).
You can also charge the Forerunner by connecting it to your personal
computer with the enclosed USB cable. However, you must install
Garmin Training Center before you connect to your computer. See page
61 to install Garmin Training Center.
mini-USB port cradle

2 Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual
GETTING STARTED
Acquiring Satellite
Signals
Before you begin using the
Forerunner, you must acquire
GPS satellite signals. To acquire
satellite signals, go outdoors
away from tall buildings and
trees. Acquiring satellite signals
may take 30–60 seconds.
To acquire satellites:
Go outdoors to an open area and
press the Power button to turn
on the Forerunner.
Wait while the Forerunner
searches for satellites. For best
reception, make sure the GPS
antenna is facing up. Stand still
in an open area, and do not
begin walking or running until
the Locating Satellites page
disappears.
GPS antenna is
located here.
After the Locating Satellites page
disappears, you can begin your
run or other activity.
To turn off GPS and use the
Forerunner indoors, see page 44.

Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual 3
GETTING STARTED
Using the Heart Rate Monitor
NOTE: The heart rate monitor works with the Forerunner 305 only.
Wear the heart rate monitor directly on your skin, just below your
breastplate. It should be snug enough to stay in place during your run.
To position the heart rate monitor:
1. Push one tab on the strap through the slot in the heart rate monitor.
Press the tab down.
sensors
2. Wet both sensors on the back of the heart rate monitor to create a
strong connection between your pulse and the transmitter.

4 Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual
GETTING STARTED
3. Wrap the strap around your
chest and attach it to the
other side of the heart rate
monitor.
NOTE: If you have trouble with
erratic heart rate readings, position
the transmitter on your back instead
of your chest, or try applying
electrode gel.
4. Turn on the Forerunner
and bring it within range (3
meters) of the heart rate
monitor.
The heart rate icon on the Timer
page changes from flashing to
constant when the Forerunner
begins receiving data.
Be sure to move away from other
heart rate monitors while the
Forerunner is trying to “pair” with
your heart rate monitor for the
first time. After the Forerunner
pairs with your heart rate monitor,
you can go near other heart rate
monitors. For more information
on pairing and troubleshooting,
see pages 59-60.

Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual 5
GETTING STARTED
Extending the Strap
If the Forerunner strap is not
long enough for your wrist, you
can replace it with the included
extension strap and pin removal
tool.
Pin removal tool
To add the extension strap:
1. Remove the short watch strap
(with the buckle). Use the pin
removal tool to pull one spring
bar back so that it clears
the edge of the case. Then
remove the strap.
2. Install the extension strap.
Place one side of the spring
bar into one pinhole.
3. Compress the spring bar and
snap it into the other pinhole.

6 Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual
GETTING STARTED
Buttons
➊
power
• Press and hold to turn unit on/off.
• Press to turn backlight on/off.
➋
mode
• Press to view Timer or Main Menu.
• Press to exit a menu or page.
• Press and hold to change sports.
➌
lap/reset
• Press to create a new lap.
• Press and hold to reset the timer.
➍
start/stop
Press to start or stop the timer.
➎
enter
Press to select options and to acknowledge messages.
➏
arrows
• Press to highlight options.
• Press to scroll through menus and data fields.
NOTE: If the unit stops responding to button presses, press mode and
lap/reset simultaneously to reset the unit.
➌ ➍
➎➋
➏➊

Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual 7
GETTING STARTED
Pages
Press mode to switch between the Timer and the Main Menu.
Shows what
sport you’re in
Heart rate
icon
(305 only)
Battery
icon
Timer Main Menu
mode
While viewing the Timer, press the arrows to view other Timer
pages. To scroll through these pages automatically, see page 45. To
change the data fields on these pages, see page 43.
Timer pages
Press and hold mode any time to change sports.

8 Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual
GETTING STARTED
User Profile
The Forerunner uses information
that you enter about yourself to
calculate calorie consumption.
Set your user profile before
you begin using the Forerunner
to ensure that it is recording
accurate data.
To set your user profile:
1. Press mode to access the
Main Menu.
2. Select Settings > General >
User Profile.
3. Use the arrows and
enter to enter your gender,
birth date, and weight.
TIP: Press mode to exit a menu or
a page. Press mode repeatedly to
return to the Timer or Main Menu.
Select the
arrows to
move left or
right within a
field.
Forerunner 305 only: When
you set your user profile for the
first time, a Max HR message
appears. Select Yes to adjust
your maximum heart rate based
on your user profile.

Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual 9
TRAINING
TRAINING
NOTE: Always consult your physician
before you begin or modify any
exercise program.
Use your Forerunner to set goals
and alerts, train with a Virtual
Partner™, program simple or
advanced workouts, and plan
courses based on existing runs.
Alerts
Use your Forerunner alerts
to train toward certain time,
distance, speed, and heart rate
goals. You can set separate alerts
in each sport mode.
NOTE: Alerts do not function
during quick, interval, or advanced
workouts.
Time and Distance Alerts
Time and distance alerts are
useful for long runs when you
want to train for a certain amount
of time or distance.
When you reach your goal, the
Forerunner beeps and displays a
message.
To set a time or distance alert:
1. Press mode to access the
Main Menu. Select Training.
2. Select Training Options >
Alerts > Time/Dist Alert.
3. In the Time Alert field, select
Once or Repeat.

10 Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual
TRAINING
4. Enter a time in the Alert At
field.
5. In the Distance Alert field,
select Once or Repeat.
6. Enter a distance in the Alert
At field.
TIP: Press mode repeatedly to exit.
Using Pace/Speed Alerts
Pace alerts (called speed alerts
in Biking or Other mode) notify
you if you exceed or drop below a
certain pace.
The pace alert takes advantage
of pace zones, which are ranges
of pace that you can store in the
Forerunner. For more information,
or to set your pace/speed zones,
see page 50.
To set a pace/speed alert:
1. Press mode to access the
Main Menu. Then select
Training.
2. Select Training Options >
Alerts > Pace (Speed) Alert.
3. In the Fast Pace Alert field,
select a pace zone from the
menu or select Custom to
enter your own alert value.
4. Repeat for the Slow Pace
Alert.

Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual 11
TRAINING
Heart Rate Alerts
NOTE: Heart rate alerts are a feature
of the Forerunner 305 only.
The heart rate alert notifies you if
your heart rate exceeds or drops
below a specific number of beats
per minute (bpm).
Heart rate alerts can also notify
you if your heart rate exceeds
or drops below a certain heart
rate zone—a range of beats
per minute. The five commonly
accepted heart rate zones can
help you determine the intensity
of your workout. For more
information, or to set your heart
rate zones, see page 51.
To set a heart rate alert:
1. Press mode to access the
Main Menu. Then select
Training.
2. Select Training Options >
Alerts > HR Alert.
3. In the Min HR Alert field,
select a zone from the menu
or select Custom to specify
your own alert value.
4. Repeat for the Max HR Alert.
The maximum value allowed
is 235 bpm.
NOTE: When entering custom
heart rate values, you must set your
minimum and maximum alerts at
least five bpm apart.

12 Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual
TRAINING
Using Cadence Alerts
NOTE: Cadence alerts are a feature
of the Forerunner 305 only and can
only be set in Biking mode.
If you own an optional Garmin
cadence sensor, you can use
cadence alerts. The cadence
alert notifies you if your cadence
exceeds or drops below a specific
number of revolutions of the
crank arm per minute (rpm).
Setting a cadence alert is similar
to setting a heart rate alert. The
maximum cadence value allowed
is 255. Be sure to change to
Biking mode when setting a
cadence alert.
For more information about
Garmin cadence sensors, visit
www.garmin.com.
Auto Pause®
You can set the Forerunner to
pause the timer automatically
during your run when you stop
moving or when your pace
drops below a certain value.
This setting is helpful if your
path includes stop lights or other
places where you need to slow
down or stop.
NOTE: Auto Pause does not
work during Interval or Advanced
workouts.
When you turn on Auto Pause,
the Forerunner tracks any
paused time as Rest Time and
any paused distance as Rest
Distance. To add these data fields
to a Timer page, see page 43.

Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual 13
TRAINING
To set Auto Pause:
1. Press mode to access the
Main Menu.
2. Select Training > Training
Options > Auto Pause.
3. In the Auto Timer Pause
field, select When Stopped,
or select Custom Pace to
enter a value.
TIP: Press mode repeatedly to exit.
Auto Lap®
You can use Auto Lap to start a
new lap automatically after you
have traveled a certain distance
or passed a certain point in your
run. This setting is helpful for
comparing your performance
over different parts of a run (each
mile/kilometer or a major hill, for
example).
NOTE: Auto Lap does not work
during interval or advanced workouts.
To set Auto Lap:
1. Press mode to access the
Main Menu.
2. Select Training > Training
Options > Auto Lap.
3. In the Auto Lap Trigger field,
select By Distance to specify
a value.

14 Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual
TRAINING
Auto Lap by distance
If you select By Position,
the Forerunner marks a lap
automatically each time you
pass certain places during
your run. Choose from the
following options:
Auto Lap by position
• Lap Press only–starts a new
lap each time you press the
lap button and each time you
pass that location again.
• Start And Lap–starts a new
lap each time you pass the
starting point of your run,
each time you press the lap
button, and each time you
pass those locations again.
• Mark And Lap–starts a new
lap at a specific location you
mark before your run, each
time you press the lap button,
and each time you pass those
locations again.
If you select Mark And
Lap, go to the place where
you want to mark your
first lap. Then select Mark
Position. When you pass
this place during your run, the
Forerunner laps automatically.

Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual 15
TRAINING
Virtual Partner™
The Virtual Partner is a unique
tool designed to help you meet
your training goals. When turned
on, the Virtual Partner competes
with you automatically during
quick workouts and courses.
See the following pages to learn
more about quick workouts and
courses.
Virtual
Partner
You
If you are ahead of the Virtual
Partner, the bottom field
background is white. If you are
behind, the background is black,
as shown.
To see Virtual Partner data:
1. Set up a quick workout or
course.
2. Press start.
3. Press the arrows to
view all Timer pages.
To turn off Virtual Partner:
1. Press mode to access the
Main Menu.
2. Select Training > Training
Options > Virtual Partner.
3. In the Virtual Partner field,
select Off.

16 Forerunner® 205/305 Owner’s Manual
TRAINING
Workouts: Quick,
Interval, and Advanced
You can set up quick, interval,
or advanced workouts on the
Forerunner. If you set up an
advanced workout, you can save,
edit, and transfer it from your
computer to your Forerunner
using Garmin Training Center.
Quick and interval workouts
cannot be saved; they are
replaced each time you use them.
Quick Workouts
For quick workouts, you enter
your time, distance, or pace
goals, and the Forerunner
displays the Virtual Partner to
help you achieve them.
Distance & Time—enter how far
you want to go and how long it
should take.
Time & Pace—enter how long
you want to work out and how
fast you want to go.
Distance & Pace—enter how far
you want to go and how fast you
want to go.
NOTE: Alerts do not function during
quick workouts.
To set up a quick workout:
1. Press mode to access the
Main Menu.
2. Select Training > Workouts
> Quick Workouts.
3. Select the type of quick
workout you want to do.
4. Enter values in the top two
fields on the page. You can
select values from the list, or
select Custom to enter your
own value.