Review on Enhance Your Running Performance with Garmin's 010-12520-00 Running Dynamics Pod by Jason Flores

The tiny but fully functional Garmin Running Dynamics Pod is a device that fits on the back of your running tights and then connects to your Garmin wearable to provide real-time running dynamics during your workout. These six combined metrics help you track your running form and performance and are as follows: Cadence - Measured in steps per minute (spm), how fast you move your feet. The module overrides your watch's built-in cadence sensor. This is more accurate as the capsule is much more static on your torso and therefore closer to the ground than if the data is from a constantly moving source (wrist). Ground Contact Time Balance – Displays the balance of your left hand. and right leg at the moment of impact/impact. This is represented as a numeric value on the real time clock which either shows a perfect 50-50 balance reading or gives you a value with an arrow showing which side you prefer. Knowing these metrics in real time, or viewing this data after a run, can help you improve your running technique. Ground Contact Time – Displays the duration of your impact with the ground, measured in milliseconds. The lower this number the better as there is less stress on the joints and less contact time. Stride Length - measures the length of your stride in meters and is an important metric to track in speed and pace training sessions. Oscillation is the height of your jump, measured in centimeters, and the lower this value, the less stress on your body. Imagine if you jump high and land on your feet the impact on your joints would be much greater than if you jumped less. The vertical oscillation ratio is a combination of your stride length values. and vertical oscillation to determine how much time you're spending above the ground. This metric is expressed as a percentage. The real capsule is encased in a silicone sleeve from which it can be removed when the batteries need to be replaced. Battery life is up to one year and is user replaceable. The pod is somewhat waterproof in the sense that heavy sweat and the occasional shower while running won't affect performance, but it shouldn't be fully submerged in water for long periods of time. It's only available in one color and while it might be confusing at first, it's actually a wise decision by Garmin as the device shows up nicely on almost any color of clothing. It's a blessing as the capsule is slightly larger than a peanut M&M and is easily forgotten when you throw your running shorts in the trash. The device is so light, only 12 grams, that the user forgets about it even during training. The multi-layer silicone clip is durable and the capsule never fell off during or after exercise. There are no physical buttons on the capsule, you just put it on, go to the starting point and start running or wake up on your watch. device by gently shaking it vertically or twice. Pairing is extremely easy, and if your Garmin wearable supports it (check compatibility on the Garmin website), you'll be up and running in less than a minute. Supported devices have two visible data pages consisting of the six metrics described above for real-time trend monitoring. This data is also stored and logged in your Garmin Connect account for later review in your run statistics. Having now been using the capsule for over a month, I can say that these readings are updating at an alarming rate during my workout. As you move your legs faster, you'll see your cadence increase and your stride length decrease almost instantly. The same applies to all other indicators. When your workout is over, your watch will beep to remind you to remove the capsule. The Garmin Run, Tri and now Pro chest heart rate monitors offer the same performance with the added benefit of providing the user with heart rate data via optical sensors on the wrist. based analog. But what if you have another non-brand chest strap or just don't want to wear heart rate monitors? That's where this little module comes into play. Bottom line: if your watch supports it and you love data, there's no reason not to have this little device in your arsenal.