Garmin Forerunner 201 Owner Manual

Forerunner® 201

personal trainer

owner’s manual

© Copyright 2003-2006 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]

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 unauthor
ized 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™ and Garmin
Training Center™ are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries and may not be used without the express
permission of Garmin.

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]

-

February 2006 Part Number 190-00318-00 Rev. F Printed in Taiwan

PACE YOURSELF

Fun is now on the run! Strap this personal trainer to your wrist and let it do all the work,
except the running of course. Welcome to the world of the Forerunner 201; a compact,
lightweight, waterproof GPS sensor that provides you accurate pace/speed, distance, and time
data during your workout. Not only that, it provides a map of your travels and provides as­sistance in your training using the Virtual Partner’s pace to help achieve your goals. Take your
Forerunner 201 wherever you go in the great outdoors.

To get the most out of your new Forerunner 201, take the time to read through this
owner’s manual and the Quick Start Guide to understand the operating features of the unit.

PRODUCT REGISTRATION

Help us better support you by completing your online registration today!

Connect to our Web site (www.garmin.com) and look for the Product Registration link

on the home page. Your unit’s serial number is on the back of the unit.

If you have any questions or comments regarding the use of the Forerunner 201 you can
visit our Web site or contact our Customer Service Department M-F, 8:00-5:00 CST (except
holidays) at 1-800-800-1020.

Serial Number

Use this area to record the serial number (8-digit number located on the back of your
unit, under the strap) in case it 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.

Introduction

Product Registration

iii

Introduction

Table of Contents

iv

INTRODUCTION .............................................I

Product Registration ....................................i

Table of Contents ...................................... ii

FCC Compliance ......................................iv

Software License Agreement ...................... v

Warnings & Cautions ...............................vi

Maintenance ............................................vii

Unit Overview ........................................viii

Wrist Strap ...............................................ix

Charging the Battery ..................................x

GETTING STARTED .......................................1

What is GPS? .............................................1

Turning on your Forerunner ......................2

Main Modes ..............................................3

TIMER MODE ................................................3

Using Timer Mode .....................................3

Data Screens ..............................................4

MENU MODE ................................................ 5

Using Menu Mode ......................................5

History: Last Run .......................................6

History: By Day ..........................................6

History: By Week .......................................

History: History Totals & Delete ................8

Training Assistant: Auto Pause/Lap ............9

Training Assistant: Virtual Partner ...........10

Training Assistant: Interval Training ........13

Training Assistant: Pace Alert ...................15

Training Assistant: Time/Dist Alert ..........16

Navigation: Add/Remove Map Mode .......17

Navigation: Mark Location ......................18

Navigation: Find Location .......................19

Navigation: Back To Start ........................23

Navigation: Orient Map North/Ahead ......23

Settings: Set Time ....................................22

Settings: Set Units ...................................26

Settings: Set Custom Page ........................27

Settings: Set Profile ...................................28

Settings: Set Display ................................29

Settings: Set System .................................30

Settings: Restore Settings .........................31

Settings: About Forerunner .....................31

SOFTWARE ................................................. 32

SPECIFICATIONS ........................................

INDEX ........................................................34

7

33

LIMITED WARRANTY

This Garmin product is warranted to be free from defects in materials or workmanship for one
year from the date of purchase. Within this period, Garmin will at its sole option, repair or replace any
components that fail in normal use. Such repairs or replacement will be made at no charge to the customer for parts or labor, provided that the customer
shall be responsible for any transportation cost. This warranty does not cover failures due to abuse, misuse, accident or unauthorized alteration or repairs.

THE WARRANTIES AND REMEDIES CONTAINED HEREIN ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED
OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY LIABILITY ARISING UNDER ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE,
STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, WHICH MAY VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL GARMIN BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER RESULTING
FROM THE USE, MISUSE, OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT OR FROM DEFECTS IN THE PRODUCT. Some states do not allow the exclusion of
incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations may not apply to you.

Garmin retains the exclusive right to repair or replace the unit or software or offer a full refund of the purchase price at its sole discretion. SUCH REM
EDY SHALL BE YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR ANY BREACH OF WARRANTY.

To obtain warranty service, call your local Garmin authorized dealer. Or call Garmin Customer Service at one of the numbers listed below for shipping
instructions and an RMA tracking number. The unit should be securely packed with the tracking number clearly written on the
unit should be sent, freight charges prepaid, to any Garmin warranty service station. A copy of the original sales receipt is required as the proof of purchase
for warranty repairs.

Online auction confirmations are not accepted for warranty verification. To obtain warranty service, an original or copy of the sales receipt from the
original retailer is required. Garmin will not replace missing components from any package purchased through an online auction.

Introduction

-

outside of the package. The

Garmin International, Inc.
1200 E. 151st Street
Olathe, KS 66062, U.S.A.
Tel. [phone]
Fax. [phone]

www.garmin.com

Garmin (Europe) Ltd.
Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey Park Industrial Estate
Romsey, SO51 9DL, U.K.
Tel. [phone]
Fax. [phone]

v

Introduction

FCC Compliance

vi

The Forerunner 201 complies with Part 15 of the FCC interference limits for Class B
digital devices FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE. These limits are designed to provide more
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation, and are more
stringent than “outdoor” requirements.

Operation of this device is subject to the following conditions: (1) This device may not
cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, includ­ing interference that may cause undesired operation.

This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encour­aged to try to correct the interference by one of the following measures:

• Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the
receiver is connected.

• Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

The Forerunner 201 does not contain any user-serviceable parts. Repairs should only be
made by an authorized Garmin service center. Unauthorized repairs or modifications could
result in permanent damage to the equipment, and void your warranty and your authority to
operate this device under Part 15 regulations.

SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT

BY USING THE FORERUNNER 201, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS
AND CONDITIONS OF THE FOLLOWING SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT. PLEASE
READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY.

Garmin grants you a limited license to use the software embedded in this device (the
“Software) in binary executable form in the normal operation of the product. Title, ownership
rights and intellectual property rights in and to the Software remain in Garmin.

You acknowledge that the Software is the property of Garmin and is protected under the
United States of America copyright laws and international copyright treaties. You further
acknowledge that the structure, organization and code of the Software are valuable trade
secrets of Garmin and that the Software in source code form remains a valuable trade secret of
Garmin. You agree not to decompile, disassemble, modify, reverse assemble, reverse engineer
or reduce to human readable form the Software of any part thereof or create any derivative
works based on the Software. You agree not to export or re-export the Software to any coun­try in violation of the export control laws of the United States of America.

Introduction

Software License

Agreement

vii

Introduction

government, which is solely responsible for its accuracy and maintenance. The system is
subject to changes which could affect the accuracy and performance of all GPS equipment.

Warnings & Cautions

Although the Garmin GPS receiver is a precision electronic NAVigation AID (NAVAID), any
NAVAID can be misused or misinterpreted and, therefore, become unsafe.

bicycle in a safe manner, maintain full surveillance of all riding conditions at all times, and
not become distracted by the Forerunner 201 to the exclusion of safe practices. It is unsafe
to operate the controls of the Forerunner 201 while you are riding. Failure by the rider of a
bicycle equipped with a Forerunner 201 to pay full attention to operation of the bicycle and
road conditions while in motion could result in an accident or collision with property damage
and personal injury.

WARNING.- This product, its packaging, and its components
contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause
cancer birth defects, or reproductive harm. This Notice is being
provided in accordance with California’s Proposition 55. If
you have any questions or would like additional informa
tion, please refer to our Web site at http:Ilwww.garmin.coml
prop65.

This unit contains a Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery. Please
dispose of properly.

tion, carefully review and understand all aspects of this Owner’s Manual. When in actual use,
carefully compare indications from the Forerunner 201 to all available navigation sources, in­cluding the information from other NAVAIDS, visual sightings, charts, etc. For safety, always
resolve any discrepancies before continuing navigation.

-

THIS PRODUCT IS INTENDED TO BE USED ONLY AS A NAVIGATIONAL REFERENCE
AID AND MUST NOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE REQUIRING PRECISE MEASURE­MENT OF DIRECTION, DISTANCE, LOCATION OR TOPOGRAPHY. THIS PRODUCT
SHOULD NOT BE USED AS AN AID TO DETERMINE GROUND PROXIMITY FOR AIR-

viii

CRAFT NAVIGATION. CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING A WORKOUT PLAN.

WARNING: The Global Positioning System (GPS) is operated by the United States

WARNING: When on a bicycle, it the sole responsibility of the rider to operate the

CAUTION: Use the Forerunner 201 at your own risk. To reduce the risk of unsafe opera-

CAUTION: IT IS THE USER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT PRUDENTLY.

FORERUNNER AND WRIST STRAP CLEANING

The Forerunner 201 is constructed of high quality materials and does not require user
maintenance other than cleaning. Clean the unit using a cloth dampened with a mild
detergent solution and then wipe dry. Avoid chemical cleaners and solvents that may damage
plastic components. The wrist strap should be hand washed with mild detergent in warm or
hot water. Blot dry then air dry. Do not machine wash.

STORAGE

Do not store the Forerunner 201 where prolonged exposure to temperature extremes may
occur (such as in the trunk of a car) as permanent damage may result. User information, such
as locations, tracks, and workout history is retained indefinitely in the units memory without
the need for external power. It is always a good practice to back up important user data by
manually recording it or downloading it to a PC. Free software is available for Forerunner
201 owners. Refer to our Web site on how to download the Garmin Training Center software
at: http://www.garmin.com/products/forerunner201.

WATER IMMERSION

The Forerunner 201 is waterproof to IEC Standard 60529 IPX7. It can withstand immer­sion in 1 meter of water for 30 minutes. Prolonged submersion can cause damage to the unit.
After submersion, be certain to wipe and air dry the unit before reuse or charging.

To resolve problems that cannot be remedied using this guide, contact Garmin Customer
Support in the U.S.A. at 800-800-1020 or Garmin Europe at 44-0870-8501241.

Introduction

Maintenance

ix

Introduction

mode

reset

enter

lap start/stop

Unit Overview

x

Power/Data

Contacts

Back View (without strap)

Serial Number Speaker

Built-in GPS

Antenna

POWER

BACKLIGHT

Front View

MODE RESET

LAP

ENTER

START/STOP

LCD Display

(with Backlight)

DOWN UP

The Forerunner has been designed to comfortably fit your wrist. For best performance,
wear the Forerunner like a watch, with the top face of the unit oriented towards the sky. A
strap extension provides additional length and easily attaches to the existing strap.

To fasten the Forerunner to your wrist:

1. With the strap open, place the Forerunner on your wrist.

2. Slide the end of the strap through the connector.

3. Adjust to fit comfortably and secure the strap. Do not adjust too tightly around your wrist as
this may cut off blood circulation.

To add the strap extension:

1. Slide the end of the existing strap through the connector on the extension oriented the
same direction on each strap.

2. Place on your wrist or arm.

3. Slide the end of the extension through the existing connector.

4. Adjust to fit comfortably and secure the strap. Do not adjust too tightly around your wrist/
arm as this may cut off blood circulation.

To remove the wrist strap from the Forerunner:

1. Place your Forerunner on a cloth or soft surface to avoid scratching the case.

2. While holding the Forerunner steady with one hand, use a jewelers band pin removing tool
or a very soft flat head screwdriver to catch the spring bar’s loaded stem and pull it back
enough for the band to clear the case’s edge.

3. To reinstall, insert the spring bar into the wristband and place one side of the spring bar
into one pinhole.

4. Compress the spring bar, and snap it into the other pinhole. Be sure that the spring bars are
secure in the pinholes before using your Forerunner.

Introduction

Wrist Strap

xi

Introduction

Charging the Battery

When the Forerunner 201 is connected to the
battery charger and powered off, you see this
screen to indicate that batteries are charging.

Battery usage icon shows
an estimate of battery life
left. Four squares with the
battery outline indicates a
full battery.

When external power is
applied, the battery outline
disappears..

xii

CHARGING THE BATTERY

The Forerunner 201 operates on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. This battery lasts as
long as 15 hours when fully charged. To recharge the battery, be sure to wipe the contacts
dry, if needed, then snap the AC recharging cradle to the unit with the 4-contact end in first
(shown below). Connect to a power source. Full recharge time should take between 1-3
hours. The battery must be charged at least 2 hours before initial use.

NOTE. If the unit has been stored for a long period of time (battery fully
discharged), it may require up to 30 minutes of charging before it powers on
and/or indicates charging. The Forerunner’s memory stores your data indefinitely.
Battery life may be decreased in extreme temperatures or as the battery ages.

WHAT IS GPS?

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a system of 24 satellites that circle the earth
twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit information to earth. The Forerunner must
continuously “see” at least three of these satellites to calculate your location and track your
movement. At times, additional satellites may be needed to determine a location. If some of
the satellites in view get blocked or “shaded,” the receiver can simply use an alternate satellite
to maintain the location fix.

Because the Forerunner relies on satellite signals to provide you with navigation guidance,
the receiver needs to have an unobstructed, clear view of the sky for best performance. In a
nutshell, the GPS receiver’s view of the sky generally determines how fast you get a location
fix, or if you get a fix at all. GPS signals are relatively weak and do not travel through rocks,
buildings, people or metal, so remember to keep a clear view of the sky at all times for best
performance.

Your Forerunner needs to be given the opportunity to find or Autolocate itself (“initializa­tion”). Once you initialize the unit to a location, it typically computes a fix within a couple
minutes.

Longer initialization (Autolocate) is only necessary:

• The first time you use your Forerunner (new from the factory).

• After the receiver has been moved over 500 miles (with the power off from the last time

you used it.

Given GPS limitations, allow for some error in calculations. Train accordingly and with
common sense. GPS is to be used as a reference tool.

Visit the Garmin Web site at www.garmin.com for more information on GPS.

Getting Started

Down to the

Basics

1

Getting Started

Turning on your

Forerunner

2

Welcome Screen

GPS Signal Bar

Autolocate Mode

STARTING UP THE FORERUNNER 201

After the Forerunner is completely charged, it is ready for use. Allow the Forerunner time
to track satellites and determine your position the first time you use it. Upon startup, the
GPS signal bar appears. As the Forerunner 201 locates more satellites and the signal strength
increases, the bar moves to the right. The window disappears after the Forerunner 201 has a
satellite lock. It is recommended not to start your workout until the Forerunner has a satellite
lock and knows your location. Remaining battery life displays underneath the GPS
signal bar. Turn to page x for information about recharging the Forerunner 201.

To turn on the Forerunner 201:

1. Press and hold the POWER button until the Welcome Page is displayed, then
release.

2. After the Welcome Page disappears, the Timer Mode is displayed with the GPS Signal Bar.
The satellite dish icon on the left side of the screen flashes while the Forerunner determines
your location.

3. Leave the Forerunner with a clear view of the sky for 15-30 minutes initially. If the Forerun
ner does not detect any satellites, a message appears asking if you are indoors. Selecting
‘Yes’ shuts off the GPS to conserve battery life for indoor practice. Selecting ‘No’ prompts
another question asking if the unit has been moved hundreds of miles. Choose ‘Yes’ to have
the unit Autolocate the satellite signals (Also use this option if you are having problems
receiving satellites the first time you use the Forerunner.) The word “Locating..” appears in
the signal bar area when in Autolocate mode. After the first use, it should only take less than
a couple minutes to acquire satellites.

4. When the Forerunner acquires enough satellite signals to determine your location, the satel
lite dish icon on the left side of the screen stops flashing and the GPS Signal Bar disappears.

GPS Satellite
Indicator

-

-

MAIN MODES

All of the information needed to operate the Forerunner 201 is found on two main modes
(or display screens). These modes are the Timer Mode and Menu Mode. Press the MODE
Button to cycle through the 2 modes.

Timer Mode

Using the Timer Mode

Timer Mode

Using the Timer Mode:

1. In the Timer Mode, press the START/STOP button to start timing and tracking distance.

2. Press the START/STOP button to stop timing and tracking distance data.

3. Press the

4. While in Timer Mode, the data you are recording is called your Current Run. When you reset
the Timer, the data is considered your Last Run. When the timer is stopped, press and hold
RESET for 3 seconds to reset all workout data. The unit automatically stores Last Run and
History information.

LAP button to record when a lap is completed.

Menu Mode

NOTE: A manual stop and restart of the Timer automatically starts a new lap.
You can also setup the Forerunner to automatically lap and/or pause at a
specific distance and/or speed (pg. 9-10).

Timer Indicator

Press the MODE, UP or DOWN buttons
to remove messages or alerts from the
display (or wait until they automatically
time out and disappear.)

3