google shopping search wrote:
110 is $250
FR60 is $100+ less than that
That's the FR60 heart rate monitor you are seeing for $100, it has no distance capability built in... if you want speed/distance, you can buy the $70 footpod as well, or spend $200 for the kit which includes watch, HRM strap, footpod, and ANT stick to download data.
For $200 you can get the Forerunner 110, which is a GPS watch with download connector (don't think it is the ANT stick other devices use, but same function). For $250 you can get the HRM included too.
If you care mostly about pace, you will get much better data from the footpod unit. The GPS, at its best (sunny, no trees/buildings to obstruct the sky, etc.), is accurate to about 8ft. You can imagine if it is only putting you somewhere in an 8ft box how accurate that instantaneous pace will be... not very. It will swing, sometimes significantly, as you run. When you go back and review the data, it will be very accurate. But when you look down briefly at your wrist, the pace it tells you right then is pretty worthless. Total distance, on the other hand, is going to be very accurate. Usually better than within a tenth of a mile, even over long runs, hilly terrain, and trails.
With the footpod, the accelerometer is mapping the motion of your foot. This is much more sophisticated than the pedometer-type data that the nike+ system uses, and you will see that accuracy reflected in the data. Since it is measuring your stride much more precisely, you can expect very accurate (and more importantly, consistent) pace data. Of course, steep hills and trails where you take odd strides could throw this off somewhat, but it is pretty good. Since it isn't GPS, any little inaccuracies in each step add up, so the total distance at the end could be off by several tenths of a mile, or more in extreme conditions.
In short, the device that is best for you depends on what data you want. Footpods are better to pace you while running/racing, but GPS will be more accurate for distance and will look way cooler when you can log maps of your runs. Or, you can buy a 405 or 310XT and use GPS and a footpod and get the benefits of both.
Oh... and back to the original purpose of the thread, elites and semi-elites certainly do use devices like this. I've spoken with Greg McMillan (McMillan Elite) and he was very much in favor of training by distance/pace. If he and his athletes find the data valuable, who am I to argue with that?