After spending the week in Salt Lake City at the summer edition of Outdoor Retailer, my head is spinning for all the right reasons. In talking with dozens of journalists who cover topics ranging from running to paddleboarding, cycling to skiing, hiking to hunting, camping to kayaking, it’s clear that Garmin has products and mapping solutions for every outdoor activity with the versatility to seamlessly transition from one hobby to the next. 

When discussing outdoor recreation, I pointed to the various options available in GPS handhelds. Many people are huge fans of the intuitive touchscreen interface in our Oregon and Dakota families, while others prefer the easy-to-use buttons of the new GPSMAP 62 series (or the GPSMAP 78 series for those who need it to float). Hunters, hikers, kayakers and cachers alike all appreciated the preloaded topography in the GPSMAP 62st and Oregon 550t, and the Oregon 550t’s preloaded camera with automatic geotagging sparked ideas for many adventures. For hunters, our Astro dog-tracking system and new DC 40 collar helps them keep an eye on their dogs at all times – what they’re doing and where they’re going. All of these different customers can appreciate BirdsEye Satellite Imagery. Using this subscription service for high-resolution photo-based imagery, we were able to zoom in on the area around the convention center and even see individual parking spots, so it was easy to imagine the applications in the great outdoors.

As for fitness, the new Forerunner 110 continues to steal the show. With high-sensitivity GPS and a low-profile build (and a low price to match), the 110 is perfect for people wanting to know how far and how fast they’re going in real time. For those who want even more data at their fingertips, Forerunner 310XT remains a favorite. Waterproof and versatile, Forerunner 310XT features up to 20 hours of battery life, vibration alerts and the ability to track the distance and average speed of an open-water swim (thanks to a recent software update). And on the cycling side, Edge 500 is the sleek and affordable solution for tracking real-time speed, distance, elevation, heart rate and power (with ANT+ power meters).

In the end, all of these conversations made me very excited to get home, go for a run, head out for a ride and start planning a vacation to the mountains. But first I have to make it through a Friday…

We like to think we know a thing our two about location and timing. So when it came down to planning an event to announce Garmin’s new sponsorship of SoleMates, the charity running program for Girls on the Run, we set our sights on Chicago. More specifically, the Garmin Store at 663 N. Michigan Avenue. And we dialed in a date of July 31, the day before 30,000 runners beat the streets for the Chicago Rock’n’Roll Half Marathon. Two more big pluses to making our announcement here: Chicago has one of the largest Girls on the Run councils and is home to Coach Jenny Hadfield, well-known Chicago-area coach and author. A supporter of GOTR who wote the training plans for SoleMates runners, Jenny gladly accepted our invite to speak at our event.

Perfecting our plan was the appearance of Molly Barker, the founder of Girls on the Run, plus staff members Liz and Katy. We soon found out that these ladies had a secret talent or past experience as sandwich boarders, and on the morning of our event, they did a fine job of luring passing shoppers into the Garmin Store with a promise of a chance to win a Forerunner 110.

As young girls, parents and runners of all interest levels wandered to the presentation theater on the 2nd floor of the store, they had a chance to meet Molly and Jenny, sample snacks provided by Clif Bar and snag a raffle ticket for a chance to win water bottles from CamelBak or the Forerunner grand prize. Jake got things kicked off with some background on Garmin as a company and our evolution into the fitness market. He also talked about how Garmin’s core values to improve lives and help people explore their world aligns with the Girls on the Run mission. Then Coach Jenny Hadfield took the stage and provided some solid training advice that resonated with the runners in the crowd, some suffering pre-race jitters for the next day’s 13.1-mile foot race.

“This is like Oz to me,” Jenny commented on being in the Garmin Store. Jenny and her husband, John “the Penguin” Bingham, are huge Garmin fans and have used our products for running, cycling, hiking, driving and motorcycling. One of her training tips to the crowd was to use tools to track progress. “Seeing the distance and pace data in front of you is so motivating.” She also had some tips on using Garmin Connect to track information beyond the data recorded by Garmin watches. “Use the notes to record how much sleep you had the night before and how you’re feeling.” Jenny added that many injuries can be curbed by simply listening to your body and cutting back your training when needed. She also talked about using Forerunner’s pace calculations as a speed governor of sorts for the early miles of a race. “A modest pace means you are investing in the final miles.”

Molly took the stage next and immediately reached out to the young Girls on the Run participants in the audience, playing the name game that signals lesson one of every GOTR season. “Your name’s Grace, right? You must be Amazing Grace.” And in a way that no one else can match, Molly began telling stories that engaged everyone in the audience — male, female, young and less young. Molly’s final message encouraged the audience to get involved with Girls on the Run at some level — as a coach, running buddy, supporter or SoleMates charity runner. She described how young girls’ lives are changed through the empowering lessons gained from Girls on the Run, and how seeing them cross the finish line for their first 5k is like nothing else. “It is a privilege to experience that,” Molly said.

As audience members were swiping eyes, moved by Molly’s words, Jake jumped in and brought the laughter back with some short infomercials on the CamelBak water bottles he was about to give away. With help from a couple of audience members, he doled out bottles ranging from sporty styles for fitness fans to cool and colorful ones for kids. Then came the drawing for a Garmin Forerunner 110 fitness watch — a perfect pairing for a woman in the crowd who was gearing up to run the half marathon the next day.

Many thanks to the Garmin Store sales staff and product experts for hosting this event; Molly, Liz and Katy from Girls on the Run; Coach Jenny and Girls on the Run of Chicago.

We’ll be in good company for Saturday’s event at the Garmin Store in Chicago when we celebrate our sponsorship of the Girls on the Run SoleMates program. Guests will hear from two women who’ve been heroes, coaches and mentors to many: Molly Barker and Coach Jenny Hadfield. Molly, founder of Girls on the Run, has a star-studded fitness resume that includes four performances as a Hawaii Ironman athlete. Molly was honored in 2006 as one of Runner’s World’s “Heroes of Running”, not for her personal athletic feats, but for developing a program that’s helped thousands of young girls discover their own potential and voice. Girls on the Run is a program for young girls that combines training for a 5k event with healthy lifestyle education. On Saturday, Molly will be talking to a crowd of fitness fans and Chicago-area Girls on the Run followers about the program and SoleMates, the adult charity running program that benefits GOTR.

Coach Jenny Hadfield is a well-known Chicago-based coach, endurance athlete and contributor to Runner’s World and other pubs and a co-author of Marathoning for Mortals. Jenny recently developed the training plans provided to all SoleMates runners. On Saturday, she’ll offer up some tips for using Garmin fitness devices in training. Coach Jenny can speak from experience not only as an athlete and coach, but as a long-time Garmin user. At last count, Jenny and her husband John “the Penguin” Bingham (also an author, coach and athlete well-known in running circles) have owned at least eight Garmin devices, including Forerunners in about every flavor, an Edge, a nüvi, a zūmo and a handheld for hiking. Jenny said they used the Garmin handheld and a Forerunner 305 to mark the Antarctica Marathon course. The photo on right shows their grandson and Garmin fan, Hunter Bingham, giving the Forerunner 310XT a trial run on a recent camping trip.

If you’re in Chicago this weekend for Sunday’s Rock’n’Roll half marathon or you just want to hear more about how Garmin’s stepping up to sponsor the Girls on the Run SoleMates program, come see us. The event starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Garmin Store, 663 N. Michigan Ave. Attendees will receive free giveaways from CamelBak and Clif Bar, plus a chance to win a Garmin Forerunner 110.

Anyone who thought Team Garmin was going to pack its bags and go home after a traumatic first week that made team dinners look like a triage unit can now see the true character and resilience of the argyle armada. Ryder Hesjedal, in his third Tour with Team Garmin, was a revelation once team leader Christian Vande Velde was forced out with broken ribs. The very next day, Ryder was named most aggressive rider on the cobbles and the tone was set for a very special performance and a Top 10 finish. And like the rest of his team, Ryder had a way of being at his best when the conditions were toughest. On the climb of the Col du Tourmalet, Ryder not only stuck with his main rivals but pulled away from the group at the end to climb two spots into 8th. Still not satisfied, Ryder rolled through Saturday’s time trial and climbed yet another spot in the general classification while teammate Dave Zabriskie took fifth on the daunting race against the clock.

Bookending those remarkable performances were two magnificent sprints by Garmin veteran Julian Dean, taking second on Friday and third place today on the Champs Élysées. So even though Team Garmin lost its star power in Vande Velde and sprinters Tyler Farrar and Robbie Hunter to broken bones, the team won over the hearts of fans around the world (especially in Canada, where Ryder famously carries the “Weight of a Nation”) and journalists who appreciate an underdog stepping up. As longtime VeloNews sportswriter John Wilcockson said on Twitter to @ryder_hesjedal:“You deserve it Ryder. What a phenomenal Tour! You made the race for a bunch of us!” For more stories, photos, links and reactions to another amazing grand tour, check out Jake’s Twitter lists for Team Garmin cyclists and top cycling media, and read the race recaps and rider diaries from the cyclists themselves. And for those who can’t get enough to feed their cycling fix, we have a Garmin blogger embarking on something a little less competitive this week – RAGBRAI, the annual ride across Iowa. We’ll keep you posted with plenty of photos and funnelcakes.

This will be quick. While the team’s resurgent performance on the Tour’s toughest stage today has everyone’s spirits energized, I can’t say the same for any of my batteries. Unlike the previous 24 hours, there’s plenty of good news today. Ryder Hesjedal, on his third Tour with Team Garmin, was honored with the Most Courageous award in Stage 3 for leading an early breakaway and then attacking on his own when the peloton closed the gap. After rolling through the controversial cobblestones that baffled some of the best in cycling, Ryder held out on his own until being caught in the final kilometers. Even then he had enough power and stamina to stick with the leaders and sprint for the win. In the end, he finished fourth on the stage and jumped up the general classification to fourth overall. And while it doesn’t erase the disappointment of seeing Christian head back home to rest and recover from numerous injuries, it does display the determination and drive that defines Team Garmin.

For more news, pictures and insight, follow @JakesJournal on Twitter and check out the Team Garmin minisite for rider diaries, race recaps and Garmin Connect data – including Ryder’s Stage 2 stats that served as a warmup for today’s breakout.

We watched the rain and roads take turns wreaking havoc today in Stage 2, and unfortunately Team Garmin-Transitions fared among the worst in the crashes, with Christian Vande Velde, Tyler Farrar and Julian Dean taken to the hospital for evaluation afterward. Stay tuned to the team site for updates, and here’s the initial statement from Team Garmin-Transitions:

Today was a massively rough day for the peloton and especially our team. Weather and roads obviously played a huge factor.

We had five riders crash, including Julian Dean, Tyler Farrar and Christian Vande Velde. All three are en-route to a local hospital where they will be evaluated. David Millar and Robbie Hunter also crashed. They are being evaluated by team medical staff.

David Zabriskie, Johan Van Summeren, Martijn Maaskant and Ryder Hesjedal remained upright. All riders on the team finished the race which demonstrates both courage and commitment.

Tomorrow is a new day and we will update when we have further information