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Suunto T6 Watch
The Sunnto T6 HRM watch compresses an athletic trainer down and puts it on your wrist. Traditional coaches don't fit well into overhead storage compartments, and they have to be paid and fed. Why bother? The T6 tracks 7 key body functions for training, and can download them to your computer for analysis with the included software. On the fly, the T6 lets you monitor your heart rate and keep it within a set range, and provides climb data with its altimeter. For training on flatter terrain, the T6's pressure sensor can act as a barometer and give you warning when the weather is about to take a turn for the worse. Multiple training timers and good old watch functionality complete the T6, making it a great training tool that's presentable enough to use as a casual watch.
$449.00 
Suunto T6
No issues with the heart rate monitoring aspects of the watch I received. Just make sure the band is a little wet and I have had not issues with synching with the watch. Great watch, a lot lighter than the earlier heart rate monitor watches. Has good range as well. Have been using it to measure EPOC and it does a good job motivating you to push harder during workouts. The software still needs some help and it is not a replacement for an overall training plan/schedule. But it is a nice tool to add and it records a lot of useful information about workouts.
Suunto T6
I've really liked the T6 functionality so far; it's great being able to compare both altitude and heart-rate (and conditioning) aspects of my runs each day. I also have not had any problem getting the watch to link to the heart-rate monitor; it worked great from the get-go. The only thing missing is some sort of distance measuring capability (which I guess Suunto will be coming out with in the near future). The only reason I gave it four stars rather than 5 is that the software is a bit rigid (e.g., there's apparently no way to modify the graphs easily, other than exporting them to Excel or other spreadsheet). Also, the documentation of what some of the analyses mean (and how they're calculated) is lacking. What is EPOC again and how does the watch calculate it? Good service from Backcountry.com. No problems there at all.
T6 is great!
Bought my T6 from Backcountry. Works great. No problems at all with heart rate monitor. The HRM is much faster at picking up beat changes than the Polar. Since they use different wireless transmission protocol, I tried them side by side at the same time. The T6 updated more frequently. It seemed as if the Polar was always trying to catch up. The displays are easy to read and easy to navigate. Suunto really gives you a lot of flexibility in what you read in each mode. Big thumbs up for that! The only problem is the temp reading is not accurate when the watch is on my wrist. Well, that is where I want it, on my wrist so I wish they would fix this. It always reads about 88 degrees F indoors when the temp is closer to 72. It must be picking up too much body heat to be accurate. I have only played a little with the software so far. It seems easy to use and the downloading is a cinch. Getting my workouts loaded onto the PC is very user friendly and straight forward. Overall, a great piece of gear. Highly recommended!
Suunto T6
Watch works perfectly. Make sure you read the manual on how to get the heart rate belt and monitor working properly. Great service from backcountry.com
Top-of-the-line physiologic monitoring
I purchased a T6 with the optional foot pod (to measure speed while running). The system takes quite a bit of getting used to. The menu system on the watch is very different to most sport watches, but pretty easy once you've got used to it. The analysis software is also quite idiosyncratic: for example, it took a phone call to Suunto tech support to explain how to download the data from the watch. However, once I had become familiar with it, I found that the system worked very well indeed. Unlike another reviewer here, I've had absolutely no problems with the HRM strap (whereas I've had mixed luck with Polar and Timex monitors). And the foot pod works amazingly well too: I just completed a marathon wearing it, and without any re-calibration it showed my total distance as 26.3 miles. I also found the Suunto tech support to be excellent. To summarize, the device is very expensive; the software is rough around the edges; and the watch's user-interface could do with some fine-tuning too. But I still give the product five stars, because the system provides amazingly detailed performance data that you just can't get anywhere else. Not only does it continuously log your heart-rate and speed (with the foot pod). But it also records your altitude throughout the workout, your breathing-rate, your power output/calorie consumption, and calculates other performance metrics like EPOC. (And allows you to export them.) This is the closest thing you can get to taking a complete exercise physiology lab with you when you run.
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Training Tips
Cross training gives your body a chance to recover while still exercising. If yesterday has a hard run day up and down hills, then today's bicycle ride gives your aching knees a well deserved break.
Anaeroic threshold is when lactic acid starts to build up in your body as your muscles are not getting the oxygen they require. This threshold is typically expressed as a percentage of your VO2 max - the amount of oxygen per kilogram of weight that a person can use in converting fuel to energy. Elite athletes threshold might be as high as 90% of VO2 max.
Efficient running position allows you to run farther and faster. Keep the heel raise to a minimum, relax your upper body and hands, keep your upper body poised and quiet.
If you want to make progess in your training, join a running group. A commitment to meet on a regular basis with a group of like minded individuals will help you keep your focus.
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