Late Winter 2014.

After a few weeks of sabbatical from running to manage some dermatology surgery I'm back in the hunt.

Last autumn I upgraded my garmin GPS watch to the Forerunner 910XT, and only since the turn of the new year have I begun exploring its capabilities. When the season changes and I'm back running and cycling in my mountain trails, I'll find the more accurate barometric altimeter of greater interest.

For now what I've been working with is the measure it provides of a concept called Training Effect, based on an algorithm incorporating heart rate and several personal variables. I don't completely understand it yet, but I'll study it some more.

The Training Effect value may seem high at first until the device gets to know you and your workout patterns, says the Garmin FAQ page.

I'll say. I run barely three miles at a pace I could take a nap at, and I've already overtrained according to this scale.

So I'm taking it slow, introducing the device to my running and my body, and enjoying myself. Right now that means touring the campus at the University of Colorado, Boulder, running every conceivable direction, looking for paths I've never seen before, nooks, hidden courtyards.