I have a Polar RS200 (I think 3 years old) and a polar older then that that still works and my husband uses. I wanted the footpod for mileage. I train most of the time with it. (sound off) It helps to slow the pace down when I'm working too hard. You have to find what you like, how are you going to use the data and what benefits do you want. My biggest wow was with Training Levels 1 -5 and how I function at each level. 1 & 2 is pretty slow when you start paying attention to the bpms.

The other thing I am considering now is - I'm tired of writing everything down and would like to press a button and upload the info from the watch. I know it can, I have not taken the time to do it yet. Usually tell the husband what I want, he makes it work, shows me how and I have saved my time to be mom, work and daughter. (sometimes I figure it out, but like the help)

How anything affects your training is how you use the technology. There are links to google and a wealth of info here from the community. Joel Friel and Sally Edwards are the first two names I'd google to find more info on and go to the book store.

It is worth it. It has helped both of us and from my experience and from the years with friends in the sport it is the one thing people have-HRMS. So, yes they are worth it. The impact on your training and how much? It will depend on you. If you listen to what the information is telling you and you use it, tremendous impact. You can see improvement in speed and distance.

I usually have a hard time with the HRM in the pool. I'm not sure it is reading most of the most time. The watch is going, but I don't get the bpm. Afterwards, I review the info and it is there, but I'm thinking it is not right.

I'm glad you both enjoy the sport. It took my husband to do a short tri to realize why I love it so much. (If I let him help with the technology side, it makes him feel good and be involved when I disappear for hours.)

I would vote that it has limited usefulness. If you already have a lot of run experience, and have a good sense of your own body, I find it less useful. I haven't worn mine in months and have very definitely gotten stronger/faster.

They are effected by too many variables like stress, amount of sleep, hydration levels, sickness, or the hottie on the next treadmill. If I use mine, I only record the number for reference and nothing more.

[quote=kylie]I would vote that it has limited usefulness.[/quote]

Thank you! I find them to be counter-productive if you have experience with pace judgement and the ability to moderate pace given perceived exertion level. I found the following to be a common scenario when I did train with HRMs: "Oh noes! My HR is 180! I better slow down!" And when I stopped using an HRM, my avg pace increased because I would hit 180+ (sometimes 200+) and I wouldn't slow down just because some number was 'too high.'

I did, however, have a training partner who wore only the watch - no strap - and he would ride with other riders, and if he picked up someone else's signal, he would slowly increase the pace to see how high he could get their HR. When it spiked, he would drop them. Sinister.

Not to de-validate my statements below, since I don't have either a HRM or a Power Meter, but from what I've been reading and hearing from others' responses, a Power Meter is a much better training tool than a HRM.

I'm saving to get a Power Meter at some point, since they've received higher compliments than the HRMs, again, from what I've been reading.

Only thing with a powermeter is that it won't help you on the run :) I like the combo of power on the bike, and pace (through GPS like garmin) for the run. The run just involves more "knowledge of self", if that makes sense... since the pace won't account for the terrain.