Forerunner® 101
personal trainer
owner’s manual 
© Copyright 2004–2006
Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
All Rights Reserved
Garmin International, Inc.
1200 East 151st Street 
Olathe, Kansas 66062 U.S.A.
Tel. 913/397.8200
Fax 913/397.8282
Garmin (Europe) Ltd.
Unit 5, The Quadrangle,
Abbey Park Industrial Estate 
Romsey, SO51 9DL, U.K.
Tel. 44/0870.8501241
Fax 44/0870.8501251
Garmin Corporation
No. 68, Jangshu 2nd Road 
Shijr, Taipei County, Taiwan
Tel. 886/2.2642.9199
Fax 886/2.2642.9099
Except as expressly provided herein, no part of this manual may be reproduced, copied, transmitted, disseminated, downloaded or stored in 
any storage medium, for any purpose without the express prior written consent of Garmin.  Garmin hereby grants permission to download a 
single copy of this manual and of any revision to this manual onto a hard drive or other electronic storage medium to be viewed and to print 
one copy of this manual or of any revision hereto, provided that such electronic or printed copy of this manual or revision must contain the 
complete text of this copyright notice and provided further that any unauthorized commercial distribution of this manual or any revision 
hereto is strictly prohibited.
Information in this document is subject to change without notice.  Garmin reserves the right to change or improve its products and to make 
changes in the content without obligation to notify any person or organization of such changes or improvements.
Web Site address: www.garmin.com
Garmin®, Personal Navigator®, Forerunner®, Auto Lap®, and Auto Pause® are registered trademarks, and Virtual Partner™ is a trademark of 
Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries and may not be used without the express permission of Garmin.
February 2006 
 
 Part Number 190-00317-00 Rev. B  
 
 
Printed in Taiwan
PACE YOURSELF
 Fun is now on the run! Strap this personal trainer to your wrist and let it do all the work, 
except the running of course. Welcome to the world of the Forerunner 101; a compact, 
lightweight, waterproof GPS sensor that provides you accurate pace/speed, distance, and time 
data during your workout. Not only that, it provides a map of your travels and provides as-
sistance in your training using the Virtual Partner’s pace to help achieve your goals. Take your 
Forerunner 101 wherever you go in the great outdoors.
To get the most out of your new Forerunner 101, take the time to read through this Own-
ers Manual and the Quick Start Guide to understand the operating features of the unit. 
PRODUCT REGISTRATION
Help us better support you by completing your on-line registration today! 
Connect to our Web site (www.garmin.com) and look for the Product Registration link on 
the home page. Your unit’s serial number is on the back of the unit.
If you have any questions or comments regarding the use of the Forerunner 101 you can 
visit our Web Site or contact our Product Support Department M-F, 8:00-5:00 CST (except 
holidays) at 1-800-800-1020. 
Serial Number
Use this area to record the serial number (8-digit number located on the back of your 
unit) in case it is lost, stolen, or needs service. Be sure to keep your original sales receipt in a 
safe place or attach a photocopy inside the manual.
Introduction
Product Registration
i
Introduction
Table of Contents
ii
INTRODUCTION  .............................................I
Product Registration ....................................i 
Table of Contents ...................................... ii
Limited Warranty  .....................................iii
FCC Compliance  ......................................iv
Software License Agreement  ......................v
Warnings & Cautions  ...............................vi
Maintenance  ............................................vii
Unit Overview  ........................................viii
Wrist Strap  ...............................................ix
Installing Batteries ......................................x
GETTING STARTED  .......................................1
What is GPS?  .............................................1
Turning on your Forerunner  ......................2
Main Modes  ..............................................3
TIMER MODE ................................................3 
Using Timer Mode  .....................................3
Data Screens  ..............................................4
MENU MODE  ................................................5
Using Menu Mode  .....................................5
History: Last Run  ......................................6
History: By Day ..........................................6
History: By Week  .......................................7
History: History Totals & Delete  ................8
Training Assistant: Auto Pause/Lap  ............9
Training Assistant: Virtual Partner  ...........10
Training Assistant: Interval Training  ........13
Training Assistant: Pace/Speed Alert  ........15
Training Assistant: Time/Dist Alert  ..........16
Navigation: Add/Remove Map Mode  .......17
Navigation: Mark Location  ......................18
Navigation: Find Location  .......................19
Navigation: Back To Start  ........................23
Navigation: Orient Map North/Ahead  ......23
Settings: Set Time  ....................................22
Settings: Set Units  ...................................26
Settings: Set Custom Page  ........................27
Settings: Set Profile ...................................28
Settings: Set Display  ................................29
Settings: Set System  .................................30
Settings: Restore Settings  .........................31
Settings: About Forerunner  .....................31
SPECIFICATIONS  ........................................32
INDEX  ........................................................33
LIMITED WARRANTY
This Garmin product is warranted to be free from defects in materials or workmanship for one  
Introduction
year from the date of purchase.  Within this period, Garmin will at its sole option, repair or replace any 
 components that fail in normal use.  Such repairs or replacement will be made at no charge to the customer for parts or labor, provided that the customer 
shall be responsible for any transportation cost.  This warranty does not cover failures due to abuse, misuse, accident or unauthorized alteration or repairs.
THE WARRANTIES AND REMEDIES CONTAINED HEREIN ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES EXPRESS OR IMPLIED 
OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY LIABILITY ARISING UNDER ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, 
STATUTORY OR OTHERWISE.  THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, WHICH MAY VARY FROM STATE TO STATE.
IN NO EVENT SHALL GARMIN BE LIABLE FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, WHETHER RESULTING 
FROM THE USE, MISUSE, OR INABILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT OR FROM DEFECTS IN THE PRODUCT.  Some states do not allow the exclusion of 
incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitations may not apply to you.
Garmin retains the exclusive right to repair or replace the unit or software or offer a full refund of the purchase price at its sole discretion.  SUCH REM-
EDY SHALL BE YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY FOR ANY BREACH OF WARRANTY.
To obtain warranty service, call your local Garmin authorized dealer.  Or call Garmin Product Support at one of the numbers listed below for shipping 
instructions and an RMA tracking number.  The unit should be securely packed with the tracking number clearly written on the outside of the package.  The 
unit should be sent, freight charges prepaid, to any Garmin warranty service station.  A copy of the original sales receipt is required as the proof of purchase 
for warranty repairs.
Online auction confirmations are not accepted for warranty verification.  To obtain warranty service, an original or copy of the sales receipt from the 
original retailer is required.  Garmin will not replace missing components from any package purchased through an online auction.
Garmin International, Inc.
1200 E. 151st Street
Olathe, KS 66062, U.S.A.
Phone:  800/800.1020 or 913/397.8200
FAX:  913/397.0836
www.garmin.com
Garmin (Europe) Ltd.
Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey Park Industrial Estate
Romsey, SO51 9DL, U.K.
Phone:  44/0870.8501241
FAX:  44/0870.8501251
iii
Introduction
FCC Compliance
iv
The Forerunner 101 complies with Part 15 of the FCC interference limits for Class B 
digital devices FOR HOME OR OFFICE USE. These limits are designed to provide more 
reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation, and are more 
stringent than “outdoor” requirements.
Operation of this device is subject to the following conditions: (1) This device may not 
cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, includ-
ing interference that may cause undesired operation.
This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not 
installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to 
radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a 
particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television 
reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encour-
aged to try to correct the interference by one of the following measures:
  •  Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
  •  Increase the separation between the equipment and the receiver.
  •  Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the  
 
  •  Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
    receiver is connected.
The Forerunner 101 does not contain any user-serviceable parts. Repairs should only be 
made by an authorized Garmin service center. Unauthorized repairs or modifications could 
result in permanent damage to the equipment, and void your warranty and your authority to 
operate this device under Part 15 regulations.
SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT
BY USING THE FORERUNNER 101, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS 
AND CONDITIONS OF THE FOLLOWING SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT. PLEASE 
READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY.
Garmin grants you a limited license to use the software embedded in this device (the 
“Software) in binary executable form in the normal operation of the product. Title, ownership 
rights and intellectual property rights in and to the Software remain in Garmin.
You acknowledge that the Software is the property of Garmin and is protected under the 
United States of America copyright laws and international copyright treaties. You further 
acknowledge that the structure, organization and code of the Software are valuable trade 
secrets of Garmin and that the Software in source code form remains a valuable trade secret of 
Garmin. You agree not to decompile, disassemble, modify, reverse assemble, reverse engineer 
or reduce to human readable form the Software of any part thereof or create any derivative 
works based on the Software. You agree not to export or re-export the Software to any coun-
try in violation of the export control laws of the United States of America.
Introduction
Software License  
Agreement
v
Introduction
Warnings & Cautions
WARNING.- This product, its packaging, and its components 
contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause 
cancer, birth defects, or reproductive harm. This Notice is 
being provided in accordance with California’s Proposition 55. 
If you have any questions or would like additional informa-
tion, please refer to our web site at http:Ilwww.garmin.coml 
prop65.
vi
WARNING: The Global Positioning System (GPS) is operated by the United States 
government, which is solely responsible for its accuracy and maintenance. The system is 
subject to changes which could affect the accuracy and performance of all GPS equipment. 
Although the Garmin GPS receiver is a precision electronic NAVigation AID (NAVAID), any 
NAVAID can be misused or misinterpreted and, therefore, become unsafe.
WARNING: When on a bicycle, it the sole responsibility of the rider to operate the 
bicycle in a safe manner, maintain full surveillance of all riding conditions at all times, and 
not become distracted by the Forerunner 101 to the exclusion of safe practices. It is unsafe 
to operate the controls of the Forerunner 101 while you are riding. Failure by the rider of a 
bicycle equipped with a Forerunner 101 to pay full attention to operation of the bicycle and 
road conditions while in motion could result in an accident or collision with property damage 
and personal injury.
CAUTION: Use the Forerunner 101 at your own risk. To reduce the risk of unsafe opera-
tion, carefully review and understand all aspects of this Owner’s Manual. When in actual use, 
carefully compare indications from the Forerunner 101 to all available navigation sources, in-
cluding the information from other NAVAIDS, visual sightings, charts, etc. For safety, always 
resolve any discrepancies before continuing navigation.
CAUTION: IT IS THE USER’S RESPONSIBILITY TO USE THIS PRODUCT PRUDENTLY. 
THIS PRODUCT IS INTENDED TO BE USED ONLY AS A NAVIGATIONAL AID AND MUST 
NOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE REQUIRING PRECISE MEASUREMENT OF DIREC-
TION, DISTANCE, LOCATION OR TOPOGRAPHY. THIS PRODUCT SHOULD NOT BE 
USED AS AN AID TO DETERMINE GROUND PROXIMITY FOR AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION.