Forerunner® 201
personal trainer
owner’s manual
© Copyright 2003-2006 Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries
Garmin International, Inc.
1200 East 151st Street,
Olathe, Kansas 66062, U.S.A.
Tel. 913/397.8200 or 800/800.1020
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
All rights reserved. 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 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 must contain the complete text of this copyright notice and provided further that any unauthor-
ized 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.
Visit the Garmin Web site (www.garmin.com) for current updates and supplemental information concerning the use and
operation of this and other Garmin products.
Garmin®, Forerunner®, Auto Lap®, and Auto Pause® are registered trademarks and Virtual Partner™ and Garmin
Training Center™ are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries and may not be used without the express
permission of Garmin.
February 2006
Part Number 190-00318-00 Rev. F
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 201; 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 201 wherever you go in the great outdoors.
To get the most out of your new Forerunner 201, take the time to read through this
owner’s manual and the Quick Start Guide to understand the operating features of the unit.
PRODUCT REGISTRATION
Help us better support you by completing your online 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 201 you can
visit our Web site or contact our Customer Service 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, under the strap) 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
iii
Introduction
Table of Contents
iv
INTRODUCTION .............................................I
Product Registration ....................................i
Table of Contents ...................................... ii
FCC Compliance ......................................iv
Software License Agreement ......................v
Warnings & Cautions ...............................vi
Maintenance ............................................vii
Unit Overview ........................................viii
Wrist Strap ...............................................ix
Charging the Battery ..................................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 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
SOFTWARE .................................................32
SPECIFICATIONS ........................................33
INDEX ........................................................34
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 Customer Service 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.
Tel.
Fax.
913/397.8200
913/397.8282
www.garmin.com
Garmin (Europe) Ltd.
Unit 5, The Quadrangle, Abbey Park Industrial Estate
Romsey, SO51 9DL, U.K.
Tel.
44/0870.8501241
44/0870.8501251
Fax.
v
Introduction
FCC Compliance
vi
The Forerunner 201 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 201 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 201, 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
vii
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.
This unit contains a Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery. Please
dispose of properly.
viii
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 201 to the exclusion of safe practices. It is unsafe
to operate the controls of the Forerunner 201 while you are riding. Failure by the rider of a
bicycle equipped with a Forerunner 201 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 201 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 201 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 REFERENCE
AID AND MUST NOT BE USED FOR ANY PURPOSE REQUIRING PRECISE MEASURE-
MENT OF DIRECTION, DISTANCE, LOCATION OR TOPOGRAPHY. THIS PRODUCT
SHOULD NOT BE USED AS AN AID TO DETERMINE GROUND PROXIMITY FOR AIR-
CRAFT NAVIGATION. CONSULT A PHYSICIAN BEFORE STARTING A WORKOUT PLAN.