The timex ironman watch "interval timer" mode is not available in all ironman watches. I will present a list of watches that include this feature when I find time, but needless to say, if your ironman watch does not include this feature you can ignore this article completely.
I consider interval timer mode one of the more complicated features offered by the ironman line. Despite that timex designers have made it as simple as humanely possible. But if you take time to learn how to set up interval timer mode, there are some great benefits when it comes to activities like (but not limited to) interval training.
Here I give you a brief instruction on how to set up and interval training mode.
Please note: I attempt to keep this information as general as possible, but there are many timex ironman watch models on the market so this information might not apply precisely to all models out there. I do believe that the interval timer function works in a similar way in all ironman watches that offer this feature and what I say here will apply in most cases.
With that out of the way, let's get into it..
Interval timers are a sequence of linked countdown timers. When one countdown interval timer interval ends, an alert sounds and the next interval starts.
First, to get into interval timer mode, press the mode button repeatedly until the words "interval timer" are displayed on the screen.
Depending on your particular watch model you will have a number of timers available to be set. My timex datalink watch has 10 slots, but I have a feeling 10 is on the higher end. You may have a different numbers of slots available to you.
When selecting a fresh interval timer mode, int 1 will be displayed.
You may cycle through timers using stop/reset (-) or start/split (+).
I cannot display pictures here, but you can view a diagram of the standard ironman watch buttons by following the link in my signature.
Press next to set a timer. The value of the timer should flash.
While the number is flashing, pressing next again will cycle through units (hours, minutes, seconds), stop/reset (-) or start/split (+) will change the value (up or down) of the particular unit you are on.
When you are done setting the time period, press next again and you will be prompted on what to do at the end of the current interval.
Standard options are: "stop at end" (the session finishes when all timers expire) and "repeat at end" (when the last interval timer has stopped, the first one is started again. This pattern will be repeated over and over)
again stop/reset (-) or start/split (+) will toggle between options.
When you are done, press done to confirm and exit.
Now press start/split (+) to go to int 2 and set the next interval if you so wish.
note: to un-set a timer, set all it's values to 0 and it will be ignored. This even applies if there are gaps in the sequence. For example if you assign values to int 1 and int 3, but set int 2 to 0, when int 1 expires, int 3 will start next.
When you are ready to begin your interval session press start/lap to start the timer. As with many ironman features, you can exit interval timer mode and the timer will continue to run..
When the timer for int 1 reaches zero, an alarm will chime in to notify you that it has run it's course. If you configured any other of the interval timers, the next highest one will start at this point.
When all of the set interval timers have run their course one of two things will happen, depending on the way you configured your settings. If you selected "stop at end", the timex ironman watch will stop the timer and chime repeatedly for a period (10 seconds on my datalink), to signal to you that you have finished the session.
If you selected "repeat at end" the watch will chime once, move to int 1 and cycle through the sequence again.
You may stop the session at any time by pressing stop/reset.
The interval timer mode is a useful tool for athletes who wish to alternate between running and rest periods in their training workout.
For example if you wish to run for three minutes and take a one minute recovery break and repeat this over and over, you could set int 1 to 3:00 and int 2 to 1:00 and select the repeat at end option.
This is a great session for runners. In my usual training regime, I tend to stick to fixed distances and compare times against distance, but I think athletes often get too obsessed about times. This session would be a great one to throw in occasionally, for when you want to loosen up and just focus on the natural activity of running (or riding or swimming or whatever you do) without the worry that you're moving too slow.
Interval timer mode can also be applied to less conventional activities as well, like.... Housework. I read with astonishment the other day how one runner applies their timex ironman watch to the task of house cleaning.
I do not know if this runner is male or female, but they write:
i am in a running group. We use the interval timer so that we can take walk breaks on a regular basis. What we do is set one interval timer for maybe 5 minutes and the second for one minute and repeat both. This allows us to run for 5 minutes then the watch beeps to tell us to walk for one minute. Since the watch is set to repeat, this cycle of beeping for five minutes, then one minute continues for the duration of the run. You could not do this with the "timer" function because it repeats the one time again and again.
I also use the interval timer for house cleaning. I set one int. Timer so that I can work 45 minutes and the second so that I can take a 15 minute break . I do this if I will be working for several hours.
Sweet
rodthe timex ironman watch "interval timer" mode is not available in all ironman watches. I will present a list of watches that include this feature when I find time, but needless to say, if your ironman watch does not include this feature you can ignore this article completely.
I consider interval timer mode one of the more complicated features offered by the ironman line. Despite that timex designers have made it as simple as humanely possible. But if you take time to learn how to set up interval timer mode, there are some great benefits when it comes to activities like (but not limited to) interval training.
Here I give you a brief instruction on how to set up and interval training mode.
Please note: I attempt to keep this information as general as possible, but there are many timex ironman watch models on the market so this information might not apply precisely to all models out there. I do believe that the interval timer function works in a similar way in all ironman watches that offer this feature and what I say here will apply in most cases.
With that out of the way, let's get into it..
Interval timers are a sequence of linked countdown timers. When one countdown interval timer interval ends, an alert sounds and the next interval starts.
First, to get into interval timer mode, press the mode button repeatedly until the words "interval timer" are displayed on the screen.
Depending on your particular watch model you will have a number of timers available to be set. My timex datalink watch has 10 slots, but I have a feeling 10 is on the higher end. You may have a different numbers of slots available to you.
When selecting a fresh interval timer mode, int 1 will be displayed.
You may cycle through timers using stop/reset (-) or start/split (+).
I cannot display pictures here, but you can view a diagram of the standard ironman watch buttons by following the link in my signature.
Press next to set a timer. The value of the timer should flash.
While the number is flashing, pressing next again will cycle through units (hours, minutes, seconds), stop/reset (-) or start/split (+) will change the value (up or down) of the particular unit you are on.
When you are done setting the time period, press next again and you will be prompted on what to do at the end of the current interval.
Standard options are: "stop at end" (the session finishes when all timers expire) and "repeat at end" (when the last interval timer has stopped, the first one is started again. This pattern will be repeated over and over)
again stop/reset (-) or start/split (+) will toggle between options.
When you are done, press done to confirm and exit.
Now press start/split (+) to go to int 2 and set the next interval if you so wish.
note: to un-set a timer, set all it's values to 0 and it will be ignored. This even applies if there are gaps in the sequence. For example if you assign values to int 1 and int 3, but set int 2 to 0, when int 1 expires, int 3 will start next.
When you are ready to begin your interval session press start/lap to start the timer. As with many ironman features, you can exit interval timer mode and the timer will continue to run..
When the timer for int 1 reaches zero, an alarm will chime in to notify you that it has run it's course. If you configured any other of the interval timers, the next highest one will start at this point.
When all of the set interval timers have run their course one of two things will happen, depending on the way you configured your settings. If you selected "stop at end", the timex ironman watch will stop the timer and chime repeatedly for a period (10 seconds on my datalink), to signal to you that you have finished the session.
If you selected "repeat at end" the watch will chime once, move to int 1 and cycle through the sequence again.
You may stop the session at any time by pressing stop/reset.
The interval timer mode is a useful tool for athletes who wish to alternate between running and rest periods in their training workout.
For example if you wish to run for three minutes and take a one minute recovery break and repeat this over and over, you could set int 1 to 3:00 and int 2 to 1:00 and select the repeat at end option.
This is a great session for runners. In my usual training regime, I tend to stick to fixed distances and compare times against distance, but I think athletes often get too obsessed about times. This session would be a great one to throw in occasionally, for when you want to loosen up and just focus on the natural activity of running (or riding or swimming or whatever you do) without the worry that you're moving too slow.
Interval timer mode can also be applied to less conventional activities as well, like.... Housework. I read with astonishment the other day how one runner applies their timex ironman watch to the task of house cleaning.
I do not know if this runner is male or female, but they write:
i am in a running group. We use the interval timer so that we can take walk breaks on a regular basis. What we do is set one interval timer for maybe 5 minutes and the second for one minute and repeat both. This allows us to run for 5 minutes then the watch beeps to tell us to walk for one minute. Since the watch is set to repeat, this cycle of beeping for five minutes, then one minute continues for the duration of the run. You could not do this with the "timer" function because it repeats the one time again and again.
I also use the interval timer for house cleaning. I set one int. Timer so that I can work 45 minutes and the second so that I can take a 15 minute break . I do this if I will be working for several hours.
Sweet
rod
