I've used the watch for ~300 miles worth of running. I've never experienced any issues with battery holding charge or GPS connecting; however, the GPS connection can sometimes take up to 3-4 min. This has been the case since I first purchased it and not a sign of wear or malfunction – I use this time to stretch and warm up and it's not bad. The watch's software is up to date, and I've factory reset the run details and settings. You can use this with a Nike+ shoe pod or separate heart rate monitor. I'm only selling because I received a new Garmin as a gift.