Runners Watches - Garmin/Suunto
Discussion
ANSWERED THANKS!
Pretty experienced runner wanting to (but probably never will) get back to under 6min/mile - hence the need for computerised encouragement!
I have been using a Samsung active for a few years, because it was free, but there isn't the depth of features. Therefore, I was hoping anyone with experience of Garmin/Suunto would be able to answer some questions:
Do any of these watches (e.g. 945) have a feature which will audio prompt to your target pace - e.g. "Speed up".
Can you do annouced splits: e.g. beep, "200m sprint", beep "800m jog"
I know running apps will do this, but I find with MapmyRun, for instance, you can either track your run on your phone, or the app, not both.
I.e. if I open the watch app it tells me I have a run scheduled, but I can't start it, I have to run something similar then "match workout". If I start it on my phone, the display on the watch doesn't correlate!
Pretty experienced runner wanting to (but probably never will) get back to under 6min/mile - hence the need for computerised encouragement!
I have been using a Samsung active for a few years, because it was free, but there isn't the depth of features. Therefore, I was hoping anyone with experience of Garmin/Suunto would be able to answer some questions:
Do any of these watches (e.g. 945) have a feature which will audio prompt to your target pace - e.g. "Speed up".
Can you do annouced splits: e.g. beep, "200m sprint", beep "800m jog"
I know running apps will do this, but I find with MapmyRun, for instance, you can either track your run on your phone, or the app, not both.
I.e. if I open the watch app it tells me I have a run scheduled, but I can't start it, I have to run something similar then "match workout". If I start it on my phone, the display on the watch doesn't correlate!
Edited by 01WE01 on Tuesday 26th January 12:33
My Garmin Fenix 3 does this, so presumably the newer ones do as well. You create a run on the app, then send it to the phone. Really easy to use, I don't use Strava as the Garmin app gives me everything I need.
I've got a few I've created with target paces on them, it beeps/vibrates if you stray out of the target pace zone
I've got a few I've created with target paces on them, it beeps/vibrates if you stray out of the target pace zone
01WE01 said:
Pretty experienced runner wanting to (but probably never will) get back to under 6min/mile - hence the need for computerised encouragement!
I have been using a Samsung active for a few years, because it was free, but there isn't the depth of features. Therefore, I was hoping anyone with experience of Garmin/Suunto would be able to answer some questions:
Do any of these watches (e.g. 945) have a feature which will audio prompt to your target pace - e.g. "Speed up".
Can you do annouced splits: e.g. beep, "200m sprint", beep "800m jog"
I know running apps will do this, but I find with MapmyRun, for instance, you can either track your run on your phone, or the app, not both.
I.e. if I open the watch app it tells me I have a run scheduled, but I can't start it, I have to run something similar then "match workout". If I start it on my phone, the display on the watch doesn't correlate!
Not sure if I‘ve understood what you want the announcement to do. Do you want the watch to actually speak „200m sprint“ or do you want it to show it on the screen? If it‘s the latter, with Garmin at least, you can create structured plans on your phone and send them to the watch. You can set the interval based on time, distance, calories, heart rate or until you press the lap button. You can also then add an intensity target for pace, speed, cadence, HR zone or custom HR zone and the watch will show a gauge to show if you are hitting the target and will beep and vibrate at you if you are too high or too low. I‘ve attached a screenshot of one of my treadmill sessions from last week.I have been using a Samsung active for a few years, because it was free, but there isn't the depth of features. Therefore, I was hoping anyone with experience of Garmin/Suunto would be able to answer some questions:
Do any of these watches (e.g. 945) have a feature which will audio prompt to your target pace - e.g. "Speed up".
Can you do annouced splits: e.g. beep, "200m sprint", beep "800m jog"
I know running apps will do this, but I find with MapmyRun, for instance, you can either track your run on your phone, or the app, not both.
I.e. if I open the watch app it tells me I have a run scheduled, but I can't start it, I have to run something similar then "match workout". If I start it on my phone, the display on the watch doesn't correlate!
It also has a virtual partner mode where you can set a pace and race against it. The watch will tell you if you are ahead or behind. You can also set a training target for distance and pace and get feedback on the watch whether you are meeting it or not. I‘ve not used either of those functions, so can‘t comment on how well they work.
One thing I‘d say is that the 945 is aimed at triathletes and may have a lot of bells and whistles on it that a pure runner doesn‘t need. For what I think you are describing, you just need one that works with the structured training. I think the 45 has that (but best to double-check) and the 245 does too.
Dunno about Suunto but most of the proper running Garmins have "Virtual Pacer" here you can set a target pace and the screen will show you have far ahead or behind that pace you are, and beep if you go outside a certain tolerance. Setting it up is a bit more fiddly on my Fenix 5 than it was on my previous 610 though. The also have virtual racer where you can put in a previous run you, or someone else, did and it'll tell you where you are in relation to that run.
As above setting up training runs is really easy, you can set a warmup period, then a series of distance or time intervals, either individually set up or as a group to repeat a number of times, and then a cooldown, you'll get vibration and a beep to notify you, and the display tells you which you're on. I set it up on the phone app and then it syncs to the watch, but you can set them up on the watch too.
A lot of he newer Gamins also have a bluetooth music player which is really nice to have if you like music while you run, and I thought Garmin Pay was a bit of a gimmick but I use it all the time. It's great to be able to stop for a coffee or breakfast after a run but not need to carry my wallet or phone.
The 9xx series, and I think the 7xx series allow you do do multisport in one event (ie dual/triathon), whereas the lower numbers record as separate events. The Vivo series are more multi purpose smart watches and I don't believe do the virtual pacer functions.
As above setting up training runs is really easy, you can set a warmup period, then a series of distance or time intervals, either individually set up or as a group to repeat a number of times, and then a cooldown, you'll get vibration and a beep to notify you, and the display tells you which you're on. I set it up on the phone app and then it syncs to the watch, but you can set them up on the watch too.
A lot of he newer Gamins also have a bluetooth music player which is really nice to have if you like music while you run, and I thought Garmin Pay was a bit of a gimmick but I use it all the time. It's great to be able to stop for a coffee or breakfast after a run but not need to carry my wallet or phone.
The 9xx series, and I think the 7xx series allow you do do multisport in one event (ie dual/triathon), whereas the lower numbers record as separate events. The Vivo series are more multi purpose smart watches and I don't believe do the virtual pacer functions.
Gassing Station | Watches | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff