WATCHES FOR RUNNERS : with heart rate monitor Find the best fit by identifying your type Picking a watch is much like choosing a car: it’s going to cost time, money and effort, so it’s best to assess your needs before hitting the road with it.
Let’s face it, everyone has a different set of factors to work with when it comes to running and sports in general : so in that sense finding out what suits your set of needs and level of ambition in running is much like finding a car.
Are you a social runner, an athlete, running to be slightly fitter, aiming to lose weight and not necessarily keen on investing a lot before deciding?
All of these perspectives are equally valid, so I’ve put together brief list of possible options for various possible sets of needs below.
athlete, or just someone who has a very active and athlethic lifestyle. 4.
5.
Garmin Forerunner GPS Running watch with Garmin Coach Training Plan Support: “Healthy Startup” This might be a good option for someone who is serious about having a regular routine and who would appreciate the added benefit and inspiration of the Coach Planner feature.
I’ve added some possible points of consideration to take into account for added consideration or inspiration to find the right fit. TECHNICAL POINTS OF INTEREST: how serious is this going to get. - VO2max
- Running cadence
- Lactate point
- Heart rate: Resting, active exercise and recovery.
Your oxygen intake will determine the quality of your training experience in several ways - again, depending on what your primary motivation is. Oxygen intake is a good factor for assessment of stress responses and performance levels. This can be useful as a means of gauging individual plateaus such as “is this acceptable added stress if slightly out of shape” or even “can I compare different breathing techniques or circumstances and use the data to improve the quality of my training”.
1.Apple Watch Series 5
What’s your style? 1.
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3.
Apple Watch series: “The socialite” This is the most expensive on the list for various reasons. It might be a good investment for someone who needs to be reachable for friends, family and colleagues at all times. This could be perfect for a soccer parent, or a professional who often needs to stay in touch. Garmin 2 GPS swimming smartwatch: “Track & pool” This is an obvious choice for an athlete which has the option of adding a waist/chest to wear under water, which stores the information and transfers it to the watch when the units are together. Garmin Forerunner 735XT GPS Multisport & Running watch: “Triath-able” This would be a great investment either for an
PRO
Always on display
Useful compass
WatchOS 6 brings Cycle Tracking & App Store
Cycle Tracking app
Noise App
CON
Still 18-hr battery life
2.Garmin 2 GPS Swimming smartwatch, Slate Grey, 3.Garmin Forerunner 735XT GPS Multisport and Running Watch 4.Garmin Forerunner 45S GPS Running Watch with Garmin Coach Training Plan Support - White, Small 5.Garmin Vivosport Smart Activity Tracker with Wrist-Based Heart Rate and GPS - Black, Small
Watch your sweat ratio skin vs. Optical measuring with LED-lights. Both can show Resting Rate and Pulse Transit Time.
Garmin Vivosport Smart Activity Tracker with Wrist-Based Heart Rate & GPS: “Spartan” or “Test-drive” This could work out for several types: in the sense that not everyone feels the need to have a lot of extra features - or might simply want to start out with something simple, without breaking the bank, before figuring out exactly how far they would like to go before investing more.
Size: 44mm / 40mm Display: 977 sq mm / 759 sq mm Thickness: 10.7mm Processor: 64-bit dual-core S5 processor Capacity: 32GB Display: LTPO OLED Always-On Retina display with Force Touch, 1000 nits brightness Bluetooth: 5.0 WiFi: 802.11b/g/n 2.4GHz
Types of heart rate tracking:
If your motivation for running is weightloss, or any medical condition, getting one of these gadgets could be a practical way of holding yourself accountable while periodically consulting a healthcare professional. Again, your investment will depend on your “type”, needs and preferences.
Activity Tracker: A short introduction and assessment
Developed from pedometers worn on the hip: counting steps by measuring down-up movement, which in modern trackers has been developed to a combination of one and three-dimensional movement tracking. Some more advanced examples analyse full body mechanics.
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Direct tracking from the wrist: optical sensors read pulse through lasers requiring direct skin contact w/c might be disturbed by excess sweat.
Heart rate monitor: counted beats per minute based on ECG (electrocardiogram) requiring sensors attached to
Introduction guide to activity trackers &. heart rate monitors
These are far from the only relevant options on the market, but this is really just a way to help introduce you to a simple, general range of options before you take that leap.