Fitness trackers -- long distance runners' opinions?

litsy3

The_Enginerd wrote: »

litsy3 wrote: »

The_Enginerd wrote: »

I only bothered to get a GPS watch when I needed some more advanced features like setting laps for intervals and the like. It's also nice to have something waterproof so that I don't have to worry about it if I'm in the rain or doing mud runs.

I only bothered to get a GPS watch because I wanted to set times for intervals! I didn't even want the GPS particularly at the time...

Aren't there non-GPS watches that would have done the interval timing you wanted? Get the GPS watch just to have GPS in case you decided it would be useful?

No. I had a cheap digital watch with a countdown timer, but it could only do 8 repeats of the same time, and would only do intervals of whole minutes. I looked around for ages for something that would let me do different-length reps and recoveries, and there wasn't anything available.* So it turned out I had to get a Garmin just to be able to programme in the sessions I wanted! After I got it I started finding some of the other features & GPS useful, especially being able to programme sessions by distance or a mix of distance and time. I've never used the HRM though, except occasionally to measure my resting heart rate.

*actually, there might have been variable intervals on some of the more expensive men's sports watches. But none of them would fit comfortably on my teeny-tiny girl wrists, and they weren't cheap anyway.

chemlabdoc

Hello,
I have the Garmin Vivoactive and it works great. I record either running or cycling and those upload automatically through my phone. Garmin Connect then sends the calories to MFP. The watch also tracks steps and will provide a calorie adjustment for the steps without double counting steps from running. I then get a good idea of the calories burned for the day. One must have for me is the ability to charge it while recording for when I am outrunning the battery life.

rightoncommander

My only gadget bought purely for running is an ANT+ HRM chest strap which I pair to my phone with the Endomondo app. I use it to give accurate calories for my runs and other workouts, and keep track of my mileage without any fuss. It also helps me analyse my effort at different paces, and shouts out intervals, which can be your own programmed plans or one of their training plans.

Bry_Fitness70

I have a Mio wrist HRM that Bluetooths to the Nike+ running app on my iPhone, and it gives me GPS routes, calories burned, pace, etc. I think a smart phone is the best "fitness tracker", I also have it count steps, link the HRM to Digifit for non-running exercise, listen to my playlist, and enter the data into MFP app.

I have been researching the Garmin Forerunner 225 because it has an integrated HRM (all other Garmins have a chest-strap HRM, I don't have any use for messing with that every time I work out anymore) - it looks promising, but is a bit pricey, it something I'm considering for Christmas.

ekat120

I have a Fitbit One. I like it because it counts steps and flights of stairs throughout the day. I don't track my sleep with it (though I did when I had a Flex, and it was kind of cool). I like it in addition to my Garmin 210 because it keeps me active throughout the day, as opposed to just when I run. I also find the calorie burn estimates to be more accurate than my own estimates or MFP. But it undercounts my mileage when I run--e.g., it thinks a 10 mile run is only 8 miles or so. So I rely on my Garmin for run-related stats and just use the Fitbit for steps and calories.

rumijs

I'm loving Wahoo TickrX so far. I think the cadence and step pattern is fairly accurate as well as the HRM. I'm still figuring out the GPS though. It's way off from Nike Run (and others) and I havent cared enough to calibrate it since I use Nike at the same time. Works great with phone too since I always run with my phone I didn't feel the need for a wrist monitor.