Running with Apple Watch / iWatch ?

It sucks just get a Garmin. You need to carry your phone for accuracy and the heart rate sensor is optical and very slow and very inaccurate. You can use apps for running already on your phone so the watch is basically acts as a start/stop button. No laps or detailed info are on the screen. Also it is touch screen so you have to touch to 'awaken' the display then try to press the button to stop etc. which is difficult when there is moisture. Also the display is hard to view in bright sunlight.

Maybe version 3.0 will make it acceptable but the technology on 1.0 is still not there. I like my apple watch but not for running.

Hope this helps.

Don't call it iWatch. You sound like a fool. It's the Apple Watch.

The watch is plenty accurate for anyone except the elite, sub-elite and local competitive. +- 5%.

If you run a 5k over 16min or a Marathon over 2:35, who cares how accurate a watch is? All you want to do it mileage and calories tracking.

Apple Guy wrote:

Don't call it iWatch. You sound like a fool. It's the Apple Watch.

You're right, that sounds much better.

Apple Guy wrote:

Don't call it iWatch. You sound like a fool. It's the Apple Watch.

The watch is plenty accurate for anyone except the elite, sub-elite and local competitive. +- 5%.

If you run a 5k over 16min or a Marathon over 2:35, who cares how accurate a watch is? All you want to do it mileage and calories tracking.

Thanks iDouche.

I've used it for running for over a year now. I find it's generally off by about 10% or so. It's fun to use and I enjoy having the extra info from it that I didn't have before, but it's not a great tool for serious training.

Apple doesn't publish the details on how it estimates pace distance etc. but from what I can determine, it seems like when you calibrate it (which requires going on a run with both watch and iPhone), it uses the watch to get your steps and the phone's GPS to get your distance, calculates an average step length from that, and assumes you are always using that step length. So if you always run the same route at the same speed, it should be pretty accurate (about as accurate as your GPS was that day, anyway). If you mix it up then it struggles.

Heart rate is as good/bad as any other wrist-based / green-light device.

Apple Watch is pretty limited in terms of the info it gives you for running specifically, e.g. no cadence or heart rate zones or any of that, you get distance, average speed, average heart rate, and calories. On your phone after a run it will give you mile splits. There may be 3rd-party apps that give you that kind of data, I haven't looked into it.

Hope this is helpful.

Also pausing the timer while running the "Workout" app (e.g. if you're at a stoplight) is really irritating, there's no way to do it with a single button press if you're not on the screen the one screen with the Pause button (which shows no other info, so you won't usually be on it), you either have to swipe to that screen then press Pause, or do a "Force Touch" which brings up that screen then press Pause.

No idea why they didn't make one of the buttons on the side pause/unpause the timer like on a stopwatch.

Thanks, everyone. This is very helpful information.

Apple Guy wrote:

Don't call it iWatch. You sound like a fool. It's the Apple Watch.

The watch is plenty accurate for anyone except the elite, sub-elite and local competitive. +- 5%.

If you run a 5k over 16min or a Marathon over 2:35, who cares how accurate a watch is? All you want to do it mileage and calories tracking.

I disagree!

The apple watch is off enough that it would matter to even the most casual runner. If decently accurate pace and distance really does not matters, I say don't bother with a watch all, else get the cheapest gamin on the market, which will do a better job than the apple watch.

Apple Guy wrote:

Don't call it iWatch. You sound like a fool. It's the Apple Watch.

The watch is plenty accurate for anyone except the elite, sub-elite and local competitive. +- 5%.

So you have iPod, iPad, iPhone, iOS, but the watch isn't called iWatch? That's lame on Apple's part. They should keep thing simple. Wasn't that their theme back in the day?

It's also lame that a $300 SPORT watch can't be more than +/- 5% accurate. You can pick up a Garmin for a little over $100 that is VERY accurate. A Garmin is actually worthy of the title "watch sport."

no fear cavalier wrote:

It's also lame that a $300 SPORT watch can't be more than +/- 5% accurate. You can pick up a Garmin for a little over $100 that is VERY accurate. A Garmin is actually worthy of the title "watch sport."

Battery tech is very slow to progress. That's why they needed a compromise here. If the Watch had a GPS, it would not last a full day + 2h workout session. No other Smartwatch is there yet, either.

If you already own an Apple Watch or want one primarily for its non-running functions and you are a casual runner, great, use it for running, too.

If you want something specifically for running, then you should get a GPS-enabled running watch. Garmin and Suunto are the two most popular brands, and for good reason. They both make great products. Suunto tends to stick with the higher end of the market, while Garmin's range from about $100 to over $600.

If I were in the market right now, I would probably get the first generation Garmin Vivoactive. They are currently on close-out because Garmin just introduced a second generation model, and can be foun online for about $170. Of course, the Garmin Forerunner and Fenix 3 lines are also great.

no fear cavalier wrote:

So you have iPod, iPad, iPhone, iOS, but the watch isn't called iWatch? That's lame on Apple's part. They should keep thing simple. Wasn't that their theme back in the day?

If I recall correctly, another company already trademarked iWatch. They weren't trademark squatters, it was a watch company that actually produced a product.

Apple tried to buy the name, but the other company wanted too much money. I think Apple may have threatened to sue, but didn't because they had no case.

I've had multiple Garmins and now an Apple Watch for 8 months. There are pros and cons to each. My favorite Garmin was my 305. Simple and did the trick. I had two 315 XTs and both were much more accurate, had incredible battery life, but were flaky as could be. Both of them just failed to turn on eventually. And I could hardly ever sync data. I bought a Fenix 2 when it was the top model for the ultra mode. The battery life OUT of ultra mode was less than the 315xt. And accuracy in general was terrible for 20+ mile runs. Whereas my 305 and 315xts might give me a few extra tenths by the end of a marathon, the Fenix 3 often gave me an extra mile to mile and a half. I complained to Garmin and instead of sending me another watch, they sent me a freakin foot pod. That made things worse and I was glad to put the Fenix 3 in the drawer when I got an Apple Watch in November.

The Apple Watch is about as accurate as whatever iPhone app you use it with. I started off with MapMyRun but I switched to Runtastic because MapMyRun doesn't capture the HR data. I use the Apple Workout app when I'm on the treadmill and set it to "Indoor Run." It gives me a mile right about the time I hit .6 miles on the TM.

When I get back into running 100s (sorry, I'm an ultra jogger), I'll have to figure out something with the Fenix or just use a plain old watch/stopwatch. I'm not paying another $400-600 for an inaccurate POS Garmin.

PS: Another ding against the Garmin- the chest strap. I think they do wrist-based on SOME models now but wearing the chest strap was annoying and just gave me one more place to chafe.

theREALsmokingGunner wrote:

Apple Guy wrote:

Don't call it iWatch. You sound like a fool. It's the Apple Watch.

The watch is plenty accurate for anyone except the elite, sub-elite and local competitive. +- 5%.

If you run a 5k over 16min or a Marathon over 2:35, who cares how accurate a watch is? All you want to do it mileage and calories tracking.

Thanks iDouche.

Pics?

Just realize this is a year old thread. I believe the new iAppke Watch has the GPS featured in it, no? I have the version 2–got it couple months prior to the new version or I would have waited. I like the watch for work and an occasional run—I don’t care so much if it tracks my mileage or not I like it for other features with that said—I rather not carry my phone w/me but do for security or emergency use and also to listen to my music—yep, I’m your classic Hobby Jogger but who cares. Besides, I like watches in general whether it’s for looks, functional use, expensive or sporty.

Btw, I also have a Garmin too.

I searched on every forum on internet and eventually end up fixing this by getting green light on the back of your Apple Watch is part of the heart rate sensor. Disabling it will prevent your watch from taking heart rate measurements. Here's how to turn it off:-Using your Apple Watch:-
1. Press the Digital Crown to access the app menu.
2. Open the Settings app.
3. Scroll down and tap on Privacy & Security.
4. Select Health.
5. Tap on Heart Rate.
6. Toggle off the switch next to Heart Rate.

Follow for more assistance below.