Purchasing guide
How to choose your running shoes? How to maintain your running shoes? When should you change your running shoes? Hydration and running Which hydration pack for running? Which watch to choose for running? What is the right outfit for running? What running clothes for winter? How to choose your running jacket? How to choose your running bra or sports bra?
  1. Home
  2. Purchasing guide
  3. Running buying guide
  4. Choose running watch
undefined

WHICH WATCH TO CHOOSE FOR RUNNING?

When running becomes a real passion and you go on outings, equipping a GPS cardio watch is tempting. We explain which watch to choose for running and why it is so much more than a gadget.

Why a special watch for running?

If the primary function of a watch is to tell the time, choosing a watch for running means finding the accessory that will allow you to monitor your performance and thus improve yourself. When you start running, you often download a dedicated application. The latter makes it possible to follow the distances covered or the pace of your races and while, at first, it may be sufficient to analyze your progress and find areas for improvement, it quickly shows it's limits. This is where the cardio watch comes in handy.

To be able to keep track of your training over the long term, it is advisable to choose a connected running watch. When you get home, all you have to do is plug it in to your computer to save all the new data. You will be able to very easily establish follow-ups of your performance and your progress on the different routes you take and identify the portions that are most difficult for you. In all cases, make sure that your cardio watch or GPS watch has enough memory and battery life to follow each of your outings.

Heart rate: essential information when choosing a watch for running

© Photo Polar

The data that will mainly interest you when choosing your watch for running is the heart rate monitor. This will allow you to know your heart rate in real time and thus keep it at the right level for your type of training and your goals. Indeed, depending on whether you are preparing for an endurance race or if your goal is to lose weight, the optimal heart rate will not be the same, so it is important to be able to monitor it in real time. There are two types of cardio watches:

  • Cardio running watch without belt: thanks to it's sensor on the wrist it measures the rate of your pulse throughout your runs.
  • Cardio running watch with belt: the sensor is located on the chest and sends the information to your watch. The measurements are then more precise; on the other hand, the belt can very quickly get in the way.
  • The cardio running watch will also allow you to know your minimum and maximum heart rates.

The cardio GPS watch: the complete watch for running

If the heart rate is a key information in it's progress while running, it is also interesting to have a cardio GPS watch to know everything about your routes. This will allow you to leave your smartphone at home since it is your watch that will connect in real time to the GPS signal. This type of connected watch with heart rate monitor on the wrist therefore allows you to know the number of kilometres traveled, but also to check your pace, know when to accelerate or slow down and your resistance to the effort. This data will then be a gold mine to discover the modifications to be made for more efficient running sessions.

Choosing a running watch: the interesting options

Altimeter: if you live in the mountains, it may be interesting to have access to an altimeter function in the running watch of your choice, if only to better analyze changes in your heart rate.

Theburnt Calorie Counter: Many people start running when they decide to lose weight. This option makes it possible to count the calories burned, to very easily quantify the fruits of the efforts provided and thus to stay motivated.

Thetraining program: the most advanced cardio GPS watches are real training assistants. It is indeed possible to completely personalize your connected watch and to configure it according to the requirements of your sports program of the day. For example, if you're going out for an interval workout, you don't have to keep your eyes on the stopwatch to know when to change your pace. Give your running watch your instructions and let it's beeps guide you.

Thetailor-made readings: the most experienced (or the most picky) runners can choose a cardio GPS watch with heart rate readings that are for example programmable at the intervals of their choice.

GOOD TO KNOW: DON'T NEGLECT COMFORT

It would be a shame to choose a watch for running that bothers you. The models are more or less bulky, but very often more imposing than the watches of everyday life. If possible, try before you buy.

Choosing a running watch that suits your needs is a great way to analyse your runs and make progress. So, if you've been stung by running fever, go for it!

THE THREE KEY POINTS TO REMEMBER WHEN CHOOSING A CONNECTED WATCH FOR RUNNING:

  1. Before choosing your watch for running, know that you can opt for a cardio version or a cardio GPS version
  2. A connected watch will allow you to transfer your data to your computer or to a compatible app
  3. To measure your heart rate, you can choose a running watch with a belt or with an integrated wrist sensor.

OUR RUNNING WATCHES