Get the most out of your running watch with expert advice
The first thing my runners ask me when they get a new watch is ‘what do all these numbers mean’?
Even the most basic of running watches will have several screens of data giving real time information on pace, cadence and heart rate. The best running watches track a sophisticated range of metrics, helping every runner to maximise their training and performance.
In a nutshell, these numbers track how fast you are moving, how often your feet hit the ground and how your heart is responding to the effort. They can also indicate how efficiently (or inefficiently) you are running.
Understanding these figures is important to ensure your training plan is appropriate for you. Whether you’re using one of the best Apple watches, an Android-based model or even one of the best Garmin watches, they will help you to run slower when you need to build endurance, and keep you on track when training for a new personal best. Pace, Time and Distance
There are lots of different ways to play around with pace, time and distance in a training session. However, unless you’re on a running track with a coach, it’s pretty much impossible without a watch.
A good speed session for most people involves them running a certain distance, for example 400 meters, at a particular pace. A running watch will tell you how fast you are running in real time (known as ‘pace’) whilst also measuring how far you travel (referred to as ‘distance’ on the watch). This helps you to ensure each time you run that route, you’re hitting the same speed. Using a watch’s pacing function can help by telling you when you need to slow down or speed up to maintain an even pace.
This becomes important if your goal is to finish a race in a particular time. For example if you want to run a 10K in under an hour, then your average pace needs to be six minutes per kilometer.
It doesn’t really matter if you work in miles or kilometers, as long as you know which one your watch is set to. If you are starting out, then my preference would be kilometers.
