resume later function

There should be a timeout but I always resume within minutes. Or you could be running a few times as usual and pretend you did a marathon ;)

If it's anything like 935, there is a "Power Save Timeout" which will should automatically save your activity if you leave it paused for any significant amount of time. (Alternatively, if you never started the activity, then it just quits the activity). If you happen to be looking at your watch constantly, you should see a "power save" countdown at some point, which can be cancelled by pressing a button, like UP or DOWN.

This timeout can be extended in the settings, but AFAIK that just changes it from around 1 minute to 5 minutes, so it's not helpful for your situation. Unfortunately, it can't be turned off.

In your situation, you're probably better off literally selecting "Resume Later" from the pause menu, which will save and exit your activity, and allow you to continue any length of time later. The only downside is that most 3rd-party CIQ data field apps will not work properly when you continue later, if they deal with average or lap metrics. (This includes Garmin's own Running Power data field.) The reason is that CIQ apps restart completely when you continue after "Resume Later", rather than being suspended and resumed, and most apps do not save and restore their internal state.

Changing the Power Save Timeout from ‘Normal’ to ‘Exrended’ changes it from 5 minutes to 25 minutes. It is usually used before you start an activity. In theory, if you have started and paused an activity, you would expect it to be saved ‘as is’ before exiting to the watch face. I haven’t been in that position as I use ‘Resume Later’ if I know it will be a while before I’m going to restart.

Changing the Power Save Timeout from ‘Normal’ to ‘Exrended’ changes it from 5 minutes to 25 minutes. It is usually used before you start an activity.

Thanks for the correction! Yep, the manuals for both 935 and Fenix 5 say 5 and 25 minutes.

Personally, I use it for races, so I can get a GPS fix well before the race starts.

In theory, if you have started and paused an activity, you would expect it to be saved ‘as is’ before exiting to the watch face. I haven’t been in that position as I use ‘Resume Later’ if I know it will be a while before I’m going to restart.

I just tried it with the 935:
- Started a running activity (with power save timeout = normal), with no GPS fix
- Paused the timer after about 10 seconds
- Waited 5 minutes at the pause menu

Nothing happened :/....

So maybe the behaviour changed in a firmware update or maybe there was always different behaviour before starting an activity vs. when an activity is paused.

But I could've sworn that in the past, I've seen an activity automatically save itself (with no way to continue later), after watching the power save timeout count down.

I'll try to wait longer (and/or with a GPS fix) and see what happens.

EDIT: I waited longer (20-30 minutes) and nothing happened. Guess something's changed or I imagined the way it used to work.... I could've sworn that when I took an extended break during a long run in the past, I've seen the power save countdown (while paused) and had to cancel it, tho.

But I could've sworn that in the past, I've seen an activity automatically save itself (with no way to continue later), after watching the power save timeout count down.

I think you're right, but it's been such a long time that I too am having doubts about my memory and that behaviour. Even if the operation has changed, I think the best thing to do if you know you are going to be sometime before resuming again, is to 'Resume Later' and stay in control of the operation.