Interval splits not cleanly delineated

With the Fenix 3/3HR, the "auto lap" feature would be overridden when you were doing a workout. So, if you were doing a workout that involved, say, a warmup of 1.6 km (four laps of the circumference of a standard athletics track), followed by 800 m intervals with 200 m recoveries (repeated 8 times), everything would be nice and cleanly delineated on the Garmin Connect website afterwards. Here is an example of what I mean: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1116785588.
However, whatever value is given for the "auto lap" feature on the Fenix 5x "overrides" the intervals that have been programmed to form part of a workout. So all you end up getting are km splits.
I presume that the workaround is to temporarily disable the auto lap feature. But it would be nice if this could be automatically disabled simply by entering "Workout" mode…
Has anybody else experienced this?

0 jburchm1 over 8 years ago

Yes, I've experienced it and have been complaining about it for a while.

0 joshw6 over 8 years ago

I contacted the beta team yesterday who wrote back and told me that it was a "new feature" which had been "heavily requested". They said I should simply remember to turn auto lap off when performing workouts. Obviously this is not insuperably difficult – but it is very annoying. It was far more convenient to have the auto lap feature automatically overridden as soon as Workout mode was selected on the Fenix 3.
Let's keep complaining – hopefully they will restore the functionality with which we are familiar.

0 stewa285 over 8 years ago

I've always used a separate sport mode with my Fenix 3 called "Interval Training". Basically a copy of Running with auto lap off and other sets of data pages. Works great.

0 joshw6 over 8 years ago

I've always used a separate sport mode with my Fenix 3 called "Interval Training". Basically a copy of Running with auto lap off and other sets of data pages. Works great.

But can you create custom workouts comprising heart rate/pace/cadence/distance targets on Garmin Connect and transfer them to the watch?

0 budish over 8 years ago

But can you create custom workouts comprising heart rate/pace/cadence/distance targets on Garmin Connect and transfer them to the watch?

Yes, you can create custom workouts on GC and send them to the watch (either through Garmin Express or through the mobile app). You can then reach those workouts through any activity app. For example, if you were using the standard running app, you'd open up the running app, long press up/menu to get to the menu, scroll to training, select My Workouts, and then select the workout you want. The same thing would apply if you created a custom sport app (as described above). You'd select that app, then go to the menu, and select the right workout.

0 joshw6 over 8 years ago

Yes, you can create custom workouts on GC and send them to the watch (either through Garmin Express or through the mobile app). You can then reach those workouts through any activity app. For example, if you were using the standard running app, you'd open up the running app, long press up/menu to get to the menu, scroll to training, select My Workouts, and then select the workout you want. The same thing would apply if you created a custom sport app (as described above). You'd select that app, then go to the menu, and select the right workout.

Yes – that is exactly the process I have always used. But the problem is that whatever interval is set in the "auto lap" feature overrides whatever steps have been defined in the workout. The result is that steps are not cleanly delineated. Or rather, they are not properly delineated at all.
The solution is – of course – to disable the "auto lap" feature. But you have to remember to do this. And having "auto lap" enabled is useful for most other types of running (including racing) if you want to see your kilometre splits.

0 nedberg over 8 years ago

This should be configurable

I don't like this change, but I can understand why someone wants it this way. It should be configurable!

Make a new alternative: Auto lap (not during workouts)

0 budish over 8 years ago

I don't like this change, but I can understand why someone wants it this way. It should be configurable!

Make a new alternative: Auto lap (not during workouts)

It is configurable on an activity app by activity app basis. The way you can do it is the following:

Go to activity and app settings
select add activity
Select copy activity
Copy run
Change name to "Run Workout"
Change settings for "Run Workout" to turn off autolap
Change settings for "Run" to turn on auto lap

If you're going to do a workout, you'd select "Run Workout" as the activity and then go to menu -> training -> workouts and select the workout.

0 joshw6 over 8 years ago

got it

It is configurable on an activity app by activity app basis. The way you can do it is the following:
Go to activity and app settings
select add activity
Select copy activity
Copy run
Change name to "Run Workout"
Change settings for "Run Workout" to turn off autolap
Change settings for "Run" to turn on auto lap

If you're going to do a workout, you'd select "Run Workout" as the activity and then go to menu -> training -> workouts and select the workout.

Of course – this is an obvious way to proceed. I had misunderstood what you meant. But this solution is the perfect workaround. Thank you very much.