Runners, post your setup you use for running and how well it is working out for you!

Running and lap swimming are my main points of exercise.  Here is what I use and my results.

Running: Mainly outdoor, 4 to 6 miles, 5 times a week.

  • Garmin Fenix 6x Pro (Gorilla Glass).  Software version 3.00 (and keeping it that way, everything works!)
  • Garmin Running Dynamics Pod (works great, syncs quick)
  • Garmin Foot Pod (works great, syncs quick)
  • Garmin Tempe (Love this thing, even when Garmin Connect is broke, I can get a temp!, always works)
  • Scosche Rythm+ Heart Rate Band (Connects quick, always works)
  • Apple AirPods 2 and 1 (Both sync quicker than my Apple Watch to the headphones and just work!)
  • Apple Watch 5 cellular on right wrist, my emergency backup plan if I get hurt.

Results:  GPS track is awful, but i'm ok with that, because I have the foot pod to get the accurate distance, and it's pretty much spot on.  Music plays without any cut outs.  I LOVE voice queues which I like to hear my pace, lap time, heart rate every minute.   Over all it's a joy to use running.  I do believe that the VO2Max calculation remains too low.  My Apple watch says 42 but Garmin says 39.  For my age, they are both really good, but that's quite a spread.  I don't know who's is more accurate.  I think the Apple Watch for this.  Active Calories, I think the Garmin may be a tad low, while the Apple Watch a tad high.  So I'm good with it being lower than higher!  Makes me work harder.

Swimming:  (Usually 60 to 100 laps, 5 times a week, 25yd pool)

  • FormSwim Goggles (these things are amazing and make swimming fun)
  • Garmin Fenix 6x Pro set for lap swimming and for heart rate.
  • Delphin Android based clip on MP3 Player for underwater

Results:  Garmin's lap count is spot on, and the heart rate works great!  (that's because I won't upgrade to 4.1/4.2  Slight smile).  Love customizing my data fields and judging my effort on heart rate, but I know how bad the heart rate lags behind the effort.  It's just good to review the end results.   No problems here!

I would love to know what you all use for your running/swimming.

  • I don't swim - at least, not for exercise. But here's my running setup:

    • 6X Sapphire, software 4.20 and the newest beta sensor hub (all is working well)
    • Tempe sensor (I love mine too! The people who hate it probably are using it wrong. It can't be in direct sunlight or near your skin. I have mine attached to the bottom of my hydration pack.)
    • Running Dynamics pod (Arrives in the mail today, I haven't tried it yet)
    Even just using the watch by itself, without any external sensors, I've had great results. Even my tracks are good enough, and my distances are measuring spot on (+/- 1%). HR has been accurate as far as I can tell, so I'm not going to buy a chest strap.
    For anyone who's curious, here's how I have my Run activity set up in my watch:
  • Good Stuff!

    My data screens are much more basic.  Because when I'm running I don't like to look at my watch.

    3 data screens:

    1:  Heart Rate Gauge,

    2: Heart Rate Gauge / pace / time elapsed / avg pace / distance

    3:  Time of day

  • I'm a data geek, I love looking at my watch and checking out all the numbers during a run.

    Funny story, on Sunday I was checking my elevation profile during a hike, when I heard a rattle near my feet and looked down, I had just about stepped on a rattlesnake!! I must've jumped 5 feet in the air, I think I scared him just as much as he scared me. I'm quite surprised he didn't strike at me. After that, I stopped looking at my watch for the rest of the hike Smiley

  • I love data as well.  I have RunScribe+ pods I used for a year to analyze my shoes and gait, but am giving the garmin pods a change for the heck of it.

  • the RunScribes are pretty impressive.  but- I found that my data didn't change much, so I don't use them very often.

  • Hi Morey,

    I think I looked at my "Footprints", balance and shock for the most part.  My foot problems are mostly all from Metatarsalgia pain.  Man it can hurt.  So I've been through a lot of orthotics and shoes.  Finally found the custom orthotics from Upstep and Hoka Bondi 6's give me enough cushion and balance that I can run again.

  • Running

    Watch: Garmin Fenix 6x Pro

    Chest strap: Garmin HRM

    FootPod: Stryd

    Headphones: Beats PowerBeats Pro

    Training Program: TrainAsONE

    Love this setup and have had no issues.  Everything syncs with no issues. 

    The ONLY issue I have is when I had the Forerunner 945, I would get  beeps for the countdown  in my headphones when I am moving to the next step in my run. I don't get that with my Fenix.

  • F6X Sapphire, firmware 4.20

    Hrm Tri, Garmin Footpod (speed only unless indoor), Garmin Tempe, Bose Soundsports. All of the items I just mentioned work flawlessly  

    When I am running I use Gps only with 1 second recording which has workdd great for me and no complaints. Listen to music most of the time as well and been nice not having to bring my phone. Don't even bring water under 6 miles.

    2 Screens typically: Elapsed time, distance, pace, average pace. Screen 2 is time of day, temp, calories and battery level.

  • Former Member
    0 Former Member over 5 years ago

    Interesting thread. 

    Fenix 6x Sapphire, 4.20 . (haven't had any issues from the 2.x it shipped with through to 4.20, everything worked with only a couple of minor hitches)

    Stryd version 2 (black cap over LED)

    Stryd Wind

    Scosche 24+

    Trekz Titatnium headphones

    Google Pixel 2

    I cannot highly recommend the stryd's enough.   I've had it measure a certified 50 mile course as 50.2 miles and I had to make a 3 or 4 side treks off the course due to a lack of porta potties which easily was about .2 miles.   Consistently will do a 10-12 mile out and back and the workout will finish within 3 or 4 steps of where I started.  It's literally black magic how it works as far as I'm concerned.  It does okay out of the box to get crazy accuracy requires a calibration run on a known distance.  Like 99.6 is my personal calibration for my Wind unit and my pacing/form and not the default 100.  For my Stryd 2 it was 101.4. 

    For my activity, I primarily use Run instead of Trail even though I'm split 50/50 but Trail doesn't count toward VO2 max calculations and I like those even if trail running may skew them a bit. 

    I don't measure swims, I'm a thrasher and just swim for cardio during a down week or to drop the stress levels a bit on the legs.

    For my datascreens, because I run stupid long distances using workouts as a pace plan (no offense pace pro but I know me better) these are tailored specifically for my needs as an ultra runner (comments are tongue in cheek, mostly) 

    Screen 1:  Lap Distance, Lap Pace
          (so I know exactly when the next recovery period starts i.e. how long till I can stop the pain from running for a couple of minutes?!?!)

    Screen 2:  Elapsed Distance, elapsed time
          (OMG it's only been 9 hours and I'm not even close to the half way point?!?!?)

    Screen 3:  Stryd Power / battery left .
           (Power needed for accurate Stryd data, battery left from my 5X days when I could get 13-14 hours at most with GPS so I know when to hook it up to a lipstick charger)

    Screen 4: Average overall pace, HR .
           (Am I on target for my race average and am I about to explode my heart?)

    Screen 5: Ultra Finish Time Predictor
           which is my own custom CIQ app to give me a estimated time to finish based on the last 30 to 60 minutes pacing and estimated time remaining (i.e. how much longer will this pain go on ;) ) . It's published in the CIQ store if anyone's curious since I share it with a couple of my running partners and you have to publish it to use the settings functionality. 

    Screen 6: Clock 
           (how much longer till the sun comes up, I think it's gone out, I've been running in the dark for a week at least?!?!?)

  • You had to mention Stryd.  I've been itching to hit that purchase button for a while now.  I've been on the fence with running power though.  I do like those pods!