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 ). 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.

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0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to DCeremuga

I'm not sure running with power is super necessary tbh for most. I've done the tests, done the math and as it turns out my power thresholds match up with my pace thresholds that I'd figured out through painful trial and error. :). But I do know a runner that switching to running with power helped his PRs for all distances without going tough all that trial and error.

It's the crazy accuracy for speed and distance that keeps me signed up. I target very narrow pace windows for short PR race attempts and knowing what's showing om the watch is 99.9% accurate is something I think helps me.

With all that said, it's a running gear purchase that I wouldn't make if I was short of any critical gear like cold weather or nightime or whatever gear list a runner might be shy of. It's borderline on my must have list but I'm a numbers and accuracy freak, I think for most runners it's more a great to have but not a must have.

The exceptions might be podium finishers and near podium finishers, I think it's worth experimenting with, even at the $200 to see if it helps cut your times and maybe moves you up a slot provided you're not putting yourself into a bind financially doing so.

Watch out for Black Friday sales. They usually have one although historically it's more like a buy 2 for $300. So you have to find a friend who wants one too to get the deal.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago

Just me and my fenix 6x pro sapphire.

Push start and go.

I use this device so I don't have to have anything else attached to me, and get data from a bunch of different sources. It does the job well all by itself.

0 DCeremuga over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

That was me for many years. I get enjoyment out of different things, and that includes analyzing things. I’ll admit it, I’m a tech junkies. If the Fenix was cellular, that would help a lot. With a sick family member I have to be reachable.

0 C.sco over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

The exceptions might be podium finishers and near podium finishers, I think it's worth experimenting with, even at the $200 to see if it helps cut your times and maybe moves you up a slot provided you're not putting yourself into a bind financially doing so.

Great post, I also started looking into Stryd after reading what you wrote, it sounds very interesting and tempting. It's funny how a $200 purchase is so off-putting to many of us who just spend nearly a grand on a watch But I'm in that boat too - it sounds like a helpful device, but I'm not sure if it's $200 helpful. I'll probably give it a few weeks to think it over!

0 C.sco over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

That was me for a while, too. I used to use a running app on my phone, which was obviously garbage. It did an OK job of logging my track, distance, and time, but didn't provide any other metrics besides that. So then I went the garmin watch route, and for the last year and a half, just used that by itself. And it was great. But like a heroin addict, after a while I needed a little more to get high on data So I added a Tempe sensor recently, and now an RD Pod just arrived today... hopefully that holds me over for a while.... but now this thread has me wondering if I need a Stryd now.........

0 Nikeow over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

I seriously don't know how to quote on this darn forum..

anyways - your watch has space for up to 8 data fields in 1 screen, can't you fit them all into 1 screen and then you don't really need to flip here and there?

0 Loen82 over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member

Why do you use two Stryd's and more imporant: do you observe a significant difference? I have the stryd v2 icw Fenix 6X Solar and als very happy about it. Also in doubt to buy the Scosche 24+ but I run mostly longer distances so I'm not sure whether it's needed 6x is quite accurate for this purpose). What is your experience and why do you use it?

Interesting topic btw...

0 Marbuel over 5 years ago

"voice queries" ... how do you get that? Is there any way to get them only to the paired headphones and not through phone? Or have it on only for run activity but not for hike?

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to Nikeow

Bad eyes and I don't run with my glasses is the simple answer, need bigger fonts as a result to be able to read it. Id love to get more on each screen but then I'd be tripping over even more roots and rocks trying to squint my eyes to get the small fonts in focus.

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to Loen82

In spite if Stryds claim to the contrary I only get about 14-15 hours of run time. I take a wee bit longer than that to finish a 100. 2 stryds will get me to the finish of a without a long gap in the data from recharging one during the run.

And the geek lure of seeing just how much wind impacts effort was something I found intriguing. The new version has that functionality. Of course it does not take into account body measurements so it's a one size fits all and I'm at the far side of the bell curve in the "no, really you run Ultras, no way".