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Optimum settings for ultra distance like UTMB

Hello,

I'll be running UTMB end of this month, and I wanted to know the optimum settings to make sure the watch lasts the advertised 36 hours in GPS mode.

I've done some tests and never really reached the advertised 36 hours in any of them, not even close. The best result was around 25-26 hours.

Below is my setup:

1- Wrist HR: ON

2- Plus OX: OFF

3- Bluetooth devices: Stryd for better pace/distance accuracy and to also measure power

4- Vibration: OFF

5- Backlight is set to 5% and 8s timeout

6- No auto laps every 1km, I'll be using lap button to mark a lap between aid stations

7- No auto-pause

8- GPS+GLONASS

9- I don't use maps, and barely touch the watch during workout, I only look at the main screen

10- ClimbPro: ON

11- Alerts: None

12- Auto Scroll: Off

13- Segment Alers: Off

14- Power save Timeout: Normal

With the above settings I did two tests:

- 9 Hour trail run: consumed around 50% (during this run ClimbPro was activated on the climbs to show elevation gain)

- Daily runs in the city: around 4% per hour.

I need to get this 4% to 3% to reach the advertised 36 hours without sacrificing GPS accuracy/ Wrist HR and of course with Stryd connected.

Any ideas are more than welcome

Thanks,

Ismail

Top Replies

Garmin-Blake over 5 years ago +2 verified

aldawoudy The 36 hour spec is with GPS and OHR turned on. If possible, we would recommend pairing your STRYD sensor using ANT+ so you can turn bluetooth off completely. Turning off your backlight, GLONASS…
Former Member over 5 years ago +1

UTMB is a very long term goal for me - and I wish you all the best!

I've wondered about this before - and I thought about taking a powerbank to top up the charge whilst in feed stations.

Would a chest…
tmk2 over 5 years ago in reply to Former Member +1

I thought about taking a powerbank to top up the charge whilst in feed stations.

I think Garmin support will be present at some checkpoint, and they can help you recharge your watch and/or provide any…

All Replies

0 aldawoudy over 5 years ago in reply to TomaszD

I don't mind switching off GLONASS. I actually just switched recently from Suunto which had only GPS and it was fine in that area. At the end no GPS is fully accurate especially in the mountains, I've seen lots of weird stuff in Madeira and the Alps. But I'd like to keep using OHR and Stryd, I use both for pacing.

I don't use Maps, and I know for sure it reduces battery life, I'll remove it entirely from the data screens to make sure I don't switch to it by mistake.

0 aldawoudy over 5 years ago in reply to acousticbiker

GPS alone is fine in that area, I tested it before multiple times. I'm just not sure if GLONASS will really help if I switch it off.

0 aldawoudy over 5 years ago in reply to aldawoudy

Just checked Stryd's compatibility chart, it works by default using ANT+ with Forerunner 945.

Now the question is how do I turn off bluetooth completely in the watch?

I don't connect the watch with phone for notifications and I don't use music of course

0 Dr Phil over 5 years ago in reply to aldawoudy

The 'advertised' battery life is up to 36 hours. You are very unlikely to get to that number. I think you should only count on closer to 30 hours and plan for that.

0 aldawoudy over 5 years ago in reply to Dr Phil

yes I understand it's up to 36 hours with GPS only and OHR. But I'm not getting anywhere near that number. Projection seems to be 25- 26 hours at most, with everything turned off except for Stryd using ANT+ and OHR.

I'll definitely plan for a recharge mid-race, I've done this before, but I'm concerned that the advertised 36 hours isn't true.

I guess I'll have to do one last test without Stryd to see it's impact!

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to aldawoudy

I find the stryd battery indicator to be quite non-linear, depleting much faster later on.

0 TomaszD over 5 years ago in reply to Garmin-Blake

Can you indicate if there could be any benefit in terms of battery life from disabling OHR ?

0 deeter26_2 over 5 years ago in reply to aldawoudy

Yes, the barometric altimeter is a completely independent sensor and UltraTrac would not impact elevation readings. Connect has some issues reading elevation from legacy devices but that's another topic. I've done some recent testing with UltraTrac/Foot Pod and that hasn't been very successful. Doesn't seem to toggle to the foot pod during GPS silence and so acts like it only respects the internal accelerometer. That means I have to retract my suggestion that a standard foot pod might be a good alternative to Stryd.

The other setting which you have not identified would be Data Recording. I guess the obvious method is Smart versus 1 Second both in terms of battery consumption and file size. Good luck!! Bucket list event for sure!

0 aldawoudy over 5 years ago

So I finished the race, took me almost 39 hours!

I recharged the watch to 96% at Courmayeur (km 80) after around 14 hours, and I gave it another charge for few mins in Trient (30km from the finish line) just because I was very slow towards the end and I didn't know how long it'll take me to finish and I didn't want the battery to die!

In general I guess one full charge mid-race or even later (Champex-Lac at 126km would have been sufficient)

I also charged my Stryd once at Champex-lac after 24 hours for few mins and it lasted the whole race, really amazing how the battery life lasts longer than 20 hours!

0 Former Member over 5 years ago in reply to aldawoudy

Congratulations!!