The Running Thread - 2021

[DopeyBadger]

Another day, another question about watches.

I think I’m ready to buy a garmin watch. I’m looking at the vivoactive 4s and the forerunner 245. Both are on sale for $199 right now.

Who has what? What are the pros and cons?

Here's the DCrainmaker comparison (link).

Here is a wired article comparing the two (link).

I had to make that choice about 7 weeks ago. I went with the Garmin 245 (music for me) because of the increased battery life and increased running features. Garmin 245 is a runner's watch. The Vivoactive is more a daily watch that does running too. At least that's what I got from the comparison.

 

[jmasgat]

Another day, another question about watches.

I think I’m ready to buy a garmin watch. I’m looking at the vivoactive 4s and the forerunner 245. Both are on sale for $199 right now.

Who has what? What are the pros and cons?

So I have the vivoactive 3--no music. I think it has been fine, but when time comes to replace it, I would probably consider going back to a runner-focused watch. The V3 tracks a lot of stuff that sounded interesting when I got it, but I don't go deep into data, so tracking and analyzing steps, flights of stairs (which never makes sense) and other non-running activities (e.g. yoga, strength training) doesn't really do much for me. I have small wrists and like the form factor--it is very watch-like as opposed to my previous old Forerunners, so I do wear it every day.

What I do find is that there are times I miss being able to follow courses--which the V3 doesn't do (nor does the V4). And I think there is some performance data that you will only get on a running watch. So even though I don't go deep in the data, I would like to have access to it.

 

[GreatLakes]

Another day, another question about watches.

I think I’m ready to buy a garmin watch. I’m looking at the vivoactive 4s and the forerunner 245. Both are on sale for $199 right now.

Who has what? What are the pros and cons?

When I decided to start wearing a Garmin all day to gather health and activity stats beyond running I started with the VivoActive HR and then the VA3. They worked just fine but I wanted the additional running features like @DopeyBadger did. I went with the 945 because I also wanted maps and triathlon but the 945 would be my choice between the two.

 

[michigandergirl]

I have the Garmin 245 and I'm happy with it. It does everything I need it to do and more.

 

[azrivest]

I have a vivoactive 4 (Captain Marvel actually) and love it. Only thing missing on it for me is the ability to track trail runs separately from road runs.

I also was looking for an all-around watch as I wear it all the time.

ETA:
I was reading the wired runner article. It talks about the VA4 not being able to track interval runs. Huh? Am I understanding "intervals" wrong? Cause mine does it just fine.

 

[PrincessV]

I have a weirdly specific question, but hey - you never know who may have experience with things!

I finally have an appointment to see someone about my hyper-reactive immune system. They want to start by doing allergy testing, and I cannot take my daily Zyrtec for a week ahead of said testing... that will mean doing a Dopey b2b2b2b sim minus the medication that enables me to breathe, as well as exercise without breaking out in hives. Has anyone gone through something like this? I'm wondering just how awful or impossible it might be? They did say if it's really bad, I should go ahead and take the Zyrtec, but they're prefer that I don't.

 

[SheHulk]

Wow this is great news for you Boston Qualifiers! No added time to BQ times this year!
BQ "cutoff" is 0 min 0 sec

 

[HangWithMerida]

Another day, another question about watches.

I think I’m ready to buy a garmin watch. I’m looking at the vivoactive 4s and the forerunner 245. Both are on sale for $199 right now.

Who has what? What are the pros and cons?

I have the vivoactive 4s. I wear it all day as my main watch and I liked that it was a bit smaller as I also have a small wrist. It does everything I need it to do. I like the smartwatch functions and that it just looks like a watch. Like someone else mentioned earlier, I can track intervals just fine. I don't run with music but it has that functionality if you want. Someone else mentioned course tracking. I have done that once on this watch. It's possible it required a separate app download but I was able to do it. For me, it was too much work and I just tend to memorize my routes. But FYI, you can course track with the VA 4s.

 

[HangWithMerida]

I have a weirdly specific question, but hey - you never know who may have experience with things!

I finally have an appointment to see someone about my hyper-reactive immune system. They want to start by doing allergy testing, and I cannot take my daily Zyrtec for a week ahead of said testing... that will mean doing a Dopey b2b2b2b sim minus the medication that enables me to breathe, as well as exercise without breaking out in hives. Has anyone gone through something like this? I'm wondering just how awful or impossible it might be? They did say if it's really bad, I should go ahead and take the Zyrtec, but they're prefer that I don't.

No personal experience, but that sounds miserable. One run, maybe. 4 on subsequent days seems like a bad time waiting to happen.

 

[xjillianpaige]

Like someone else mentioned earlier, I can track intervals just fine.

ETA:
I was reading the wired runner article. It talks about the VA4 not being able to track interval runs. Huh? Am I understanding "intervals" wrong? Cause mine does it just fine.

interesting…now I’m wondering how garmin is defining intervals. Wonder if anyone here has any insight.

So far my running club is 3 for 3 on the 245, including the coach I sometimes work with.

 

[StacyStrong]

I have a vivoactive 4 (Captain Marvel actually) and love it. Only thing missing on it for me is the ability to track trail runs separately from road runs.

I also was looking for an all-around watch as I wear it all the time.

ETA:
I was reading the wired runner article. It talks about the VA4 not being able to track interval runs. Huh? Am I understanding "intervals" wrong? Cause mine does it just fine.

Doesn’t the vA have run/walk alerts but not intervals?
Don’t have one so I’m not sure. The 245 has both.

 

[DopeyBadger]

interesting…now I’m wondering how garmin is defining intervals. Wonder if anyone here has any insight.

This indicates that vivoactive 4s has run/walk (link). There seems to be some confusion to exactly what is meant by a lack of intervals on vivoactive 4s based on a google search I did. This older article indicates some difference between "intervals" and "run/walk" (link), but I don't know if it's applicable to the vivoactive 4. This is the Garmin info for intervals (link) for the Garmin 245. So presumably the vivoactive 4s can't do what the link says the Garmin 245 can do.

 

[ANIM8R]

interesting…now I’m wondering how garmin is defining intervals. Wonder if anyone here has any insight.

So far my running club is 3 for 3 on the 245, including the coach I sometimes work with.

I have the Garmin 235. The interval settings are 1) Warmup (on/off only, no time or distance is able to be set) 2) Interval (Select Time or Distance) 3) Rest (Select Time, Distance, or Manual) 4) Number of Reps and 5) Cooldown(again on/off only, no settings available).

When I do my "speed" (that's being generous!) workouts, I usually run 0.75 mile as my warmup then hit the "lap" button. That starts the time countdown for my first interval. After the time passes, the watch has a few countdown beeps before beeping to start the rest period. The the watch will countdown the rest period then do a countdown beep progression before the next interval. The cooldown period is on your own. I just stop my session after I reach my cooldown period.

I hope that helps!

 

[RN_Mama_inFL]

Newbie here! I’m currently training for my first half marathon (Disney Princess Half) and I’ve realized I need a better solution to my phone holding situation. I have been running with it shoved in my shirt but it’s not working now that my distances are getting longer. Do people use the things that strap on to your arm? Thanks for any advice!

 

[mtnmjd]

Newbie here! I’m currently training for my first half marathon (Disney Princess Half) and I’ve realized I need a better solution to my phone holding situation. I have been running with it shoved in my shirt but it’s not working now that my distances are getting longer. Do people use the things that strap on to your arm? Thanks for any advice!

I hold my phone in my hand the entire time.

 

[jmasgat]

Wow this is great news for you Boston Qualifiers! No added time to BQ times this year!
BQ "cutoff" is 0 min 0 sec

That is a wow. Never seen all entries accepted before.

 

[ANIM8R]

Newbie here! I’m currently training for my first half marathon (Disney Princess Half) and I’ve realized I need a better solution to my phone holding situation. I have been running with it shoved in my shirt but it’s not working now that my distances are getting longer. Do people use the things that strap on to your arm? Thanks for any advice!

I sure do. I've gone through probably a half-dozen. The salt/sweat from my long runs usually gums up the zipper. (I hope that doesn't gross you out! haha)
I say that only to explain that my purchasing experience with arm bands...which leads to my recommendation that if you live near a running store, I would advise you to stop in and try them out on your arm and with the phone. Keep in mind that if it is even *slightly* uncomfortable for a few minutes while trying in the store, that will be multiplied 10-fold on a 2 hour run! Spend the extra few bucks on one that feels good! Also, after a few longer runs, if you still really like it go ahead and buy one or two for replacements. YMMV but mine last about 3 months during the summer months and maybe 4-5 months each during the rest of the year.

 

[RN_Mama_inFL]

I hold my phone in my hand the entire time.

Oh wow. I definitely can’t do that I feel my shoulder/neck muscles all tightened up after I would run holding it.

 

[RN_Mama_inFL]

I sure do. I've gone through probably a half-dozen. The salt/sweat from my long runs usually gums up the zipper. (I hope that doesn't gross you out! haha)
I say that only to explain that my purchasing experience with arm bands...which leads to my recommendation that if you live near a running store, I would advise you to stop in and try them out on your arm and with the phone. Keep in mind that if it is even *slightly* uncomfortable for a few minutes while trying in the store, that will be multiplied 10-fold on a 2 hour run! Spend the extra few bucks on one that feels good! Also, after a few longer runs, if you still really like it go ahead and buy one or two for replacements. YMMV but mine last about 3 months during the summer months and maybe 4-5 months each during the rest of the year.

Haha Doesn’t gross me out. Ok I’ll take a look, we have a Dick’s sporting goods and a Fleet feet maybe they have some too. Thank you!

 

[GreatLakes]

interesting…now I’m wondering how garmin is defining intervals. Wonder if anyone here has any insight.

So far my running club is 3 for 3 on the 245, including the coach I sometimes work with.

I set up a few workouts on the VA3 but find doing it in Connect and then pushing it out to the watch is much easier. I think of intervals as repeats of efforts and recovery which isn't all that different than run/walk when you break it down.

As an example, below is the workout I am about to leave the house to do. It was created in Garmin Connect and then pushed to the watch. Any Garmin watch that supports workouts should handle it.