Running watches. A comprehensive list of features

Do you ever get confused about the running watches features that are displayed in the manufacturers spec list? I know I sure have at times. This post attempts to sum up nearly every conceivable feature that is offered in modern day running watches. While I will do my best to make this as comprehensive as possible, consider this post a growing entity that will be updated on a regular basis. Feel free to email me as well if you want to suggest something I may have missed.

A comprehensive list of running watch features:

General

Interfacing: The ability to interface with other devices

Software: Level of software that is offered with the watch, for watches that facilitate data transfer.

Goal Tracking: Allows you to set a fitness goal and keep track of it over time.

• Forerunner 405, 405CX
• probably some Polar watches

Sunrise & Sunset Time: Displays the sunrise and sunset time in your location

• Forerunner 405, 205/305

Computer Fitness Opponent: Lets you "race" a compuerised opponent.

• Forerunner 405, 305/205 (Virtual Partner Feature)
• Timex Finish Time predictor (same concept)

Touch Sensitive Tapping: The ability to operate the watch simply by tapping on the face

• Forerunner 405, 405CX (bezel)
• Timex's Tapscreen watches

Wireless Data Transfer: Seemlessly transfer watch data between the wristwatch and a personal computer

• Forerunner: 405, 405CX, 310XT
• Timex Race Trainer, Global Trainer
• Polar watches

Compete Against Historical Sessions: Allows you to run against other runs stored in the watch's history. Shows if you're faster or slower than past performances.

Forerunner 405, 205/305 (courses feature) (todo: check latest watches)

Distance Traveled While Paused: Keeps track of how much movement you have done while the stopwatch is paused. The watch will not log any mileage to your overall distance while the watch is paused. (useful if you forget to un-pause your watch).

• Forerunner 205/305
• 4 field customizable display: A watch that can display four simultaneous data fields
• Forerunner 205/305
• Timex Global Trainer
• GlobalSat GH 625 M
• RS300X
• RS800CX
• RS400

Altitude Stats: The ability to measure variations in height

• Suunto X10
• Suunto t6c
  

Vertical Speed: The ability to display rate of ascention (or descention)

• Suunto X10
• Timex Bodylink Trail Runner T5J985

Altitude Alarm: Sounds an alarm and certain altitude levels

• Suunto X10
• Timex Bodylink Trail Runner T5J985

Barometric Altimeter: A Barometric altimeter is general more accurate than altitude measured with a GPS system

• Suunto X10
• Suunto t6C Multisport Pack

Compass Feature: Offers you a pointer to north

• Forerunners 101, 201, 301, 205, 305, 405, 405CX 310XT
• Suunto X10
• Timex Bodylink Trail Runner T5J985
• Globalsat GH-625

Heart rate

Max HR calculation: Calculates your maximum heart rate. A rough estimate of your maximum heart rate can be calculated by subtracting your age from 220

Heart rate monitor signal: analog HRM signals are prone to interference from electrical wires and other equipment. The latest watches use a Digital FM signal which doesn't suffer from these inherent flaws.

Target heart rate zones: A Heart rate zone is an optimal uppwer and lower limit in which you desire your heart rate to be during a workout. When your heart rate falls outside of the zone a heart rate zone alarm is usually sounded.

• Nearly all heart rate monitor watches

Heart rate expressed in bpm

• All heart rate monitor watches

Heart rate expressed as a % of max HR

• Polar watches

Fitness test based HRmax: Polar Fitness test-based watches can determine your maximum heart rate based on a pre-defined fitness test programmed into their watches.

Calorie expenditure: Watches that record your approximate calories burned within a session. Useful for weight loss.

Advanced Fitness Features

Beat to beat variation in heart beat intervals: Measures heart beat intervals. This reflects your autonomic nervous system in heartbeat regulation

Polar RS800CX

Suunto t6c

Real Time Training Effect: An advanced indicator of the actual effectiveness of a workout

• Suunto t3c, t4c and t6c
  

EPOC: Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. Or how much increased breathing you are doing following a hard workout to accomodate for your body's oxygen debt. this is particularly interesting for atheletes in regards to lactic acid/lactate metabolism workouts

• Suunto t6c

Data Transfer: The ability to transfer data stored on your watch to a personal computer (and vice-veras) without cables.

• Forerunners 50 405, 405CX, 310XT
• Garmin FR60 fitness watch
• Timex Race Trainer Watch
• Timex Global Trainer Watch
• Polar Watches (with appropriate add-on devices)

GPS

Hands free operation: The ability to start and pause the watch based on your motion alone.

• Garmin Forerunner watches
• Suunto GPS Watches
• Timex Bodylink GPS Watches
• Polar GPS Watches

Speed and Pace Based Target Zones: Sounds an audible alarm when you exceed specified upper and lower speed or pace limits.

• Garmin Forerunner watches
• Suunto GPS Watches
• Timex Bodylink GPS Watches
• Polar GPS Watches

Real-time: Speed, pace and distance

• Garmin Forerunner watches
• Suunto GPS Watches
• Timex Bodylink GPS Watches
• Polar GPS Watches

Overall distance per session and per lap

• Garmin Forerunner watches
• Suunto GPS Watches
• Timex Bodylink GPS Watches
• Polar GPS Watches

Running Watch Manufacturers Compared

Each running watch manufacturer has its own level of charm and appeal. For instance Timex are generally more intuitive than other watch systems, whereas Polar are reknown for their high level of sophistication, but may require you to bury your head in a complex manual to use their best features to your optimal advantage.

Here is a brief summary of the leading running watch watch manufacturers: Timex, Polar, Suunto and Garmin. In this article we generalize to a certain degree, so keep it in mind that your mileage may vary depending on which individual watch model you are using. On the other hand there tend to be common attributes present in watches of the same brand, which we do our best to summarise here.

Timex

As mentioned, Timex watches tend to be intuitive to use right out of the box, so to speak. They also deliver a lot of functionality for a very cheap price. While they produce more complex watches that cost more, the basic ease of use tends to show even at a higher level of sophistication. In Timex Ironman watches you will find distinct common elements such as lap memory, a 100 hour chrono with lap and split recording and the famous Indiglo lighting system. Essentially Timex watches are great, pick-up-and-use watches that are suitable for beginners to the elite.

Polar

Polar is the company that invented the heart rate monitor device and so as you might expect, it's running watch range tends to lean towards heart rate monitor features. Polar watches tend to be designed with your complete fitness program in mind, many of their watches feature fitness coaching with pre-installed fitness tests. Polar watches display a weekly summary of your progress and are capable of being programmed to perform complex training sessions. They can be a tad hard to figure out, but if you invest a little time they can be a great training tool for your program.

Suunto

The Suunto "Training Series" is a collection of running watches that offer more advanced ways of mesuring your performance and fitness level. For instance, they are the only running sports watch that offers "Training Effect" a more accurate way of measuring the effectiveness of a workout. The t6c is a highly sophisticated sports watch capable of measuring things like EPOC, and beat-to-beat R-R capacity. The Suunto watches also come with some highly sophisticated software. These watches are good for running or all round fitness. Some models even offer coaching features that guide you through a workout plan.

Garmin

Garmin have developed a GPS watch from the ground up that features just about every feature a runner could require. Garmin's complex menu system makes them somewhat unintuitive, but the powerful features will more than make up for this failing. Expect to spend a little time reading the manual, but less time than a Polar or Suunto running watch.

For a much more thorough overview of running watch manufacturers, and for coverage of specific models from each of these watch makers, visit the sports watch informant website.

Running Watches. What To Look For

There are loads of running watches to choose from! What to look for in a running watch will depend on what sort of running you'll be doing and how serious you are treating your sport.

For a runner who wants nothing more than to do a couple of runs a week, then you do not need anything fancy, a basic sports watch with a stopwatch timer can be purchased for around $10-20 and should cover your basic needs, which are to measure how long you have been running for. For a little more money you could invest in a running watch that can record a history of your times in it's memory banks. This allows you to go back and compare your recent times against historical runs over the same course.

A runner who has a more structured training program, might benefit from a running watch that can record laps and splits as well as historical runs. Another handy feature for more serious runners is an interval timer feature, which allowes the running of variable length repetitions. For example eight, 3 minute intervals followed by a 2 minute recovery. More advanced watches cover this and more. Some need not cost the earth either.

Many of the Timex Ironman watches are inexpensive, yet can save session history, accomodate the recording of laps and splits within a session and support an interval timer feature. The cost tends to rise when you purchase running watches that feature heart rate monitors or GPS tracking. Highly sophisticated watches such as running watches within the Polar and Suunto line can offer state-of-the-art measuring and tracking of advanced fitness metrics such as EPOC (Excess post exercise oxygen consumption) and Training Effect, an indicator of how effectively you trained over a session. The sophisticated Polar watches measure nearly every heart rate metric available with detailed summaries of the current session and long term history tracking with indicators of how you are progressing with your training.

While you do not need to buy the most feature-laden watch to benefit from what a decent running watch can offer your running program, there are certainly plenty of options for the runner who intends on taking their sport seriously. We will summarise some of the more significant ones in this blog including in-depth overviews of some of the more advanced features in the sports running watch market.