I’m actually a little bit addicted to it. The little guy does a good job letting me know when I’ve been a sedentary slob – a run-less day sitting at my computer will typically net me only a few thousand steps, which is my indicator to me that I did not move enough. Fitbit does not lie.

I’ve used a Fitbit Ultra for several years now, and I’ve miraculously managed to avoid losing it or destroying it. It has gone missing for days at a time, but always seems to show up again. Most often he reappears in the pocket of a recently washed pair of pants/shorts. His case is now cracking, be he keeps on working. But, I fear that if the cracks continue to grow it might soon be time for the Ultra to be retired.

My only real complaint about the Fitbit Ultra is that it seems to undercount running steps. I’m in Florida right now at Disney World and have been monitoring my steps for a forthcoming post. I’ve determined that I take about 2500 walking steps per mile (my walking cadence is about 110 steps/min). Fitbit seems to do a pretty good job of tallying my walking steps.

Running is a different story. My running cadence averages about 180 steps/min with some variation depending on speed (a bit lower for slower paces, and it can push toward 200 if I’m going sub 6:00/mile pace). If you figure an average pace of about 8:00/mile, then one mile should give me about 1400 steps per mile. As a test, yesterday I ran for exactly 40 minutes (5.19 miles) to Downtown Disney, around Saratoga Springs, and back to Old Key West where I’m staying. The ISmoothRun App recorded an average cadence of 176 steps/min for this run, and over 40 minutes that computes to a bit over 7000 steps (ISmoothRun counted 7149 steps total – held it in my hand on the run). On the same run my Fitbit Ultra clipped to my waist measured only about 4400 steps. So Fitbit appears to be recording only about 60-65% of my running steps.

I’m curious to know if others have found similar running step recording inaccuracy with their Fitbit, and whether any of the newer Fitbit models (Force, One) might perform any better?

I’m also wondering why the recording seems accurate for walking but not for running? And why my iPhone 5S measures running steps fine, but the Fitbit does not (is it just hand vs. waistband placement? – maybe need to test this by running with the Fitbit on my wrist or in hand).

In the grand scheme of things it’s really not a big deal as the real value of the device to me is the reminder that walking more makes a difference to my daily activity total and that a day below 3000 steps is bad, but as a tech junky I do wonder about how these devices work and why they might work well for one type of movement and not another.

Update: Shortly after writing this post I went for a run – 3.27 miles in 26:13. This time I attached the Fitbit to my watch band on my wrist. Result from iPhone in same-side hand was 4659 steps, whereas the Fitbit recorded 4543 steps. Much closer, so seems the loss of Fitbit step-counting accuracy while running has something to do with being placed on the waistband while running.

Given that I review running gear for a living, I can justify such an extravagance even though I already own a GPS watch (Garmin 620). I figured that if I liked it a lot I’d hang onto it, and if I didn’t like it I’d write a review saying as much then sell it on Ebay. After over a month of consistent use I can now say that this watch isn’t going anywhere. I absolutely love the Echo.

First off, the Magellan Echo is not a GPS watch, let’s be clear about that at the outset. It’s actually a pretty useless piece of tech on its own. It doesn’t even have a stopwatch or alarm as far as I can tell. All it does is display time and date. But, pair the Echo with an iPhone and you have one of the coolest toys I’ve played with in awhile. The Echo functions by syncing with an app on your phone. It displays data recorded by the phone via the app directly on your wrist. The buttons on the Echo also become controls for your phone. You can start and stop your workout, pause music, skip songs, etc. all from your wrist without having to touch your phone.

If you don’t run with an iPhone and have no interest in doing so (Magellan claims android support is coming soon), then you can stop reading this review as the watch is not for you. Without a paired phone the watch is dumber than a basic stopwatch. Personally, I used to never run with my iPhone, in part because I’ve always hated running with a phone attached to my arm. I’ve found though that if I can put it in my jacket’s chest pocket in winter, or hand-hold it in summer (using either a Go-Strap or HB Tune hand-held case), I can take it along with minimal interference.

My workout kit for the last month or two has pretty much been my iPhone stashed in a jacket pocket, the Magellan watch on my wrist, and a pair of bluetooth headphones under my winter hat. The phone plays music and feeds run split summaries through the headphones, and sends the real-time run data to the watch. The watch controls the phone and the music coming through the headphones. The three devices work together beautifully, there are no wires to mess with, and I don’t have to carry my phone on my arm or mess with it on the run.

Tutorial

To use the Echo you need to pair it with a supported App. Currently the list includes Strava, MapMyRun, Wahoo Fitness, and iSmoothRun (more apparently in the works). I started playing with iSmoothRun last Fall when a client told me it could measure cadence (it does so pretty accurately). It’s a simple yet very functional app, and I’ve fallen in love with it. To continue with this review I’m kind of also going to be reviewing iSmoothRun since the watch needs an app to work (some of the other apps offer greater functionality, DC Rainmaker reviewed the Echo as it functions with the Wahoo Fitness app for one example. I like iSmoothRun since it is simple and intuitive, and tracking has been rock solid relative to my Garmin)

To begin a run with the Echo + iSmoothRun combo you first need to pair the watch to the app on your phone. The watch communicates via Bluetooth, so that needs to be turned on in your phone settings [but you don’t pair there, you pair in the app – full instructions here (Magellan) and here (iSmoothRun)].

After opening up iSmoothRun you press the upper left button on the watch to start searching for a connection, then in iSmoothRun you initiate pairing in the app Settings—>Displays—>Choose Magellan Echo:

Once you’re synced you can start setting up how the watch will interface with the app.

In the above image, Inverted lets you change from black text on a gray background to gray text on a black background. Pressing setup allows you to customize screen templates that will display your choice of metrics during a workout (all measured by your phone, not the watch itself). I usually have 3-4 screens set up, but most of the time I just use the screen display in the 1st image below (distance, pace, avg. pace):

Available metrics include: “Lap Calories”, “Calories”, “Lap Count”, “Lap Time”, “Time”, “Total time”, “Time Of Day”, “Time Ahead/Behind Target”, “Distance”, “Lap Distance”, “Average Pace”, “Lap Average Pace”, “Split Average Pace”, “Pace”, “Average Speed”, “Speed”, “Lap Average Speed”, “Max Speed”, “Cadence”, “Average Cadence”, “Lap Average Cadence”, “Steps”, “HeartRate”, “Heart Rate Zone”, “Lap Average HR”, “Average HR”, “Lap Max HR”, “Max HR”, “Lap Min HR”, “Min HR”, “Power”, “Altitude”, “Ascend”, “Lap Ascend”, “GPS Signal”.

Once you have things set up the way you want, you can start a workout by going to the “New Run” screen. You can choose your workout type (usually a Free workout for me, but in the case below I had created an interval workout using the app’s workout builder – very cool!).  Here are a few images showing the workout builder interface:

You can choose your shoes to track mileage (another huge plus for me and partly why I have been using this app so much lately), and also choose a music playlist from those available on your phone.

To start the workout I usually hit the play button and then immediately pause the phone, turn the screen off, and stick it in my jacket chest pocket. Then once outside I control everything and view my data via the Echo. Press the bottom right button on the watch to start/stop the workout, top right button to control your music (one press to pause, double press to skip ahead one song). When your workout is done you pause it using the bottom right button, take out the phone, and hit the stop button.

When the run is over, iSmoothRun provides a nice data summary of run stats (interval split image foiled by a ringer adjustment!):

You can also set the app up to export your data to your favorite social media and workout tracking sites (Strava, Dailymile, Garmin Connect, etc.). All very easy and saves me a bunch of steps compared to when I use a GPS watch.

Another cool feature of the iSmoothRun app is the audio feedback it provides. I set it up to give me audible summaries after each mile (avg. pace, avg. cadence, total workout pace, etc.). It will also cue you when to start and stop intervals if you are doing and interval workout, which is handy when doing such workouts away from a track.

Pros of the Echo + iPhone vs. a GPS Watch

• If you typically run with an iPhone, Echo allows you to view stats and control it without touching or looking at the phone. In winter you can stick the phone in a jacket pocket. In summer you can stash it in a hydration vest. No need to mess with the phone or carry it on your arm.
• Price – you get all the data power of high-end GPS watches since the iPhone powers the tracking, but the watch costs half of what a top-line GPS watch costs ($149.99 MSRP)
• Small form factor – since the Echo doesn’t have to pack in a GPS chip it is small enough to wear as an everyday watch.
• Battery power – since the Echo doesn’t power the GPS it uses very little power. It doesn’t need to be recharged. When the coin cell battery dies you simply replace it as you would the battery in a stopwatch.

Cons of the Echo + iPhone vs. a GPS Watch

• It’s useless without a paired iPhone. If you don’t like carrying a phone when you run, this watch won’t do you any good. I expect that in summer I will trend back more toward using my Garmin, and I generally don’t carry a phone in races, but in winter when I’m bundled up and pockets are easy to come by the combo works great.
• Minimal function as an everyday watch. Time and date is all you get unless a firmware update adds in an alarms, stopwatch, etc.
• If you’re content just using your iPhone on your arm or in hand, the watch is redundant. I often hand hold my iPhone, but since the screen shuts off it’s still easier to operate via the buttons on the watch than it is to wake the phone up and navigate screens to pause a workout or change a song.

Wishes for the Magellan Echo

• Allow it to pair with Spotify or control the music functions of the iPhone! For example,  I’d love to be able to control music via the watch while driving so that I don’t ever have to touch my phone in the car.
• Add in a stopwatch for when the watch is not paired. Timer and alarm would be great as well.

Conclusion

If you routinely run with an iPhone and don’t intend to change this habit, this might be the only watch you ever need. I’ve had an absolute blast with it, easily one of the cooler gadgets I’ve played with in a long time.

Big thumbs up for the Magellan Echo!

The Magellan Echo is available for purchase at Clever Training in the colors seen below (price without HRM = $149.99, price with HRM = $199.99. Clever Training specializes in fitness electronics, and has agreed to provide a 10% off discount to Runblogger readers on most products that they carry – just enter the code RunBlogXJT at checkout. Purchases support this site and help me to write reviews like this one. Your support is very much appreciated!

The Magellan Echo is also available at Amazon.com.

For example, I received a Garmin Forerunner 620 for Christmas. The Garmin 620 is unique among Garmin watches in that it adds in the ability to measure a slew of new variables as part of the new “running dynamics” suite collected by the HRM-Run monitor that pairs with the watch. I’ve only just started playing with the 620 (loving it so far, hopefully will get a first impressions post up soon), but I’m not yet sure what to make of the data it provides me.

Here’s an example data summary from a run from a few days ago:

First off, there’s no way my max heart rate hit 188bpm on that run – it was a slow run with my dog on very icy and wet surfaces – sometimes we need to be aware that these devices make mistakes.

In addition to standard heart rate data, the watch spits out data on Training Effect, Cadence, Vertical Oscillation, and Ground Contact Time.

Very cool stuff, but my questions are:

A) How accurate are these measures?
B) What is the practical significance of this data for a runner like me?
C) How do the data vary with things like speed, terrain, footwear, etc.?
D) What are the normal ranges observed for these data (is there even a “normal”)?
E) If I am way out of the normal range for any of them, is there any compelling benefit to making a change?
D) If I need to make a change, what’s the best way to do so?
F) Is there any risk associated with making a change?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a data geek, and being able to play with this stuff excites me. One of my goals for the coming weeks is to experiment with the watch and see how the numbers change with various conditions. I also hope to dig into the scientific literature a bit on a few of these variables and see what I can come up with that might be of practical value to everyday runners. But right now they mostly represent a curiosity (maybe with the exception of cadence, which I have a pretty good handle on).

The issue I have with some of the tech coming out is that complex biomechanical information may get overly simplified to the point where it loses meaning, or may actually do harm. To give an example, Techcrunch recently posted and article on the topic of health tech, and in it they feature the new Sensoria Smart Socks. The Sensoria socks contain textile sensors that can measure foot contact location, and they are thus able to give real-time feedback on foot strike (see Sensoria app image at left).

As someone who works in a clinic doing gait analysis, I can see value in a gadget like this (if it works well) for a client a who has a very good reason to consider altering their foot strike and needs something to help keep them on task.

But, my worry is when you see a line like this one in the Techcrunch article: “The Sensoria smart sock correctly diagnosed that I make the runner’s rookie mistake of heel striking, leading to a workout-stopping knee pain.”

I’m not sure I’d call heel striking a “runner’s rookie mistake,” nor do I think we have any strong evidence to say across the board that heel striking is bad or causes knee pain. What’s more, moving from a heel strike to a forefoot strike poses some amount of risk due to the changes in lower extremity loading that occur. Given that runners often tend to be overly enthusiastic (to put it nicely!) with things that promise performance improvement or injury prevention, the opposite result may be just as likely: The Sensoria tells you you’re a heel striker, you actively try to change that quickly because you think heel striking is evil, and you wind up breaking your foot or shredding your calves.

The point here is that if the Sensoria works as indicated, it could be a very cool tool under the right circumstances, but my fear is that in reality it will be a tool used needlessly to get people to change form who would be better off just staying with what works for them.

So, to end this rant, I’ll say that I’m as excited as anyone about the tech on the way. It allows us to measure things (or at least estimate things since accuracy may not be perfect) affordably that could previously only have been measured in a high-tech lab. But, lets not get overly enthusiastic about the stuff we measure until we have a good understanding of what it is telling us and what the practical meaning of such data is.

For example, last week when I was at the Spaulding Running Center they told me about an iOS app called Level Belt Pro that can measure the alignment of the hips in multiple planes and provide feedback to a runner when they tilt the pelvis excessively in the frontal or sagittal planes (just ordered the belt so I can start playing with it).

As another example, the Garmin Forerunner 620 (should be out in a few weeks at Clever Training) comes with a heart rate monitor containing an accelerometer that claims to measure vertical oscillation of the body, as well as ground contact time (accuracy will be the big question, and there is the issue that the center of mass of the human body is not located near the chest).

Earlier today I received an email from a friend (thanks Bob!) alerting me to an article that DC Rainmaker posted a few days ago about a new foot pod coming from ScribeLabs that is packed with sensors that can measure the position of the foot throughout the gait cycle.

ScribeLabs Motion Sensor – Photo From DC Rainmaker

In particular, the ScribeLabs sensor can measure pitch and roll, with pitch being a measure of foot position in the sagittal plane and roll being a measure of foot position in the frontal plane (an iPhone would presumably be able to do this as well as it’s basically what the Level Belt Pro App does, but it would be tough to attach an iPhone to your shoe!). From a practical standpoint, pitch can tell you the inclination of the foot at contact, which can tell you if you are a heel, midfoot, or forefoot striker. Roll can give you an indication of inversion and eversion during stance, which might help identify movement issues at the ankle. Of possibly even greater interest, the ScribeLabs sensor can provide a measure of peak G-Forces and how those relate to things like stride rate, and also presumably how things change with changes in form and footwear (much like a force treadmill, though again accuracy will be the big question). For someone like me who does gait analyses on a regular basis, tech like this is very intriguing!

I’m very interested in getting my hands on one of these sensors to play around a bit, but looks like we’ll have to wait until next Spring before they are available. Nothing out on price yet, so I may contact the company for more info. In the meantime, head over to DC Rainmaker’s site for a thorough preview of the ScribeLabs Motion Sensor!

I got tired of having to cart around two watches, one for all day wear and another for workouts, so I decided late last year to upgrade to the Garmin 610. I asked Santa to bring one to me for Christmas (meaning my wife, meaning me ordering it and giving it to her to wrap up…). Sure enough, the 610 was under the tree on Xmas morning, and I’ve been using it almost non-stop over the past 10 months.

I have mixed feelings about this watch. I mostly love it, but there are a few things that I find rather frustrating, which I’ll get to below.

Rather than going into exceptional detail about what the watch can do (which would simply involve me regurgitating the feature list on the FR610 info page on the Garmin website), I’ll simply say that as one of Garmin’s top tier watches it does almost everything a runner would need. Lots of data screens, lots of customization possibilities for data fields, easily readable screen, HR monitor and foot pod integration, and so on. I have not found the watch features lacking in any way when it comes to my needs as a runner. (For a crazy detailed review of watch features, you can also check out DC Rainmaker’s FR610 review)

The approach I’ll take to this review is to keep things simple and discuss what I really like about the watch, and what I don’t like. Here goes:

Likes

1. Small Size. The Forerunner 610 is much, much smaller than my old FR205. It’s small enough that I can actually use it comfortably as an all day watch without looking like a total running geek with a giant GPS device on my wrist. The 610 was on my wrist 24/7 until recently, when the wristband suddenly broke (more on this below).

Garmin FR610 (left) and FR205 (right) – note the missing wristband on the bottom of the 610, waiting on a replacement!

2. Fast Satellite Acquisition. The FR610 acquires satellites very quickly, particularly if you tend to start each run from the same location. It’s faster than my 205, and this means less time standing in the road with my dog barking at me because he’s ready to run and I’m staring at the sky searching for satellites (I don’t know why I do this, it’s not like I can actually see them).

3. Solid Tracking. I have found both real-time pace and distance tracking to be rock-solid. This is criterion number one for me in a GPS watch, and I trust that data coming from the 610 without hesitation (recognizing the inherent limitations of GPS data).

4. Wireless Upload. I love the fact that the watch shoots data to Garmin Connect wirelessly via a USB ANT+ sensor. Since I’m not always great about downloading workouts, this makes my life just tiny bit easier.

5. SportTracks Sync. Garmin watches play nicely with SportTracks, which is the software I use to log all of my runs. I don’t like having to take extra steps as required with Timex watches and some other brands, and this is one of those other small things that makes me happy and saves a few seconds of my time.

6. Screen Customization Options. You can customize up to 4 data screens, each of which can hold up to 4 data fields. Data field options include everything I could want, and this watch gives me the ability to replicate the screens I used for years on the 205. The screen is smaller than that of the 205, so when you use 4 fields the text is a bit small, but I have not had issues reading the data on the run.

All of the above make for a nearly ideal GPS watch that does everything I need it to do and a whole lot more that I didn’t cover here, since I mostly don’t use the other stuff (things like back-to-start navigation, virtual pacer, etc.). However, there are two biggish issues that make the watch fall short of perfection. Neither is a deal-breaker in my opinion, but they are things that should be mentioned.

Dislikes

1. The Touch Screen. I’ll take a good set of navigation buttons (like those on the Timex Run Trainer 2.0) over the touch screen of the FR610 any day. The main problem with the touch screen on the 610 is that it is not particularly responsive. I typically have to drag my finger across the screen with a dramatic flourish to get it to do what I want. And, most of the time, this results in me pressing the wrong menu item unless I get the pressure just right. This is probably one of the reasons why I’ve resisted really getting into some of the more advanced features of the watch. I have it set to do what I need, and I avoid navigating the menus as much as possible.

On the plus side, the low sensitivity of the touch screen means that it does not often switch screens accidentally (once in awhile it’ll switch data screens if I brush it against a sweaty shirt, but that’s pretty rare). It also does not experience issues when wet – I ran the Vermont City Marathon in May with the 610 in a pretty steady rain and had no issues. Also no issue showering with the watch on (though I generally don’t use the GPS functions in the shower…). The sequel to the 610 (the soon-to-arrive Garmin Forerunner 620) supposedly has an improved touch screen so hopefully that will remedy the issue.

2. The Wristband. I was standing in the lobby of my office the other day chatting with our office manager and heard a thud. I looked at the ground, and there was my 610 sitting on the floor with the wristband broken off from the body of the watch on one side. I picked it up and it was clear that there was no way it was going to be re-attached – the connecting piece is made of softish plastic and had loosened to the point where the pins no longer secured it. I posted a photo on FB and Twitter and got many, many responses from other 610 owners who had experienced the exact same issue. It appears to be a design flaw with the watch. I proceeded to contact Garmin customer service, and they responded promptly that they would send out a replacement band (still waiting to receive it).

My Sad, Broken FR610 Awaiting a New Wristband

I have heard from several people that they have gone through multiple bands on their 610, so I’m not confident the replacement will be a long-term fix. I was given another tip that Garmin has an optional velcro wristband for the 610 that works much better, but that to get it to work you need to buy a set of 19mm spring pins since the ones that come with the velcro band don’t work too well. What a mess! Anyway, I just ordered the velcro band from Amazon for $18.75, and a set of 19mm spring pins for $4.50. Sucks that I have to pay extra to make the watch work, but better than giving up on a $300+ piece of technology. I will report back on how the new band works (Update 10/16/2013 – I now have the velcro strap and have installed it, you can read about it here).

Velcro Band for the Garmin FR610

Conclusion

So there you have it. The FR610 is a mostly great GPS watch that can be worn all day, but has a few flaws that hold it back from perfection. I can mostly live with the touch screen, but the watch band is an issue that just should not happen for an item at this price point. Should the velcro band solve the problem, I’ll be content, and with the 620 coming I’m guessing we will soon see a price drop on the 610 so buying the watch plus the velcro band will likely cost less than the original MSRP (the price has dropped to $309.99 at Clever Training.

Garmin Forerunner 610 Purchasing Options

The Garmin Forerunner 610 is currently on sale for $219.99 at my affiliate partner Clever Training.

Clever Training specializes in fitness electronics, and has agreed to provide a 10% off discount to Runblogger readers on most products that they carry – just enter the code RunBlogXJT at checkout.

The Garmin FR610 is also available at Amazon.com.

Purchases support this site and help me to write reviews like this one. Your support is very much appreciated!

I’ve tried a few products that were “almost there” in terms of being ground-breaking fitness devices – the Motorola MotoACTV is a good example. It was a touch-screen fitness watch and GPS tracker that was the closest thing I have seen to a smartphone fit into a watch-sized package. Unfortunately it suffered from some fatal flaws that made it come up well short of its revolutionary potential (lack of waterproofing of the headphone jack and poor battery life being a huge ones! – as far as I’m aware the MotoACTV has been discontinued).

Just this weekend I got an email from Garmin announcing the Forerunner 220 and 620 fitness watches. I watched the following video and have to say that I’m intrigued.

At first I though these might just be prettier, sleeker, color touch-screen screen versions of the Forerunner 610 (my current everyday GPS watch), but in watching the video they seem to be something a bit more than that. In particular, the ability of the FR620 to measure/estimate certain aspects of running physiology and parameters of the running gait jumped out at me.

I followed up with the Garmin rep and he indicated that they would be willing to loan me a sample to try out and return, so hopefully I’ll have my hands one a 620 soon to play around with some of these features and report back. If it lives up to expectations, I may be upgrading from my 610 in the not too distant future!

In the meantime, below is a summary of the features of the two watches, with some additional thoughts.

First, new features in the Garmin Forerunner 620 and 220 as compared to the 610:

1. Thinner and lighter than the 610. I wear the 610 as my all-day watch, and I like that GPS watches continue to get smaller.

2. Color screen. Self explanatory.

3. Built in accelerometer. The watch itself contains an accelerometer that can estimate speed and distance (the Motorola MotoACTV had this feature). My presumption is that this operates by counting steps in a manner similar to the Fitbit Flex or other wrist-mounted step counters. This could be handy on a treadmill, but probably won’t work if you are pushing a jogging stroller (i.e., when your hands are stationary – the MotoACTV did not count steps when I was pushing my son in his stroller), and accuracy will not be nearly as good as the GPS. But, this feature saves the trouble of having to have a separate foot pod.

4. Bluetooth Enabled. Allows direct upload of workouts through the Garmin Connect Mobile app on a paired smartphone. Also allows for real time tracking of a runner via Livetrack if they are carrying their paired phone with them while they are running. This seems like a pretty cool safety feature. Could also be handy for those crewing runners in an Ultra, though battery life may limit it’s utility in this application.

5. Battery life estimated at 6 weeks in watch-mode, 10 hours with GPS enabled (should be good for distance up to 50K).

6. MSRP for the 620 is $399 without the accelerometer outfitted HRM-Run monitor (see below), $459 with. So $50 more expensive than the FR610 currently sells for in those two packages. The 220 is $249 for the watch, $299 with the standard HRM, so $100 cheaper than the FR610.

The Forerunner 620 has a number of additional features not found on the 220:

1. Enhanced Touchscreen. The 620 has a touchscreen that Garmin claims can be operated even when wearing running gloves, so sounds like it will be more responsive than the woefully difficult to operate touchscreen on the 610. The 220 is operated via buttons (not a touchscreen).

2. Wifi Upload. The 620 can be synced with Wifi networks to upload workouts to Garmin Connect (thus no need for a USB dongle for wireless uploads like with the 610?). Apparently with each sync the next 7 days of satellite data are loaded to the watch to speed up GPS satellite signal acquisition time.

2. VO2max Calculation. I’m curious about this feature. Garmin claims that they can estimate VO2max using data on speed, heart rate, and heart rate variability. They are using calculations produced by a company called Firstbeat, who has published a number of papers on estimating physiological variables from heart rate data. I’m very interested to try this out given that I have had my VO2max calculated using the traditional laboratory based method (running on a treadmill with a mask on till I feel like I’m about to die). I can put the watch to the test and see just how close it comes to my lab-based measure.

3. HRM-Run Heart Rate Monitor. The heart rate monitor that can be purchased with the FR620 has an accelerometer built-in, and can also measure heart rate variability. Garmin claims that it can determine how well you are recovered for your workouts by using the HRM-Run – I presume this is based again on algorithms from Firstbeat, most likely heart rate variability. I haven’t read any of the literature on HR variability as an indicator of training stress, but it seems to be gaining popularity.

4. Running Gait Measurements. The accelerometer in the FR620’s HRM-Run monitor can apparently calculate/estimate ground contact time and vertical oscillation (see readout on watch below). This is perhaps the thing I’m most excited to try out. I’m curious how accurate it is, but if it works reasonably well it could be a great tool for gait training.

I’m hoping to have a loaner in the next few weeks, and will try to get some initial thoughts posted as soon as I have it in hand.

Both the Garmin Forerunner 620 and 220 are available for purchase at my affiliate partner, Clever Training. Clever Training offers Runblogger readers 10% off selected purchases with the code RunBlogXJT.

Below is the feature comparison chart for the two watches: