Your Garmin watch is getting some great new training tools today
Several Forerunner watches are getting a boost
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Garminhas released a big software update for some of its most popularrunning watches, adding new training tools and improved biometrics to help you get more from your workouts.
The new update is rolling out now for theGarmin Forerunner 245(both the standard and Music editions),Forerunner 745andForerunner 945. To get it, simply make sure your watch is paired with theGarminConnect app on your phone, and it will be downloaded and installed automatically.
Everyone who owns one of these watches will now get an improved VO2 report, which will now record VO2 max during train runs (not just road efforts). The VO2 max score will also now take into account tough terrain or footing, so you’re not marked down if you’ve taken an uneven route.
You’ll also be able to record your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) after a workout – a subjective measure of how hard it felt. This can give you an estimate of your training zone, and help you get used to how it feels to be working at a particular level.
Go the distance
If you own a Forerunner 245 or 245 Music, you’ll also get running and cycling suggestions based on your training history, fitness level and recovery time – a feature that’s already available on newer Garmin watches, including the recently releasedForerunner 55.
Owners of the Forerunner 745 and Forerunner 945 will get more advanced sleep tracking, including sleep stages, which can be checked right on the watch face in the morning. There’s also a new workout mode for ultra runners, which allows you to log the time spent at aid stations, plus animated on-screen workouts that you can follow as part of your training.
The watch’s Fitness Age score has also had an update, and is now calculated using your chronological age, activity (how many days per week you take part in vigorous exercise), resting heart rate, and either BMI or body fat percentage (if you own a body compositionsmart scalelike theGarmin Index S2).
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It’s good to see that, although Garmin is releasing new devices on a regular basis (such as theGarmin LilyandVenu 2), it’s still supporting older models, even several years after their release. It’s not acheap running watch, but the Forerunner 245 was launched in April 2019, and this new software will help keep its features current, making it better value in the long run.
Cat is TechRadar’s Homes Editor specializing in kitchen appliances and smart home technology. She’s been a tech journalist for 15 years, and is here to help you choose the right devices for your home and do more with them. When not working she’s a keen home baker, and makes a pretty mean macaron.
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